2013 World Beer Awards

Wow!! What a joke! All the judges must be employees of Sam Adams!! I've had way way better beers

 

Can we talk about Cuvee Rene being the best sour beer?

 

What was entered, and was judged to be the best beer on the table that judging session, won. Judging is done blind at beer competitions.

Breweries choose to enter based on the completion location, the prestige, and entry and shipping costs. $200 per entry is ballpark for some of the big ones in the US. Since this was in England, many would pass.

We will see many of the same comments after the GABF winners are announced. Every year, same procedure.

 

I feel like I must get my hands on Le Trou du Diable La Bretteuse Brassin Special right now

 

Quite obscure, yes, but probably more balanced than the "World" Beer Cup.

 

Well, obscure from our parochial US perspective.

 

I wonder if most breweries didn't enter this competition because it's a joke. So, basically the winners are the "best of the average." (Not in every situation though) Abyss is great.

When you have Rogue winning categories and then Lindemans proclaimed the best sour, the credibility of this competition just went out the window.

 

I have to agree with everyone else that this is not a very representative list of the "world's best" beer. For one in order to be the best in the world at anything that would mean that the majority of breweries from around the brewery would have to be in the competition. This list is much more of a combination of the big craft breweries having a pissing match over who makes the best mediocre beer for each style.

 

Don't drink em, wouldn't know.

 

Doesn't surprise me.

 

It's a trade awards so big breweries can put a label on their beer saying 'Winner' as a marketing hook. However, it seems to be getting less mainstream. Minoh Imperial Stout is a very good stout, without any barrel aged crap or gimmickry.

 

This is why so many beer awards are full of it. It's a pay-to-play system, so only a very select few breweries are actually going to front the cost to claim to have won an award.

Looks like Deschutes and Sam Adams (shocking!) decided to buy some awards.

 

The judging is done blind with no knowledge of the beer except the style that it was submitted as. If a brewery does not submit their beer, they are not considered in the competition. Simple as that.

Full Disclosure: I'm a judge for WBA.

 

I'm not dishing the judging at all. I'm sure of what was entered, those beers were the best. However, it's so disingenuous to label the awards "World's Best..."

 

Did anyone else other than Sam Adams enter anything for the Americas?? Christ.

 

Personally, i think hyperbole is the best thing ever.