219 beers awarded at European Beer Star 2022

Coveted awards | After two days of intensive tasting, the winners of this year's European Beer Star have been decided. A total of 2168 beers from 40 countries competed in 73 categories for the coveted awards. These included internationally known beer types such as Pilsner, wheat beer or India Pale Ale, but also specialties such as wood and barrel-aged strong beers, Belgian Dubbel or sour beers were tasted and judged. Only the best three beers in each category are awarded gold, silver and bronze.

An international expert jury, consisting of 130 brewmasters, trade journalists, beer sommeliers and other beer experts, judged the beers submitted in a two-day blind tasting in early August purely on sensory criteria – appearance, aroma and taste. In addition, category-specific characteristics were objectively assessed.

International field of participants

Although the name suggests it, the European Beer Star is not a “European championship” of the best beers. The focus rather lies on beer styles of European origin. At the same time, almost two-thirds of all beers entered come from abroad.

The 219 awards of this year's European Beer Star go to a total of 21 countries around the globe. With a total of 82 awards, including 32 gold, 27 silver, and 23 bronze, German breweries lead the medal table of the European Beer Star 2022. Italy came in second with a total of 35 medals (10 gold, 9 silver, 16 bronze), followed by the U.S. breweries, which brought a total of 25 of the coveted awards (8 gold, 8 silver, 9 bronze) across the “big pond.” The Austrian breweries convinced the expert jury a total of 18 times (6 gold, 6 silver, 6 bronze), with Belgium only just behind with 15 awards (4 gold, 6 silver, 5 bronze). For the first time in the history of the European Beer Star, Ireland won a gold medal.

New categories pick up on trends in the brewing industry

Just as the international beer market is constantly changing, the European Beer Star is also continually evolving. This year, for example, two new categories were introduced. In the Italian Grape Ale category – a beer style invented in Italy that also uses grapes or grape juice – all three awards went to the home country of this style. In addition, Flavoured or Pastry Stouts, which are enjoying increasing popularity worldwide, were judged for the first time at the European Beer Star 2022. Hardly surprising then, that gold and bronze went to the USA and silver to China in this category.

The European Beer Star 2022 took also account of the growing trend toward non-alcoholic beers with four independent categories for non-alcoholic beers for the first time. The awards in these categories went to Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the USA and Spain.

After the extremely successful premiere of the Free-Style Beer category last year, this category again enjoyed great interest from the participating breweries. In addition to outstanding beer quality, storytelling about the respective beer plays a central role in this special category. With a creative idea, perfectly implemented in terms of technology and taste, coupled with refreshing storytelling, a tea beer from SokchoBeer in South Korea convinced final jury the most

Live award ceremony during drinktec

The winning beers were awarded on Wednesday, September 14 during drinktec in Munich. After two digital award ceremonies, the organizer, the Association Private Brauereien, together with the partners of the European Beer Star, is looking forward to a glamorous and magnificent award ceremony on site, true to the motto "That's how Stars taste!".

A complete list of winners is available from https://private-brauereien.de/ebs-en/.