Entries and winners from all over the world

European Beer Star | In 2020 all events were cancelled – or were they? No. The jury tasting of the European Beer Star indeed did take place in Gräfelfing at the beginning of October, and the "Oscars of the Brewing Industry" were awarded at the BrauBeviale Special Edition on 11 November 2020, although only ‘virtually’.

And despite the covid-19 pandemic, the figures are quite impressive: 2036 entries were submitted from 42 countries! That is only 18 percent less than in the record year 2019, as a delighted Kilian Kittl pointed out, who was able to manage the European Beer Star for the first time and passed his acid test brilliantly with this 17th edition. The jury had a lot to do in October, as it was significantly smaller and unfortunately less international than usual due to travel restrictions.

With the 2020 figures being this positive, the European Beer Star organized by the association Private Brauereien Bayern e.V. is again one of the most important beer competitions worldwide, despite the circumstances.

Germany's breweries lead the medal table – as in 2019 – with 72 European Beer Star medals: 21 in gold, 23 in silver and 28 in bronze. Second place went to the USA with eleven gold, five silver and six bronze medals, while Italy came third, with nine gold, ten silver and eight bronze medals.

Top scorers from Taiwan and Tauber valley

The most successful international brewery at the European Beer Star 2020 comes from Taiwan: Brewer Buckskin was delighted to have been awarded three gold medals in the categories German Style Pilsener, German Style Heller Bock and Smoke Beer Franconian Style. In addition, they received three silver medals in the categories Session Beer Alt and South German Style Kristallweizen.

The most successful brewery from Germany is located in the Tauber valley in Baden-Württemberg. Distelhäuser won three gold medals: for their anniversary beer 1670 in the category Belgian Style Strong Blond Ale, for their Weizen Bock in the category South German Wheat Bock Hell and for Distelhäuser Dinkel in the category Beer with alternative cereals. In addition they were awarded two bronze medals in the categories South German Style Hefeweizen Hell and Kristallweizen. This also makes Distelhäuser the best European brewery in this global competition.

61 percent international submissions

Considering the circumstances, the international interest in the competition was enormous: 61 percent of the submitted beers came from breweries from 41 countries outside Germany. The medals went to 28 countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia.

The challenge for the entire organization this year was many times greater than in the past sixteen years. The Association of Private Breweries had to be flexible until the very end.

"I am very proud of our European Beer Star team," said Stefan Stang, General Manager of the Association of Private Breweries Bavaria. "It was this great commitment that made it possible in the first place for us to carry out the European Beer Star again this year", Stang continued.

The awards for the winning beers were presented for the first time this year during an online ceremony as part of the BrauBeviale Special Edition.

A list of the European Beer Star winners 2020 can be found at european-beer-star.de