Well you know how much we love lists around these parts, like not at all. But this is a bit different than some of the other lists that have been put out there before. The World Beer awards have come out for 2011, and these are a bit more unique than some of the other lists out there. First it goes by the Style Guide for categories, then it is actually judged on three continents. Then those are again judged to select a winner for each style, and an overall winner. The website does a much better job of explaining it than I could ever do, so here it is in their words:
Welcome to the winners guide to the World Beer Awards 2011, the global awards selecting the very best internationally recognised beer styles from around the world.
Judging is blind with regional style heats held in Europe, the USA and Asia under the careful eye of a regional Chairman.
They select the style winner in each region, which is then tasted against the other regional winners to select the World’ss Best Style.
From these world winners judges can then select the World’s Best Ale, Lager, Stout & Porter and Wheat Beer. The pages of this year’s World Beer Awards guide identify winners by style and by category, we hope you enjoy this year’s findings and the fantastic range of beers they represent.
Enjoy exploring this incredible selection of outstanding beers.
What is more is there is a book that they publish that goes through each beer for five major styles, has a picture of each, and tasting and style notes. This book is in PDF form and available for download for free on their site! This really is a very comprehensive list, and one like I’ve not seen before, although they have been doing this since 2007, and up at the top of the site there are tabs for previous years winners. I had fun poking around here, and I think you will too.
Here are some of the results:
| World’s Best Wheat Beer, World’s Best Beer | Weihenstephaner Vitus 7.7% |
World’s Best Category Winners
| World’s Best Dark Ale, World’s Best Ale | Rodenbach Grand Cru 6% |
| World’s Best Lager | Samuel Adams Double Bock 9.5% |
| World’s Best Pale Ale | Deschutes Hop Henge 9% |
| World’s Best Stout & Porter | Harvey’s Imperial Extra Double Stout 9% |
| World’s Best Wheat Beer, World’s Best Beer | Weihenstephaner Vitus 7.7% |
World’s Best Dark Ales
| World’s Best Barley Wine Dark Ale | Botet Barley Wine 2009 9.1% |
| World’s Best Brown Dark Ale | Kamakura Beer Flower 5.5% |
| World’s Best Flavoured Dark Ale | Thornbridge Bracia 9% |
| World’s Best Kriek Dark Ale | Bockor Kriek Max % |
| World’s Best Mild Dark Ale | Brains Dark 3.5% |
| World’s Best Old / Vintage Ale / Oud Bruin Dark Ale | Rodenbach Grand Cru 6% |
| World’s Best Speciality Dark Ale | Redoak Special Reserve 12% |
| World’s Best Strong Dark Dark Ale | Dark Island Reserve 10% |
| → World’s Best Dark Ale winners booklet ← | |
World’s Best Lagers
| World’s Best Dark Lager | Bernard Dark 5.1% |
| World’s Best Doppel Bock Lager | Samuel Adams Double Bock 9.5% |
| World’s Best Flavoured Lager | Fujizakura Rauch 5.5% |
| World’s Best Gluten-free Lager | SA Damm Estrella Damm Daura 5.4% |
| World’s Best Low / No Alcohol (inc. ’light’) Lager | Claustmaler Classic Radeberger 0.5% |
| World’s Best Pils / Pils(e)ner Lager | Borgio 5.5% |
| World’s Best Premium Lager | SA Damm Keler 18 6.5% |
| World’s Best Seasonal Lager | Chatoe Rogue Dirtoir Black Lager 6% |
| World’s Best Standard Lager | Egils Gull 5% |
| World’s Best Strong Lager | Australian Max 7.1% |
| → World’s Best Lager winners booklet ← | |
World’s Best Pale Ales
| World’s Best Abbey / Trappist Pale Ale | Les Trois Mousquetaires La Buteuse 10% |
| World’s Best Altbier Pale Ale | Tazawako Beer Alt 5% |
| World’s Best Amber Pale Ale | Mont Blanc La Rousse du Mont Blanc 7.2% |
| World’s Best Best Bitter Pale Ale | Rogue Brutal IPA 6.2% |
| World’s Best Biere de Garde Pale Ale | Samuel Adams Longshot Lemon Pepper Saison 6.4% |
| World’s Best Bitter Pale Ale | Sharp’s Special 5% |
| World’s Best Blonde / Golden Pale Ale | Stewart Brewing Hollyrood 5% |
| World’s Best Flavoured Pale Ale | Sharp’s Chalky’s Bite 10% |
| World’s Best Harvest Pale Ale | Deschutes Hop Trip 5.5% |
| World’s Best Imperial IPA Pale Ale | Deschutes Hop Henge 9% |
| World’s Best IPA Pale Ale | SanktGallen Yokohama XPA 5.8% |
| World’s Best Kolsch Pale Ale | Alltech Kentucky Light 4.32% |
| World’s Best Lambic & Gueuze Pale Ale | Oud Beersel Oude Gueuze 6% |
| World’s Best Premium Pale Ale | St Austell Admiral’s Ale 5% |
| World’s Best Seasonal Pale Ale | Voie Maltee Graincheuse 8% |
| World’s Best Speciality Pale Ale | Petrus Aged Pale 7.3% |
| World’s Best Standrd Pale Ale | Unibroue Blonde De Chambly 5% |
| World’s Best Strong / Extra Special Pale Ale | Deschutes Red Chair NWPA 6.2% |
| → World’s Best Pale Ale winners booklet ← | |
World’s Best Stouts & Porters
| World’s Best Porter Stout & Porter | Fuller’s London Porter 5.4% |
| World’s Best Porter – Baltic Stout & Porter | Baltika No6 Porter 7% |
| World’s Best Porter – Flavoured Stout & Porter | Rogue Mocha Porter 5.3% |
| World’s Best Stout – Dry Stout & Porter | Deschutes Obsidian Stout 6.4% |
| World’s Best Stout – Export Style Stout & Porter | Preston Ale Stout (Irish Ale) 6% |
| World’s Best Stout – Flavoured Stout & Porter | Rogue Chocolate Stout 6% |
| World’s Best Stout – Strong Stout & Porter | Harvey’s Imperial Extra Double Stout 9% |
| → World’s Best Stout & Porter winners booklet ← | |
World’s Best Wheat Beers
| World’s Best Dark Wheat Beer | Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel 5.3% |
| World’s Best Fruit Wheat Beer | Unibroue Ephemere Cassis (Black Currant) 5.5% |
| World’s Best Grain-only Wheat Beer | Daisen G Beer Weizen 5% |
| World’s Best Low / No Alcohol Wheat Beer | Eder Bavaria Weizenbier Alcoholfrei 0% |
| World’s Best Spiced Wheat Beer | Unibroue Blanche De Chambly 5% |
| World’s Best Strong Wheat Beer | Weihenstephaner Vitus 7.7% |
| → World’s Best Wheat Beer winners booklet ← | |
Asia’s Best
| Best Altbier Pale Ale | Tazawako Beer Alt 5% |
| Best Barley Wine Dark Ale | Shonan Barley Wine 8.8% |
| Best Bitter Pale Ale | Redoak Bitter 3.4% |
| Best Brown Dark Ale | Kamakura Beer Flower 5.5% |
| Best Dark Lager | Shonan Liebe 5% |
| Best Dark Wheat Beer | Fujizakura Chocolate Wheat 6% |
| Best Flavoured Lager | Fujizakura Rauch 5.5% |
| Best Flavoured Pale Ale | Shonan Gold 4.5% |
| Best Fruit Wheat Beer | Redoak Framboise Frament 4.5% |
| Best Grain-only Wheat Beer | Daisen G Beer Weizen 5% |
| Best Imperial IPA Pale Ale | Minoh W-IPA 9% |
| Best IPA Pale Ale | Yokohama XPA 5.8% |
| Best Pils / Pils(e)ner Lager | Borgio 5.5% |
| Best Porter Stout & Porter | Brown Porter 5.5% |
| Best Premium Lager | Chang Beer 5% |
| Best Speciality Dark Ale | Redoak Special Reserve 12% |
| Best Speciality Pale Ale | Daisen G Beer Yagou 7% |
| Best Stout – Export Style Stout & Porter | Preston Ale Irish Ale 6% |
| Best Stout & Porter Stout Strong | Minoh Imperial Stout 8% |
| Best Strong Lager | Australian Max 7.1% |
| Best Strong Wheat Beer | Daisen G Beer Wheat Wine 9% |
Europe’s Best
| Best Abbey / Trappist Dark Ale | Petrus Dubbel 6.5% |
| Best Abbey / Trappist Pale Ale | Prior Tongerlo 9% |
| Best Amber Pale Ale | Mont Blanc La Rousse du Mont Blanc 7.2% |
| Best Barley Wine Dark Ale | Botet Barley Wine 2009 9.1% |
| Best Best Bitter Pale Ale | Fuller’s Gales HSB 4.8% |
| Best Bitter Pale Ale | Sharp’s Special 5% |
| Best Blonde / Golden Pale Ale | Stewart Brewing Hollyrood 5% |
| Best Brown Dark Ale | Petras Bruin 8.1% |
| Best Dark Lager | Bernard Dark 5.1% |
| Best Dark Wheat Beer | Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel 5.3% |
| Best Doppel Bock Lager | Flotzinger Josefi Bock 7.5% |
| Best Flavoured Dark Ale | Thornbridge Bracia 9% |
| Best Flavoured Lager | Melville’s Raspberry Beer 4.1% |
| Best Flavoured Pale Ale | Sharp’s Chalky’s Bite 6.8% |
| Best Fruit Wheat Beer | Bavik Wittekerke Rose 4.3% |
| Best Gluten-free Lager | SA Damm Estrella Damm Daura 5.4% |
| Best Grain-only Wheat Beer | Primator Weizenbier 5% |
| Best IPA Pale Ale | St Austell Proper Job 5.5% |
| Best Kirek Dark Ale | Bockor Kriek Max 3.2% |
| Best Lambic & Gueuze Pale Ale | Oud Beersel Oude Gueuze 6% |
| Best Low / No Alcohol (inc. ’light’) Lager | Claustmaler Classic Radeberger 0.5% |
| Best Low / No Alcohol Wheat Beer | Eder Bavaria Weizenbier Alcoholfrei 0.5% |
| Best Mild Dark Ale | Brains Dark 3.5% |
| Best Old / Vintage Ale / Oud Bruin Dark Ale | Rodenbach Grand Cru 6% |
| Best Pils / Pils(e)ner Lager | San Miguel 1516 4.2% |
| Best Porter – Baltic Stout & Porter | Baltika No6 Porter 7% |
| Best Porter – Flavoured Stout & Porter | Okell’s Aile 4.7% |
| Best Porter Stout & Porter | Fuller’s London Porter 5.4% |
| Best Premium Lager | SA Damm Keler 18 6.5% |
| Best Premium Pale Ale | St Austell Admiral’s Ale 5% |
| Best Seasonal Lager | Loncium Austrian Amber Lager 5.5% |
| Best Seasonal Pale Ale | Harvey’s Tom Paine 5.5% |
| Best Speciality Dark Ale | Palm Brewery Rodenbach Vintage 7% |
| Best Speciality Pale Ale | Petrus Aged Pale 7.3% |
| Best Spiced Wheat Beer | Steenbrugge Wit 5% |
| Best Standard Lager | Egils Gull 5% |
| Best Stout – Dry Stout & Porter | Hook Norton Double Stout 4.8% |
| Best Stout – Export Style Stout & Porter | Sotholmen Extra Stout 7% |
| Best Stout – Flavoured Stout & Porter | Saltaire Triple Chocoholic 4.8% |
| Best Stout – Strong Stout & Porter | Harvey’s Imperial Extra Double Stout 9% |
| Best Strong / Extra Special Pale Ale | Fuller’s ESB 5.9% |
| Best Strong Dark Dark Ale | Dark Island Reserve 10% |
| Best Strong Lager | Ketterer Maibock 7.1% |
| Best Strong Wheat Beer | Weihenstephaner Vitus 7.7% |
The Americas Best
-Don
Beer & Whiskey Brothers 
At least give us the category winners in the post, dude!
Too much effort! They can go to the web site and see. *Lazy Poster*
Just cut and pasted them. Took about 30 seconds…
Yeah, but now it is all long and bulky, and they can’t click on each beer to get more info like they could on the site. I was forcing them to be interested! 😉
Was Sam Adams the only US Brewery to enter a ton of beers?
It looks that way. Based on the site it seems as if you can enter your own beers for judging, but they probably don’t solicit entries, looks like they leave that up to the individual breweries.
It seems pretty obvious to me that a number of breweries aren’t playing in this game. I didn’t see any of my favorite breweries–much less brews–listed. It’d be interesting to see just who entered (and by extension, who didn’t.) For instance, its hard to believe that brews from say, New Belgium or DFH, wouldn’t have placed in the American beers at least.
Agreed. Since this looks like it requires breweries to self submit, it could be a stretch for those that don’t have a full time administrative staff or at least someone monitoring social media. I figure it will probably be more robust as more and more breweries enter the fray.
I was hoping to see a little more parity for the Americas. Moosehead won premium lager? I’ll take this list with a grain of salt, however the comprehensiveness of the lists, breakdowns and styles was really nice.
Agreed. I think all lists should be taken that way, but this one did a bit better job on the judging side I thought. However looks like they need a more comprehensive list of beers to begin with.
I’m starting the Don drinking game this afternoon. Every time Don begins a comment with “Agreed.” I’ll take a drink.
Agreed, you should begin now!
Agreed. You are going to be drunk by the time you have to leave.
Agreed. Let’s get this buzz going!
Agreed. I hope you don’t get sick!
Agreed. The bed will be spinning tonight.
Agreed. You aren’t going to want any more beer this week!
The one call I do like is the repetition of the Deschutes Hop Henge up there, that really is a great beer
Agreed. Hop Henge is a great beer. This is fun, I can agree with you, and get Tanmre drunk at the same time!
Wow. That’s a lot of beers I’ve never tried!
Agreed! I haven’t tried the majority of them either, and in your case, that is really saying something! I’m pretty sure Tamre is about ready to pass out right now!
I have to question a list that has Sam Adams on it that many times and nothing from Stone….????
It seems that many breweries elected not to participate, so if they don’t throw in they don’t get evaluated. It is an obvious flaw in their system.
Maybe they require free beer for their tastings. Just think of it. You guys could start an Awards program of your own and get loads of free beer. (Course, I’d expect a cut for suggesting it. LOL)
Great Minds think alike Wayne!
Hey Don and Jim, just came across the site the other day and absolutely love it, keep up the good work!
Indeed, there seem to be a lot of breweries missing, especially American ones, but this list is long and diverse enough for a brewing novice like to me learn from.
As I currently live in Korea, a land nearly void of quality brew, most of the beers here will have to be filled away till I get stateside….sigh.
Hey James; surely you can get some of the new Japanese beers–they’re really starting into get into the craft-beer game (beers such as Hitachino Nest & Green Tea IPA.) And there are always the old Asian standbys, Sapporo, San Miguel (or as we used to call it on Okinawa, Sam McGoo), and such.
Don, don’t you agree?
Massagu, I don’t live in Seoul so that’s another hindrance of beer availability. A typical store here in my town will carry Asahi, Guiness, Carlsberg, Budweiser, Sapporo and Hoegaarden in addition to the crap Korean beer.
One department store used to carry Cooper’s Stout (Austrailia) which was pretty good. Another has been carrying some lower end German and Beligian beers, which seem great compared to the Korean stuff.
One bar in town has a pale ale on draft from Alley Kat (Edmonton, CAN), which is really random.
Overall, the situation is improving, I’ve been here about 3 years now. but it’s a long way from I’m used to at home.
Hopefully it’ll improve. When I was in Russia back in ’93, the only decent beers around were Belgian brews and they were quite inexpensive. The Russian beer at the time was pure dreck! I understand that that situation is changing for the good as many young Russians switch from vodka to beer.
So, what the coments tell me is the awards should be called World’s Best Beers That Were Submitted Awards. Sam Adams and Unibroue are not usually the first to come to mind.