Ohio Brewery News

Northeast Ohio proves to be the hefeweizen capital of the world, as Market Garden Brewery joined Fat Head’s on the medal stand with a bronze award for Prosperity Wheat in the South German-style Hefeweizen category. The award is the first for Market Garden in the World Beer Cup; Prosperity Wheat previously won a gold medal in the Great American Beer Festival competition in 2019.

Three more Ohio breweries returned to the World Beer Cup stage with awards in the 2024 contest, including a gold medal for Gemut Biergarten‘s Skol Crusher Dortmunder in the Dortmunder/Export or German-style Oktoberfest category. This is the second World Beer Cup award for the Columbus-based brewery after earning a bronze in 2022. Cincinnati’s Rhinegeist has now earned an award in two consecutive contests, winning a silver for Uncle in the Scottish-style Ale category after taking home a gold in 2023. Brink Brewing‘s Lil Zoomie coffee stout won bronze in this year’s World Beer Cup, on the heels of a gold medal in last fall’s Great American Beer Festival contest.

In addition to Market Garden Brewery, first-time World Beer Cup winners from Ohio include Combustion Brewery & Taproom in Pickerington, Loose Ends Brewing in Centerville and Masthead Brewing Company in Cleveland. All three breweries took home silver medals in their respective categories. Since the year 2000, Ohio breweries have earned a total of 74 awards in the global competition informally known as “the Olympics of beer.” In the 2024 competition, 2,060 breweries from 50 countries submitted more than 9,300 beers for judging in 110 style categories.

“Consumers are seeking out high quality, innovative, flavorful beverages, and Ohio breweries are delivering,” said Mary MacDonald, executive director of the Ohio Craft Brewers Association. “Not only are our breweries making some of the best beers in the world, but they’re also bringing people together and building community all over the state.”