Iowa Breweries Win Big at Two Huge International Beer Competitions

Iowa Breweries Win Big at Two Huge International Beer Competitions

Lion Bridge Brewing Company via Facebook

April was an exciting month for several Iowa breweries! Six of them took home a total of nine awards at a couple of prestigious global competitions for 2026!

According to an article from the Corridor Business Journal, Iowa breweries were awarded medals at both the World Beer Cup in Philadelphia on April 22nd, and the Best of Craft Beer Awards in Oregon on April 13th. Let's see who came out on top!

2026 World Beer Cup Winners

Described on their website as "the Most Prestigious Beer Competition in the World," the 2026 World Beer Cup held their awards ceremony on April 22nd. The CBJ reports that this year's competition "featured 8,166 entries from 1,644 breweries across 50 countries," and among the winners were three breweries from here in the Hawkeye State! Here are those winners, courtesy of the World Beer Cup website:

  • Lion Bridge Brewing Co. in Cedar Rapids
    • Category: Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout
      • Winning Beer: Olde 17
      • Award Won: Gold
    • Category: English Mild or Bitter
      • Winning Beer: Compensation
      • Award Won: Bronze
  • Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City
    • Category: Hoppy Non-Alcohol Beer
      • Winning Beer: Zero Eddy
      • Award Won: Silver
  • Field Day Brewing Co. in North Liberty
    • Category: International Amber Lager
      • Winning Beer: Czech Amber
      • Award Won: Bronze

2026 Best of Craft Beer Awards Winners

Bend, Oregon is home to the Best of Craft Beer Awards, which is "one of America’s fastest-growing beer competitions," according to the website. The 2026 competition featured 1,498 entries from across the globe, with 153 of those entries receiving awards. Here are all of the Iowa breweries that took home medals this year:

  • Marto Brewing Co. in Sioux City
    • Category: Cascadian Dark Ale
      • Winning Beer: Fear of the Dark
      • Award Won: Silver
    • Category: Golden & Blonde Ales
      • Winning Beer: American Girl
      • Awards Won: Gold
  • Flix Brewhouse in Des Moines
    • Category: Hazy and Juicy Pale Ale
      • Winning Beer: Nebulas
      • Award Won: Silver
  • Full Fledged Brewing in Council Bluffs
    • Category: Hop-Forward Session Beers
      • Winning Beer: Floyd The Barbarian
      • Award Won: Bronze
    • Category: Rare & Historical Beers
      • Winning Beer: Common Corn Star
      • Award Won: Bronze
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READ MORE: All the Big Events Happening in Eastern Iowa in May 2026 [LIST]

Eastern Iowans Name Their Favorite Pork Tenderloins

We asked Eastern Iowans on Facebook which area restaurant they will be nominating for the 2026 Best Pork Tenderloin Contest, and there were quite a few responses! Here are some of the favorites:

Gallery Credit: Courtlin

Eastern Iowa's Highest-Rated Pizza Places in 2026

In honor of National Pizza Day on February 9th, we took a look at some of the best pizza in Eastern Iowa! Whether your prefer New York-style, Chicago deep dish, Detroit-style, standard toppings, or outside-the-box flavors, here are some of the places that have high ratings on Google Reviews:

Gallery Credit: Courtlin

Filed Under: Beer, awards, iowa, breweries
Categories: Local News, Food and Drink

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