Gold and Silver at the World Beer Cup: The U.S. Remains a strong market for Weihenstephan

Freising, April 23, 2026 – A major medal haul for the Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan: The results of the World Beer Cup were announced in Philadelphia, USA – and in addition to a silver medal for the Kristallweißbier, the Vitus Weizenbock was awarded Gold.

The World Beer Cup has been held since 1996. In over 110 categories, specialty beers from around the world are blind-tasted by more than 250 experts. Approximately 8,200 beers from 1,644 breweries in 50 countries were submitted for judging – and there is only one gold, silver, and bronze medal per category. “For us, success at the World Beer Cup is not a given,” explains the brewery’s director, Prof. Dr. Josef Schrädler. “The fact that we keep winning here with our beers is also due to us not making any compromises on quality, as evidenced, for example, by our investment in our new cellar.”

In 2026, the two major award winners struck again: The Kristallweißbier won the silver medal, while the Vitus was named the world’s best wheat bock. An honor the latter has already received several times in other competitions! “These recurring awards show that we’re on the right track,” says Tobias Zollo, Technical Director and Head Brewer at Weihenstephan, with delight. “Our entire team works day in and day out, down to the last detail, on our specialty beers. I’m very proud that we’re able to bring home medals from the World Beer Cup time and again.”

Brand ambassador Matthias Ebner was on hand in Philadelphia to accept the medals: “It’s incredible to see how many great breweries there are around the world. To come out on top here is a special feeling.”

About the Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan
The Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan, founded in 1040 as a monastery brewery by Benedictine monks, is today a state-owned enterprise managed according to private-sector standards. Behind the brewery’s historic walls lies state-of-the-art technology that draws on the latest scientific findings in beverage technology. Combined with nearly 1,000 years of experience and traditional brewing methods, this results in premium beers of the highest quality, which are honored each year with the most coveted awards at international beer competitions. More than 180 employees, with great dedication and expertise, ensure that Weihenstephan beer specialties are available regionally, nationally, and internationally.

The brewery grounds are surrounded by the modern institute buildings of the Technical University of Munich in Weihenstephan, which is known worldwide as a training center for master brewers and brewing engineers. For this reason, there was no possibility for the brewery to expand at its Weihenstephaner Berg location. With the logistics center inaugurated in 2019 in the Clemensänger industrial park in Freising, near the highway entrance, the world’s oldest brewery is now very modern and well-positioned for the future. By outsourcing logistics, brewing can continue on Weihenstephan Hill even as the company grows further.