GHENT, Belgium — Belgium has emerged as the top winner at the 2024 Brussels Beer Challenge, securing a total of 70 awards at the prestigious international competition. The results were revealed Monday at a ceremony during the Horeca Expo in Ghent, with Italy and the Netherlands claiming second and third places, respectively, each earning nearly 40 medals.
Held earlier this month, the competition saw 70 beer experts gather at St Peter’s Abbey in Ghent for a blind tasting of 1,700 beers. The panel judged beers across various categories, with Belgium reaffirming its dominance in traditional beer styles like tripels and lambics.
Some of Belgium’s most renowned brewers, including Rodenbach, Moinette, Duvel, Chimay, and Grimbergen, among others, took home medals. Newer Belgian breweries such as Surréaliste (Brussels), The Brew Society (Kortrijk), and Minne (Somme-Leuze) also earned recognition for their innovative offerings.
Belgium’s winning streak continued in the lambic category, highlighted by a gold medal awarded to Megablend, a unique beer created by blending a dozen lambic brews from various Flanders brewers in the Pajottenland region.
Brewery Huyghe from Melle, known globally for its Delirium brand, also triumphed, earning awards for its Averbode, St Idesbald, and Guillotine beers. Van Steenberge from Ertvelde received a silver medal for its gourmet beer Fourchette Grand Cru.
While Belgium continued to dominate, the ultimate prize for Best Beer of the Competition went to Italy. The award was claimed by Ruggine, a pale ale from the Piedmontese brewery Diciottozerouno. This recognition marks a major achievement for Italian brewing at an event traditionally dominated by Belgian entries.
The Brussels Beer Challenge, which attracts brewers and enthusiasts from around the world, continues to highlight the global diversity and excellence in beer production.
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