For the World Beer Awards 2021, there was a host of great drops on offer, with 10 category winners claiming top honours in their respective divisions. From dark to lager, non-alcoholic to pale ale, just about every format of the golden elixir was on display, giving beer fanatics a taste of true brewing art. As expected, the old stalwarts of Germany and Belgium dominated the categories, claiming four out of the 10 major accolades, but there were some new players who trumped the traditional kings.

A strong, dark ale, the Qualified from Taxman Brewing Company features Belgian specialty malts with rich, deep notes of raisin and plum. The flavour is further enhanced by dynamic Belgian esters to create a sweet, complex ale. Savour this one.

As the only Belgian abbey beer to be 100% brewed in a living abbey, Val-Dieu makes some serious solid brews. The L’Excellence Du Val-Dieu was awarded the World’s Best Flavoured Beer, scoring well the judges, despite it’s hefty 12.9% ABV.

A classic IPA, Whalers Brewing Company’s Wanderer scored well with the judges in this year’s competition. Pouring a hazy caramel colour, Wanderer is layered with bold aromas of citrus and mango, finished with a complex blend of hops add hefty tones of tangerine.

The naturally cloudy cellar beer, Karlsberg’s Kellerbier is an unfiltered drop, straight from the beer cellar and brewed according to the German purity law. The brand claims a balance between heavy notes and a bitter taste.

A traditional style stout without the booze, the Galactic Milk Stout from UK brewery Big Drop claimed top honours in the low-alcohol category. The tasting notes claim honeycomb covered in chocolate, evoking a rich, unctuous and an absolutely decadent treat of a beer.

Anosteke’s Blonde is a pale-ale type beer made with French malt and 100% organic hops. The floral and fruity beer is light and refreshing making it the perfect drink for long sessions.

Brewed with yeast and bacteria cultivated by traditional lambic breweries, the 10-4-20 from Indie Alehouse is a wild drop. The beer is aged in oak and bottle conditioned to a bright carbonation for notes of apricot, plum & an earthy barnyard funk.

Landing somewhere between wine and beer, Liefman’s Kriek-Brut Xtra is not for everyone. Made from a blend of aged cherry beers & cherry beer, this Belgian release is aged on wine barrels (pinot noir) by master blender Marc Coesens.

The only Serbian beer to win a major accolade, the Salto Stout performed a major upset for the category. With a burst of subtle milk chocolate, hazelnut and coffee flavours, the beer has a lingering aftertaste that is ideal for after-dinner.

After brewing beer in Bruges for five generations, the Vanneste family, led by head brewer Xavier Vanneste concluded an agreement with Alken-Maes (Heineken) and resumed production at “De Halve Maan”. The move saw the return of the classic Brugs, with this year’s edition, the Tarwebier claiming top honours at the 2021 World Beer Awards.