When it comes to naming the World’s Best Beers, we’d like to think we’ve got the expertise to make the call, but apparently, downing 32 Victoria Bitters every Friday night does not make you a beer authority. That’s why hordes of beer connoisseurs put their faith in the expert panel of specialists behind the World Beer Awards. The annual event judges the best brews from around the globe, measuring them on their nose, taste, finish, colour and (presumably) frothiness to determine the penultimate champion.
Table of contents
- World’s Best Beers 2021
- World’s Best Dark Beer – Taxman Brewing Company (United States), Qualified
- World’s Best Flavoured Beer – Brasserie De L’Abbaye Du Val-Dieu (Belgium) L’Excellence Du Val-Dieu
- World’s Best IPA – Whalers Brewing Company (United States) Wanderer
- World’s Best Lager – Karlsberg (Germany) Kellerbier
- World’s Best No & Low Alcohol Beer – Big Drop (United Kingdom) Galactic Milk Stout
- World Best Pale Beer – Anosteke (France) Blonde
- World’s Best Sour & Wild Beer – Indie Alehouse (Canada) 10-4-20
- World’s Best Speciality Beer – Liefmans (Belgium) Kriek-Brut Xtra
- World’s Best Stout & Porter – Salto (Serbia) Stout
- World’s Best Wheat Beer – Brouwerij de Halve Maan (Belgium) Brugs Tarwebier
- World Beer Awards – All Winners
- General FAQs
World’s Best Beers 2021
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 beer, IPAs and lager, to non-alcoholic, wheat beer and 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.
Canadian brewery Indie Alehouse’s 10-4-20 was named the World’s Best Sour Beer, while Serbia’s Salto took out the title for world’s best stout. Sadly, only two Aussie labels picked up an award at this year’s standings, with O’Brien’s Belgian Ale named World’s Best Speciality Gluten-free beer and Brick Lane Brewing Co’s Revolver Dark Hoppy Ale scoring the title of World’s Best Porter.
“This is an incredible recognition for our brewing team and the dedication they consistently show to our beers,” Brick Lane head brewer Jon Seltin said. Revolver is a particular staff favourite and something we really look forward to brewing each winter. To have this recognised at the World Beer Awards is really something special.”
All 10 categories were awarded a Best Overall winner, with each listed below. According to the World Beer Awards, here are the best beers in the world for 2021:
World’s Best Dark Beer – Taxman Brewing Company (United States), Qualified
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.
Brand: Taxman Brewing Company
Region: United States
Style: Quadrupel (Quad)
ABV: 10.2%
World’s Best Flavoured Beer – Brasserie De L’Abbaye Du Val-Dieu (Belgium) L’Excellence Du Val-Dieu
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.
Brand:Brasserie De L’Abbaye Du Val-Dieu
Region: Belgium
Style: Belgian Quadrupel
ABV: 12.9%
You’ll also like:
100+ Best Beers in Australia for 2021 Announced
World’s Best IPA – Whalers Brewing Company (United States) Wanderer
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.
Brand: Whalers Brewing Company
Region: United States
Style: IPA
ABV: 8%
World’s Best Lager – Karlsberg (Germany) Kellerbier
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.
Brand: Karlsberg
Region: Germany
Style: Lager
ABV: 5.2%
World’s Best No & Low Alcohol Beer – Big Drop (United Kingdom) Galactic Milk Stout
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.
Brand: Big Drop
Region: United Kingdom
Style: Milk Stout
ABV: 0%
World Best Pale Beer – Anosteke (France) Blonde
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.
Brand: Anosteke
Region: France
Style: Golden beer
ABV: 5.5%
World’s Best Sour & Wild Beer – Indie Alehouse (Canada) 10-4-20
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.
Brand: Indie Alehouse
Region: Canada
Style: Wild Ale
ABV: 5.7%
World’s Best Speciality Beer – Liefmans (Belgium) Kriek-Brut Xtra
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.
Brand: Liefmans
Region: Belgium
Style: Cherry beer
ABV: 9.5%
World’s Best Stout & Porter – Salto (Serbia) Stout
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.
Brand: Salto
Region: Serbia
Style: Stout
ABV: 5.5%
World’s Best Wheat Beer – Brouwerij de Halve Maan (Belgium) Brugs Tarwebier
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.
Brand: Brourik de Halve Mann
Region: Belgium
Style: Belgian Wheat
ABV: 5%
World Beer Awards – All Winners
World’s Best Dark Beers
- BEST OVERALL – Taxman Brewing Company (United States), Qualified
- World’s Best Dark Altbier – Diebels Alt (Germany)
- World’s Best Dark American Style Brown Ale – The Crafty Brewing Co. (Ireland) American Style Brown Ale
- World’s Best Dark Barley Wine – Taiwan Head Brewers (Taiwan) Wan Wu 2018 Bourbon Barrel Aged Barley Wine
- World’s Best Dark Belgian Style Strong – Taxman Brewing Company (United States), Qualified
- World’s Best Dark Belgian Style Dubbel – Rügener Insel-Brauerei (Germany) Baltic Dubbel
- World’s Best Dark English Style Brown Ale – Iwate Kura Beer (Japan) Red Ale
- World’s Best Dark Mild – Engel (Germany) Kellerbier Dunkel
World’s Best Flavoured Beer
- BEST OVERALL – Brasserie De L’Abbaye Du Val-Dieu (Belgium) L’Excellence Du Val-Dieu
- World’s Best Flavoured Chocolate & Coffee – Saltaire Brewery (UK) Triple Choc
- World’s Best Flavoured Fruit & Vegetable – Microbrasserie Moulin 7 (Canada) Grisette Framboise
- World’s Best Flavoured Herb & Spice – Bad Tattoo Brewing Co. (Canada) Moscow Mule
- World’s Best Flavoured Honey & Maple – Bière Du Vexin (France) Véliocasse Ambrée Au Miel
- World’s Best Flavoured Smoke – Unibroue (Canada) Raftman
- World’s Best Flavoured Spirit – Cap D’Ona (France) Rousse De Noël
- World’s Best Flavoured Stout/Porter – Taxman Brewing Company (US) Maple Vanilla Deadline 2021
- World’s Best Flavoured Wild/Sour – Rodenbach (Belgium) Caractère Rouge
- World’s Best Flavoured Wood Aged – Brasserie De L’Abbaye Du Val-Dieu (Belgium) L’Excellence Du Val-Dieu
World’s Best IPAs
- BEST OVERALL – Whalers Brewing Company (United States) Wanderer
- World’s Best IPA American Style – Störtebeker (Germany) Pazifik-Ale
- World’s Best IPA Black – 100 Watt (Netherlands) Zwarte Bliksem
- World’s Best IPA English Style – Colorado (Brazil) Indica
- World’s Best IPA Imperial/Double – Whalers Brewing Company (US) Wanderer
- World’s Best IPA Milkshake IPA/New England IPAs – Cameron’s Brewing Company (Canada) Cruising Through The Galaxy
- World’s Best IPA Session – Goose Island Brewhouse São Paulo (Brazil) Midway
- World’s Best IPA Specialty – Lagabière (Canada) Ta Plus Meilleure
World’s Best Lagers
- BEST OVERALL – Karlsberg (Germany) Kellerbier
- World’s Best Lager Bock – Hertog Jan (Netherlands) Bockbier
- World’s Best Lager Classic Pilsener – Alfa Bier (Netherlands) Edel Pils
- World’s Best Lager Czech-style Pale – Thornbury (Canada) Pickup No. 26 Pilsner
- World’s Best Lager Dark – Camba (Germany) Dark Side
- World’s Best Lager Dortmunder – Svyturys (Lithuania) Ekstra
- World’s Best Lager Helles/Münchner – Austral (Chile) Torres Del Paine
- World’s Best Lager Hoppy Pilsener – Aqula Brauhaus Akita (Japan) Akitakomachi Ipl
- World’s Best Lager International Lager – Brahma (Brazil) Chopp
- World’s Best Lager Kellerbier Amber/Dark – Bernard (Czech Republic) Amber Lager
- World’s Best Lager Light – Schwarzbräu (Germany) Light & Fit
- World’s Best Lager Seasonal: Maibock/Helles Bock – Grolsch (Netherlands) Frisse Lentebok
- World’s Best Lager Seasonal: Oktoberfestbier/Maerzen – Engel (Germany) Aloisius
- World’s Best Lager Strong – Ayinger (Germany) Celebrator
- World’s Best Lager Vienna – Hamovniki (Russian Federation) Venskoe
- World’s Best Lager Zwickl / Pale Kellerbier – Karlsberg (Germany) Kellerbier
World’s Best Low and No-Alcohol Beers
- BEST OVERALL – Big Drop (United Kingdom) Galactic Milk Stout
- World’s Best No & Low Alcohol Dark – Athletic Brewing Co (US) All Out
- World’s Best No & Low Alcohol Flavoured – Karlsberg (Germany) Grapefruit Alkoholfrei
- World’s Best No & Low Alcohol IPA – Samuel Adams (US) Just The Haze
- World’s Best No & Low Alcohol Lager – Jump Ship (UK) Yardarm
- World’s Best No & Low Alcohol Pale – Iwate Kura Beer (Japan) Heel In The Prohibition Era
- World’s Best No & Low Alcohol Sour & Wild – Microbrasserie Le Bockale (Canada) Aurora
- World’s Best No & Low Alcohol Speciality – Big Drop (UK) Paradiso Citra IPA
- World’s Best No & Low Alcohol Stout & Porter – Big Drop (UK) Galactic Milk Stout
- World’s Best No & Low Alcohol Wheat – Franziskaner (Germany) Alcoholfree Wheat Beer
World’s Best Pale Beers
- BEST OVERALL – Anosteke (France) Blonde
- World’s Best Pale Amber – Alchimia (Chile) Magma & Hops
- World’s Best Pale American-style Pale Ale – Cassels (New Zealand) APA
- World’s Best Pale Barley Wine – Loco Patrón (Chile) Muerte Súbita – Barley Wine
- World’s Best Pale Belgian Style Ale – Mascaret (France) Blonde Bio Grand Cru
- World’s Best Pale Belgian Style Blonde – Gouverneur (Netherlands) Blond
- World’s Best Pale Belgian Style Strong – Anosteke (France) Blonde
- World’s Best Pale Belgian Style Tripel – Kompel (Belgium) L’Or Noir
- World’s Best Pale Biére De Garde / Saison – Wäls (Brazil) 42
- World’s Best Pale Bitter 4.5 to 5.5% – Sharp’s (UK) Sea Fury
- World’s Best Pale Bitter over 5.5% – Shepherd Neame (UK) 1698
- World’s Best Pale Bitter up to 4.5% – La Voie Maltee (Canada) L’ambiguë
- World’s Best Pale Cream Ales – Mt Begbie Brewing Co (Canada) Begbie Cream Ale
- World’s Best Pale English-style Pale Ale – O’Shea’s (Ireland) Pale New Dawn – Pale Ale
- World’s Best Pale Golden Ales – Rising Sons Brewery (Ireland) Dreamcatcher
- World’s Best Pale Kölsch – Bravo (China) Mirror Moon Kölsch
- World’s Best Pale Seasonal – Goudale (France) Printemps
- World’s Best Hazy Pale Ale – Stanley Park Brewing (Canda) Waypoint Hazy Pale Ale
World’s Best Sour & Wild Beers
- BEST OVERALL – Indie Alehouse (Canada) 10-4-20
- World’s Best Berliner Weisse – Colorado (Brazil) Catharina Toca
- World’s Best Flanders Red Ale – Rodenbach (Belgium) Grand Cru
- World’s Best Framboise – Microbrasserie La Souche (Canada) Franc-Bois d’hiver
- World’s Best Fruit Lambic – Wäls (Brazil) Fruit Lambic
- World’s Best Gose – Microbrasserie La Souche (Canada) Gose vie sale
- World’s Best Gueuze – Boon (Belgium) Oude Geuze Vat 31
- World’s Best Kriek – Microbrasserie Le Trou du diable (Canada) Le Coq
- World’s Best Lambic – Indie Alehouse (Canada) 10-4-20
- World’s Best Oud Bruin – Albanos (Brazil) Accidentally Sour – Brown
- World’s Best Sour/Wild Ale – Lindemans (Belgium) Goyck
World’s Best Speciality Beer
- BEST OVERALL – Liefmans (Belgium) Kriek-Brut Xtra
- World’s Best Speciality Brut – Leopoldina (Brazil) Italian Grape Ale
- World’s Best Speciality Experimental – Liefmans (Belgium) Kriek-Brut Xtra
- World’s Best Speciality Gluten-free – O’Brien (Australia) Belgian Ale
- World’s Best Speciality Heritage – Tipsy (Belgium) Old Red Brown Beer
- World’s Best Speciality Rice – Super Bock Selecção 1927 (Portugual) Japanese Rice Lager
- World’s Best Speciality Rye – Fujizakura Heights Beer (Japan) Mugen
- World’s Best Speciality Steam – Hofbrauerei-Springer (Switzerland) La Californienne
World’s Best Stout and Porters
- BEST OVERALL – Salto (Serbia) Stout
- World’s Best Imperial Stout – Praxis (Portugual) Imperial Stout
- World’s Best Milk Stout – Brighton Bier (UK) Fat Boy
- World’s Best Oatmeal Stout – Salto (Serbia) Stout
- World’s Best Porter – Brick Lane Brewing Co (Australia) Revolver Dark Hoppy Ale
- World’s Best Stout – The Flying Dutchman Nomad Brewing Company (Belgium) More Complicated Than Your Girlfriend Stout
- World’s Best Strong Porter – Les Trois Mousquetaires (Canada) Porter Baltique
- World’s Best Sweet Stout – indie alehouse (Canada) Double Dutch
World’s Best Wheat Beers
- BEST OVERALL – Brouwerij de Halve Maan (Belgium) Brugs Tarwebier
- World’s Best Bavarian Style Hefeweiss – Ambition (Republic of Korea) Daldalguri Weizen
- World’s Best Belgian Style Witbier – Brouwerij de Halve Maan (Belgium) Brugs Tarwebier
- World’s Best Hoppy Wheat Beer – The Flying Dutchman Nomad Brewing Company (Belgium) Flip Flopped White Socked Strong Hopped White IPA
- World’s Best Strong Wheat Beer – Unibroue (Canada) Don de Dieu
- World’s Best Kristal Wheat Beer – Grolsch (Netherlands) Kristalheldere Zomerbok
- World’s Best American Style Wheat Beer – Lohn Bier (Brazil) American Wheat Wine
- World’s Best Wheat Beer Dark – Ayinger (Germany) Urweisse
You’ll also like:
100+ Best Beers in Australia for 2021 Announced
20 Best Non-Alcoholic Beers to Drink Right Now
Australian Beers Are Getting Too Expensive
General FAQs
According to the 2021 World Beer Awards, the World’s Best Dark Beer is Taxman Brewing Company’s Qualified. The Belgian-style 10.2% ABV Quad scored highly with the judges and was named Best Overall dark beer.
According to the 2021 World Beer Awards, the best pale ale in the world is Anosteke's Blonde. The pale-ale type beer is made with French malt and 100% organic hops.
A classic IPA, Whalers Brewing Company's Wanderer was named the best IPA in the world at the 2021 World Beer Awards. 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.
