Belgian breweries won more than 70 medals at the international beer competition Brussels Beer Challenge – which comes down to about one in four awards. However, the top prize – the one for best beer – went to the Netherlands.
Around 100 jury members tasted the more than 1,700 beers entered for the Brussels Beer Challenge in early November. The event took place in Marche-en-Famenne (Luxembourg province). The winners were announced on Monday in Ghent.
Belgium, which also submitted the most beers (420), won more than 70 medals. The East Flemish brewery Huyghe, which is best known for its Delirium beer, took home five awards – including three gold medals, of which the one for best Belgian beer with Averbode Extra.
Several breweries also won three medals. Among them were well-known names like Alken-Maes, Palm, and Lindemans, as well as smaller players like the Walloon breweries Dupont (from Tourpes) and Minne (Somme-Leuze), and the Brussels-based Brasserie de la Senne.
Non-alcoholic beer
In the country rankings, Italy and the Netherlands completed the podium, each with around 30 medals. The Netherlands did, however, take home the top prize: Mannenliefde beer from the Oedipus brewery was voted best beer of the competition.
The prize for best non-alcoholic beer also went to the Netherlands, with Bavaria 0.0. This beer is brewed by Swinkels, Palm's parent company.
The world's two largest economies, the United States and China, won 28 and 24 medals respectively. In total, nearly 300 beers were awarded prizes, representing 17% of the participating beverages.
The next edition of the Brussels Beer Challenge will take place in the fall of 2026 in the West Flemish city of Roeselare. This is where the historic Rodenbach brewery is located, known for its Flemish red-brown beer.
