These Arizona craft beers were named among the best in the world

Four Arizona brewers took home five medals at the World Beer Cup on Wednesday, May 10. It marks the best showing from the state's brewers to date, according to Arizona Craft Brewer's Guild deputy director Andrew Bauman.

The World Beer Cup is an international competition hosted by the Brewers Association, which also honors brewing excellence through the Great American Beer Festival awards. The World Beer Cup, often dubbed the “Olympics of beer competitions,” was held in Nashville, Tennessee as part of the Craft Brewers Conference.

The event awarded breweries in 103 categories representing 176 beer styles. There were more than 10,000 entries from 2,376 breweries throughout 51 countries.

"World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival competition give Arizona and Arizona brewers a worldwide stage to be complimented on their success," Bauman wrote in an email.

Saddle Mountain Brewing Co.

15651 W. Roosevelt St., Goodyear

Goodyear brewpub Saddle Mountain Brewing Co. took home two medals at the World Beer Cup, gaining gold for its American wheat beer Taildragger 5G, and silver for its Scottish-style Ale, Taildragger Clan-Destine.

The witbier 5G is coriander-forward with citrus notes. Clan-Destine is Saddle Mountain’s best-known and most-awarded beer. The export ale has previously taken gold three years in a row at the Great American Beer Festival awards and also received a silver medal at the World Beer Cup in 2018. The beer predates his time at the brewery, so this marks the first win for brewer Anthony Worthy.

State 48 Brewery

Multiple locations

State 48 Brewery, a business that was founded in Surprise and now has taprooms across the Valley, won its first World Beer Cup medal on Wednesday. The brewery rose straight to the top and won a gold in the strong porter category for its Baltic Porter.

Brewed out of State 48’s Scottsdale Lager House, the porter is cold-fermented and has notes of cocoa, coffee and chocolate. As a strong porter, it clocks in at 8.5% ABV. “Thank you brew team for crushing it,” State 48 shared on Instagram. “Come on by any of our locations today and try the best porter in the world.”

Gilbert brewery and restaurant Flying Basset Brewing was awarded bronze for its coffee beer, Alchemist Breakfast. The blonde ale is made with single-origin, organic Papua New Guinea coffee beans roasted by Mesa-based Alchemy Roast.

“This beer is special to me personally,” head brewer Joshua “Archy” Archuleta shared in an email about the brewery's first World Beer Cup win. He noted that he created it as a “light, crushable breakfast beer” that’s perfect to pair with a Sunday morning football game.

It’s also a way to collaborate with his friends who own Alchemy: “Jake (Kilian) and Holly (Cavanaugh) are cranking out some great local coffee.”

One Prescott brewery received bronze in the English Ale category for its Sunshine Blonde, which won gold last year. The LazyG Brewhouse beer is brewed with Pride of Ringwood hops, which offer a spicy, fruity aroma, and a clean, crisp finish.

Members of the Arizona Craft Brewer's Guild along with brewery owners and staff attended the awards ceremony in Nashville to celebrate and receive their awards.


To see the full winners list, visit worldbeercup.org.