Lead brewer Andy Bui and head brewer Matthew Smith of Caboose Brewing Co.
By Jeff Maisey
When the 2026 World Beer Cup results were announced this April in Philadelphia, three independent craft breweries from Virginia won gold medals, thus making them the best on the planet in their respective categories.
Caboose Brewing Company’s Boxcar Brown won the American-Style Brown Ale category; COVA Brewing Company’s Aloha State of Mind garnered gold in the Gose category; and 2 Silos Brewing Company took the overall score in the Pumpkin Spice Beer category with its Pumpkin Spice J. Marie.
Earning a bronze medal was Barley Naked Brewing Co’s Irish Prenup in the Sweet Stout or Cream Stout category, matching its bronze in the most recent Great American Beer Festival national competition.
For Caboose Brewing, Boxcar Brown seems to be carrying quite a payload in competitions. It took home a silver medal last October at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver.
COVA’s Aloha State of Mind is also no stranger to awards competitions. It won World Beer Cup gold in 2022 and 2023.
These honors were proud moments for Virginia brewers and the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild leadership team.
“To stand out in a competition of this scale says a lot about the caliber of brewing happening in Virginia,” said Stacie Gordon, Executive Director of the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild. “We’re beyond proud of the breweries recognized this year, whose continued success speaks to the quality and consistency of Virginia craft beer. Virginia’s craft breweries are producing world-class beer while serving as gathering spaces for local communities, destinations for visitors, and economic drivers. We were proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our brewers as they represented Virginia on a global stage.”
