CONTEST

Introduction

We present the 11th edition of the Barcelona Beer Challenge (2026), an international competition that has helped, along with other initiatives, to place quality beer on a new level of recognition and visibility.

This new edition aims to continue the work of promoting and showcasing the sector that began with the first successful edition in 2016.

Impact of the previous edition
The BBC 2025 edition featured 170 breweries that submitted 984 beers from 16 countries, representing all existing categories in the BJCP catalogue. That reflects successful levels of participation of this contest which consolidates the awards that recognize, certify, and disseminate the quality of beers that offer the highest standards quality. These awards are guaranteed by a jury with specific qualifications and training, to achieve the decisions of this one supposed to national and international recognition of the awarded beers.

The main objectives of the BBC are:

  • Recognize and reward those beers that are brewed respecting high-quality standards and in a faithful manner to the different styles they represent.
  • Boosting  the professionalization of the beer sector, keeping a certified professional jury that uses internationally certified tasting protocols.
  • Guiding the consumer, both nationally and internationally, when buying beer within the current wide range.
  • Contribute to the dissemination of beer culture through award-winning beers, regarding their diversity of styles and also the quality that they are offering.

Origins

The BBC, inspired by different beer competitions worldwide, aims to contribute to the task of spreading information about quality beers across our country. This work, which comes from several areas in the brewing sector, needs adequate distinction tools to use them as an icon of quality within the market.

This contest was born under the organizational umbrella of the Barcelona Beer Festival, the main event of the sector in Spain and one of the main events in southern Europe, which last edition attracted 15,000 unique visitors in one weekend, and where the world’s best breweries gather together.  Currently, the awards ceremony takes place during the InnBrew, the Brewers Convention,a unique event in Spain, which is held during the same dates as the Festival to create synergies between the InnBrew, the Barcelona Beer Challenge and the Festival. During these days, Barcelona became a meeting point of professionals from all over the world, giving an outstanding media impact to the sector; thus getting the message of the event to reach society through the notoriety achieved in the press.