Wiseacre Brewing Co. was awarded a bronze medal for Oktoberfest Gemütlichkeit on May 1 in the 2025 World Beer Cup, one of the world’s most prestigious beer competitions.
Oktoberfest Gemütlichkeit, a malty, 6%-ABV seasonal Märzen Lager, placed in the competition’s German-Style Maerzen or Franconian-Style Rotbier beer style category, which had 46 total entries.
“We always said it was the Glenn Close of craft beer. She is the most nominated actress to never win an Oscar, and our Oktoberfest has made the medal round at GABF and the World Beer Cup many, many times. So it was amazing to win a medal after alway being so close,” Wiseacre co-founder Kellan Bartosch told Memphis Beer Blog.
Wiseacre was the only Memphis brewery to have its name called at the awards ceremony in Indianapolis, and it’s just the second win ever for a Memphis brewery at the event. Boscos won a gold medal in 2012 for its Hefeweizen.
The World Beer Cup award comes on the heels of Wiseacre’s gold medal win for Sky Dog Premium Lager at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival.
Wiseacre started brewing Gemütlichkeit back in 2013, the year that the Memphis craft brewery opened its doors.
Gemütlichkeit is a German word used to convey the idea of a state or feeling of warmth, friendliness, and good cheer. It’s in the lyrics of the drinking song, “Ein Prosit,” which is sung at Oktoberfest.
About the World Beer Cup
The World Beer Cup, hailed as the “Olympics of Beer,” is held annually in conjunction with the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America. The competition was established by the Brewers Association in 1996.
“The World Beer Cup competition continues to showcase the global industry’s dedication to innovative craftsmanship, diverse flavors, and technical excellence,” Chris Williams, World Beer Cup competition director, said in a press release.
“This roster of 2025 winners represents the pinnacle of craft brewing and cideries, demonstrating what’s achievable through dedication and passion. Congratulations to this year’s award winners; they have once again helped set the standard for excellence in their craft, inspiring innovation and fostering healthy competition within the industry.”
This year, gold, silver and bronze medals were given in 112 style categories, including five cider categories. An international group of 265 beer judges, hailing from 37 countries, evaluated 8,375 entries from 1,761 breweries across 49 countries.
The total number of entries was down about 1,000 from the 2024 edition of the competition, and about 300 fewer breweries submitted beers. Those stats help illustrate the recent struggles of the craft beer industry. However, 317 breweries entered the World Beer Cup for the first time this year.
The average number of beers in each category was 73. The most popular category was Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale, which had 290 entries.
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