Guiyang craft beer wins intl award

TripSmith, a craft brewery from Guiyang, recently secured a gold medal at the 2025 Brussels Beer Challenge held in Belgium for its Nature Wild Strawberry Barrel-Aged Beer.

The challenge, which attracted more than 1,700 entries from 35 countries this year, saw particularly strong participation from China, with 204 beers submitted. A panel of 80 internationally renowned judges evaluated the beers based on professional and stringent standards.

Guiyang's TripSmith secures a gold medal at the 2025 Brussels Beer Challenge. [Photo/Guiyang news network]

Founded in 2012, the Brussels Beer Challenge has grown into one of the world's most influential beer competitions, celebrating the unique appeal of beer.

According to Zhang Ziang, founder of TripSmith, the award-winning Nature Wild Strawberry Barrel-Aged Sour Beer is brewed using a highly distinctive method: spontaneous fermentation.

This technique relies on wild bacteria from the natural environment and microflora present in aged oak barrels for fermentation. The winning beer was additionally fermented with Brettanomyces, enhancing its unique flavor profile.

Beers produced through spontaneous fermentation must age in oak barrels for over three years before bottling – a lengthy process dedicated to achieving the purest, most distinctive taste. Furthermore, the beer incorporates high-quality strawberries and apricots, locally sourced from Guizhou province.

These fresh fruits, nurtured by the region's pristine environment, impart a rich local character and a refreshing flavor to the beer.