Fretboard one of four area breweries to win top craft beer awards

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Grab a nice cold glass of craft beer and cheers with your closest friends because Ohio breweries are making their mark internationally.

Bringing home five awards, four Tri-State breweries — MadTree Brewing Co., Big Ash Brewing, Fretboard Brewing and Narrow Path Brewing — were awarded medals at the 2022 World Beer Cup, which was held May 5.

Overall, 13 breweries around Ohio won over 15 awards at the 2022 competition. The competition, which is held every two years, was last held in 2018 because the 2020 awards were canceled due to the pandemic.

Tri-State area World Cup Beer awards:

MadTree Brewing Co.

Gold — Ziegler — American-Style Amber Lager

Silver — Legendary Lager — Contemporary American-Style Lager

Big Ash Brewing

Silver — Porter’s Porter — International Dark Lager

Fretboard Brewing

Silver — Crazy Train — Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale

Narrow Path Brewing

Bronze — Restless Seas — German-Style Sour Ale

Fretboard’s medal marks the Blue Ash brewery’s return to the winning at the competition after it won silver in 2018. The bronze for Narrow Path is the Loveland-based brewery’s first award at World Beer Cup.

Fretboard also has a location in Hamilton, at the corner of Main and B streets.

“Our independent breweries continue to show that we’re making some of the world’s best beer right here in Ohio,” said Mary MacDonald, executive director of the Ohio Craft Brewers Association. “Exceptional beer is the foundation upon which our breweries are building up their communities, supporting jobs and contributing to local causes all over the state.”

Nicknamed the “Olympics of beer,” the World Beer Cup is held in conjunction with the Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America. More than 200 qualified beer professionals judge in over 100 different beer categories.

The competition began in 1996 to create awareness of beer styles and flavor profiles of beer while also promoting those internationally who are exceeding in the business.

“When industry professionals acknowledge the excellence in products from around the market, the beer drinker can be sure that those brands are the finest available, " said Chris Swersey, World Beer Cup competition director.

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