65 categories of beer tasted
16–17 March 2026
The Concours International de Lyon has 65 beer-tasting categories. These include: Top Fermentation Ale, Brown & Black Ale, Amber & Red Ale, Bottom Fermentation Lager, Stout/Porter, Wheat Beer, Flavoured Beer, Special Beer, etc.
The competition follows strict rules concerning its organisation, optimal storage conditions, classification of beers based on numerous criteria, blind tasting, verification of the tasters selected, a 100-point marking scale, etc.
In addition, the competition will take filtration and IBU (International Bitterness Unit) into account in some of the tasting categories.
Famous honorary Presidents
Each year the selection of an honorary president draws the attention of the press and puts the competition in the limelight.
2026 : Olivier Canal
Head chef at La Meunière restaurant and president of the Bouchons Lyonnais association
Olivier Canal is an avid chef and a dedicated figure in Lyon's gastronomic scene. Trained in top French establishments alongside renowned chefs such as Guy Savoy and Mathieu Viannay, he has been running La Meunière restaurant, a symbol of traditional Lyon cuisine, since 2014. He is committed to using local and seasonal produce and masterfully revamps great classics — pâté en croûte, œufs meurette and oreiller de la Belle Meunière — combining respect for the terroir with creativity. He has been president of the Bouchons Lyonnais since 2023 and strives daily to keep Lyon's culinary heritage alive thanks to a deep passion for sharing and connecting with his guests.
The Competition’s commitments
Jurors’ expertise
Communication on all fronts
Influential, committed partners
Famous honorary Presidents
Official validation and verifications
Communication tools
Professionals in the field guarantee conformity of the sample,
while enlightened amateurs represent consumer tastes.
Concours International de Lyon 2026 - Wine, Beer and Spirits
1 000 tasters from all over the world gathered at the Cité Internationale for the 17th Concours International de Lyon for Wines, Beers and Spirits on the 16th and 17th of March 2026. Under the watchful eye of the Commissioner General and the supervision of an independent inspector, more than 7,370 samples were judged by our professional tasters and connoisseurs. All samples were tasted in conformity with strict hygiene measures, competition regulations and our ISO9001 certification. At the end of the tasting, 68 trophies and around 2377 Gold and Silver medals were awarded to producers in all categories.
Testimonials
A medal from the Concours International de Lyon is important to brewers because it brings recognition and highlights the true worth of our beers. This tasting provides feedback from consumers, and above all from professionals—brewers and others in the CHR world. I also participate as a taster to discover new things! Laurence LANGLOY Brewer
Laurence LANGLOY
Professionelle de la bière
An international beer sommelier and member of the French team of beer sommeliers, it was with great pleasure that I discovered the . Although the organisers are from the wine tasting world, they are able to adapt perfectly to the very special domain of beer taste analysis. Their openness of spirit and capacity to adapt have rapidly made the Concours International de Lyon a key event in the beer brewing world. Franck METIVIER Beer sommelier, finalist at the Beer Sommeliers World Cup in 2017
Franck METIVIER
Biérologue
Having our Voreia beer win the trophy for Best Beer in the World at the Lyon International Competition had a hugely positive impact on the product's reputation and also strengthened all our customers' loyalty.We celebrated this award during several public events in Athens and created new communication materials to improve the visibility of our product at points of sale. We also posted about it at great length on our social networks.Thanks to this award, our sales of our Stout & Porter range have increased significantly compared to last year. This trophy also proved to be a strong selling point during our commercial negotiations.
Siris Microbrewery
Winning the award immediately generated a lot of buzz in the local press, highlighting our winner's production in the Jura region. This distinction is all the more symbolic as it coincides with our twentieth anniversary celebrating high-precision work and gourmet delights. The articles were then naturally picked up by the regional press, and we shared them on social media. On top of this, we decided to include this wonderful acknowledgement in our new product brochure. This increased visibility especially attracted local consumers, who came to discover the products directly on site. Although sales to professionals were not impacted, the award helped to build customer loyalty thanks to a welcoming and friendly point of sale. The recognition we received has strengthened the brand's reputation in the region and created a real buzz around our beers. It highlights the quality and craftsmanship of the brewery and is a lasting boost to its image.
Brasserie la Franche