The Thai craft beer industry makes a global impact!"Event Horizon"The dark beer from SPACECRAFT won the silver medal at the 2026 World Beer Cup in the U.S., highlighting Thai brewers’ potential on the international stage.
The Thai craft beer scene has gained international recognition once again as "Event Horizon," a dark Oatmeal Stout from Thai craft brand SPACECRAFT Brewing Co., won the silver medal at the World Beer Cup 2026. This is one of the most prestigious global beer and cider competitions in the industry, held this year in Philadelphia, United States.
Regarding craft beer,"Event Horizon"which earned its podium spot this time, won in the Oatmeal Stout category — a distinctive style of dark beer. The special feature is that it is a stout brewed with oats, resulting in a smooth, creamy texture unlike typical dark beers. Its flavor emphasizes richness with notes of coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt, but without excessive bitterness or heaviness.
Summary of 2026 Oatmeal Stout awards
The World Beer Cup 2026 marked the 30th year of the event, organized by the Brewers Association (BA), a trade group for independent craft brewers in the U.S. This competition is highly demanding, featuring 8,166 beer and cider entries from 1,644 breweries across 50 countries. Judged by 255 international judges from 50 countries through blind tastings, it covers 118 categories.
Kan Saowaputsuwech, founder of SPACECRAFT Brewing Co., said the award is highly meaningful, likening this event to the Olympics of the craft beer industry. Having a Thai brand among the winners means being measured by the same standards as producers from countries with strong craft beer industries.Strongand proves that the quality of Thai producers is on par with anyone else.
Notably, this is the second time SPACECRAFT Brewing Co. has been recognized at this event, having previously made history with "Event Horizon" in 2023. This confirms the ongoing quality and capability of this small Thai craft producer on the world stage.
This international success can contribute to the broader Thai craft beverage industry if supported. Kan added that in recent years, many Thai producers have seriously developed their raw materials, production processes, and quality control. This award signals that small Thai producers can create world-class products if they have determination, discipline, and an ecosystem supporting proper growth.
Beyond this recent award, SPACECRAFT Brewing Co. has also won numerous international craft beverage competitions, including the European Beer Star (Germany), World Beer Awards (UK), Australian International Beer Awards, International Beer Cup (Japan), Korean International Beer Awards, Asia Beer Championship (Singapore), and Thailand International Beer Awards, building pride and confidence that Thai products meet global quality standards.