Canada’s Most Awarded Breweries and Craft Producers: 2025 National Ranking from CBA & Canada Beer Cup
 

By: YYCTOURS Team
Published: November 10, 2025

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Welcome to the annual Canadian craft beer analysis, proudly presented by YYCTOURS. It’s our favourite yearly tradition: the time we crunch the numbers, tally up the medals, and reveal Canada’s most awarded breweries and craft beverage producers from coast to coast! This includes cider, which competes alongside beer in national competitions and has earned a growing number of medals.

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As a beer education and tour company, we celebrate the excellence found in all of the Canadian brewing community. In 2023 it was Blindman Brewing who won the most national awards, in 2024 it was Pile O’Bones of Regina. This year, the Western and Central provinces dominated the podium, with British Columbia (93), Alberta (48), Ontario (55), and Quebec (45) collectively securing over 79% of the national medal count. Many of these medal counts came from breweries located outside major metropolitan areas, is that where the overall Best Brewery In Canada 2025 will be found?\

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This comprehensive 2025 national ranking is based on results from Canada’s two premier competitions: the Canadian Brewing Awards (CBA), held in June, and the Canada Beer Cup (CBC), whose winners were announced tonight in Quebec City. Together, these events spotlight thousands of beers across dozens of styles from hundreds of craft producers, including cider and low/non-alcoholic entries.

 

About the Competitions: The End of an Era

Canadian Brewing Awards (CBA)
The CBA was Canada’s oldest national competition, focused on technical fidelity and commercial style guidelines for over two decades.

• Established Focus: Judges evaluated entries based on the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) style guidelines.
   

• Legacy: The CBA ran for over two decades, starting in 2000. It primarily rewarded technical mastery and brewing precision in established, classic, and commercially popular styles.
   

• Final 2025 BOS Award: Irori (Smoked Beer) from Godspeed Brewery.
   

Canada Beer Cup (CBC)
The CBC is the industry-led competition now positioned as the definitive national benchmark.

• Established Focus: The CBC uses a modern set of style categories reflecting global trends and domestic innovations.
   

• Key Role: The CBC is now the only national platform recognizing excellence across the country.
   

• 2025 BOS Award: Flacatoune (Belgian Ale) from MicroBrasserie Charlevoix.
   

 

Methodology

This ranking compiles results exclusively from the Canadian Brewing Awards (CBA) and the Canada Beer Cup (CBC) for 2025. Only medals awarded in these competitions were counted. For breweries or producers with multiple locations, each location’s awards were included. When a beer won medals in both competitions, each award was counted separately to reflect its national performance. Cider entries were included alongside beer results.

 

Provincial Standouts

Northern Territories

Northwest Territories (NT): NWT Brewing Co. won the region’s sole medal, a CBA Gold for Kicksled Cream Ale.

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Atlantic Provinces

Newfoundland & Labrador (NL): Port Rexton Brewing Co. won two medals, including a CBA Gold for Salted Stout.

Prince Edward Island (PEI): PEI Brewing Company secured three medals across CBA categories.

Nova Scotia (NS):.

• Garrison Brewing Company: four medals, including CBC Bronze Best in Show for Experimental Spruce Beer.
   

• Annapolis Cider Company: five medals, most at the 2025 Canada Beer Cup.
   

New Brunswick (NB): Saint Andrews Brewing Company led with three medals.

 

Central Canada

Quebec (QC):

• Microbrasserie des Beaux Prés: five medals across CBA & CBC.
   

• MicroBrasserie Charlevoix: CBC Gold Best in Show for Flacatoune.
   

Ontario (ON):

• Flora Hall Brewing (Ottawa) led with five medals.
   

• Collective Arts Brewing (Hamilton) earned four medals.
   

Prairie Provinces

Manitoba (MB): Kilter Brewing Co. led with three medals.

Saskatchewan (SK): Pile O’ Bones Brewing (Regina) led with four medals.

Alberta (AB)

Blindman Brewing, Blind Enthusiasm , Two Pillars Brewery, and 70 Acres, all brought home 4 medals each. 

 

Pacific

British Columbia (BC)

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Smithers Brewing Company dominated with eight medals, earning the title of Best Overall Brewery in Canada 2025. Four Winds Brewing followed with six medals.

 

Top Five Most Awarded Canadian Producers (CBA & CBC Combined)

1. Smithers Brewing Company (BC): 8 Medals
    

2. Four Winds Brewing (BC): 6 Medals
    

Tied – 5 Medals Each: Flora Hall Brewing (ON), Annapolis Cider Company (NS), Microbrasserie des Beaux Prés (QC)

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The Best Beers in Canada 2025: Full Best-in-Show Winners List

Canadian Brewing Awards -

• Gold - Irori - Godspeed Brewery - ON - Smoked Beer

• Silver - Dunkelweizen - Four Winds Beach House & Brewery - BC - German Wheat & Rye Beer 

• Bronze - Bountii - Kilter Brewing Co.- MB - Chocolate, Coffee, and Pastry Dark Beer

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Canada Beer Cup

• Gold - Flacatoune - MicroBrasserie Charlevoix - QC - Belgian and French Ale

• Silver - Dwarf Sour Cherry Fruited Saison - Blindman Brewing - AB- Mixed Fermentation Ale

• Bronze - Experimental Spruce Beer - Garrison Brewing Company - NS- Experimental and Historical Beer

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Final Thoughts

The transition to a single national competition sets up several key questions for 2026. Will the Atlantic provinces grow their medal share? Will judges favor technical mastery in foundational styles, or will popular easy-drinking lagers return to prominence? The extraordinary success of "off the beaten path" producers like Smithers Brewing Company and Deadfall Brewing Company demonstrates that award-winning quality is thriving far from major cities. The 2026 results will set the definitive benchmark for the nation’s craft scene.

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For the full results and complete coverage of Canada’s most awarded breweries and craft producers in 2025, read the full article here.

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