The craft brewery TripSmith from Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province, recently won a gold medal with its Nature Wild Strawberry Barrel-Aged Beer at the 2025 Brussels Beer Challenge held in Belgium. The competition attracted over 1,700 beers from 35 countries, with 204 entries from China.

TripSmith wins a gold medal at the 2025 Brussels Beer Challenge. [Photo/Guiyang news website]

TripSmith's founder Zhang Ziang said, Belgium, as the birthplace of sour beer, made the winning incredibly challenging. According to Zhang, the Nature Wild Strawberry Barrel-Aged Beer was made by a unique brewing process - natural fermentation. This process primarily relies on wild yeasts from nature and the microbial flora in aged oak barrels. Additionally, the Brettanomyces yeast was specially added to create its distinctive flavor. The beer's ingredients featured high-quality strawberries and apricots sourced from Guizhou, adding rich local character and a refreshing taste.

The Brussels Beer Challenge, established in 2012, is one of the most influential beer competitions in the world. It is renowned for its rigorous judging process and the high prestige of its awards. Held annually in different locations, the competition celebrates local tourism resources and culinary culture while showcasing the unique charm of beer.