A special success for Israeli brewing craftsmanship: The Alexander Brewery from the Emek Hefer Valley has won two medals at the international European Beer Star 2026 competition in Germany. At the awards ceremony on Wednesday, November 11, in Nuremberg, the Israeli brewery was honored with a gold and a silver medal.
The gold medal went to the beer “Alexander Session IPA” in the Session India Pale Ale category. The beer is distinguished by its fruity aromas and balanced bitterness. The silver medal was awarded to “Alexander Black,” a dark winter beer with bold flavor notes of espresso and dark chocolate, in the English-Style Porter category.
The European Beer Star is one of the most prestigious beer competitions in the world. The participating beers are evaluated by an international panel of experts in blind tastings. Appearance, aroma, and taste are among the criteria assessed. In each category, only three medals are awarded: gold, silver, and bronze.
גאווה ישראלית 🍺
מבשלת אלכסנדר זכתה בשתי מדליות בתחרות הבירה היוקרתית בגרמניה:
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Israeli Success with Tradition
For the Alexander Brewery, this is already the third consecutive year in which it has been recognized at the international competition. In 2024, “Alexander Bock” won a silver medal, followed by bronze for “Alexander Black” in 2025. The dark beer had already won gold medals at the European Beer Star in 2013, 2014, and 2017. It was also awarded gold at the World Beer Cup 2014.
The brewery’s managing director, Lior Balmas, expressed particular delight. Speaking to Israeli media, he described winning two medals in one year, including a gold medal, as an especially moving moment. Seeing beers from the Emek Hefer Valley successfully compete against the world’s finest breweries, he said, was a great source of Israeli pride.
The Alexander Brewery was founded in 2008 by Ori Sagi and is located near the Alexander River in central Israel. It specializes in craft-brewed beers produced in smaller quantities.
At the awards ceremony in Nuremberg, the Israeli representatives were welcomed onto the stage with the Israeli song “Michel.” A special moment for the small brewery from Israel, which once again managed to hold its own against international competition.
