Local brewers own Atascadero brewhouse that has been open since late December 2019

ATASCADERO — Local brewery Wild Fields took home four gold medals at the World Beer Cup on Thursday, May 5. This year’s World Beer Cup took place in Minneapolis and hosted beers from all over the world.

“We’re the first craft brewery to win four gold medals in one World Beer Cup,” said Wild Field’s co-founder and Head Brewer Ryan Fields.

The World Beer Cup started in 1996 and has taken place every two years since its inception, excluding 2020. This international competition is always held in the USA and is based on current beer style guidelines from the Brewers Association, which puts the competition on.

“It’s the biggest beer competition in the world, put on by the American Brewers Association, but anyone in the world can enter,” Fields said. “So it’s mainly American breweries, but it is the one competition, the biggest competition that any country can compete in.” 

The World Beer Cup is attached to the Craft Brewers Conference, which is held every year. Wild Fields co-owner and President Jacque Fields said that starting next year, the Cup will be held annually. 

“I think it’s really great that we can showcase that our beers across the board are world-class,” she said.

Wild Fields took home the gold in four categories, starting with its Atascadero Beach Mexican Lager, which was entered into the American Creme Ale category. 

“That beer is actually the first beer that we started making year-round,” Ryan Fields said. “And it’s the one beer that we’re allowing people to have permanent handles of, so we’re really stoked that it won because it’s definitely one of our flagship beers. And it has our town’s name in the branding, which is great.” 

The brewery also won for their Magic Swirling Sips Scottish Ale, which is their newest offering to the community from Wild Fields. 

“It’s like a really easy drinking dark beer. It’s great for people getting into craft beer,” Ryan Fields said. “It’s pretty approachable, but it’s got more flavor than your average beer.”

On top of those gold medal wins, Wild Fields took gold for both of their brown ales. The Three Bridges Brown Ale won in the American Brown Ale category, and the Pine Mountain Monolith won in the English Brown Ale category.

“The Brewer’s Association does a really good job of bringing in judges from all over,” said Jacque Fields, who was at The World Beer Cup to accept their awards. “So, during the time that I was there, we actually met a judge who was there from the Czech Republic, who was flying out the next day. They bring in pallets from all over the world and put them into categories based on what they haven’t entered into themselves. And let them really give us their opinion and feedback, which is just really cool.” 

Wild Fields Brewhouse opened in Atascadero in December of 2019, and two and a half years later, after a bumpy start due to the pandemic, it is a thriving part of the community.

“Overall, it [winning] was just an incredible reminder that the past two years are worth it,” Jacque Fields said. “We tried to stay true to ourselves, and so far, that’s working. We’re just really grateful to have a reminder that what we love loves us back.”

“We’re also stoked that people on the Central Coast like to drink traditional styles, and we’re able to make beers like these, the ones that won,” Ryan Fields added. “It’s nice to be able to be recognized for traditional styles and have people around here want to drink traditional styles.”