By Joey McWilliams
A local business won big on the world stage this month as the Lost Street Brewing Co. earned a gold medal at the 2025 World Beer Cup.
The entry of Stoneykirk Scottish Ale took the top spot in “Scottish-Style Ale” at the international competition.
David Routledge is one of the brewers at Lost Street and shared the excitement that he and all the people at Lost Street Brewing Co. were experiencing.
“It’s amazing to win this,” Routledge said. “It’s never going to sink in. I don’t think it’s going to sink in to any of us here in the brewery. It’s mind boggling. It’s the most prestigious award that we could think about getting.”
The Stoneykirk Scottish Ale that was entered in the competition is described as ‘a malt forward beer with a caramel backbone and low bitterness.’ Routledge said the ale is a tribute. The DeWald family, owners of Lost Street Brewing Co., trace their family history back to Stoneykirk, Scotland, around the year 1211 and this is to honor their ancestors.
The World Beer Cup is held in conjunction with the annual Craft Brewers Conference. More than 200 judges oversee the competition, which involves more than 100 categories.
Routledge said there were more than 40 entries in the Scottish-Style Ale category and that this recipe has been entered in competition before.
“It’s done really well and went two or three rounds. We just decided to go ahead and enter it again this year in the World Beer Cup. It’s the biggest competition that any brewery can enter.”
Lost Street received a proclamation from the City of Durant recognizing the achievement, as well as one from the State of Oklahoma.
Routledge and Drew DeWald are the brewers on site and were responsible for the product. They brew the beer at the facility in Durant.
“The brew day lasts around eight hours,” Routledge said. “Fermentation takes about a full week. And then we let it set for another week. By the time we give it the all-clear and put it over into another tank to carbonate, it’s probably about six weeks from brew day until we can package it.
“We let things meld together really well and not try to rush it.”
The World Beer Cup has gained the moniker of the “Olympics of Beer Competitions” and the reputation being the most prestigious beer competition in the world. The world should then know a little more about where Durant, Okla., is as the gold medal winner for Scottish-Style Ale in 2025 resides on Lost Street.