Flavio Boero

Genoa, Italy

How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?

When I was young I was fascinated by the fermentation of wine by following my father in his small production. In 1973 I had the opportunity to work for an Italian brewery named Poretti Industries. I started in the lab, and part of my job was collaborating with the lab manager in researching off-flavor in beer. At that time we were the only brewery in Italy that used gas chromatography to do basic research on the brewery sector. I also worked for this brewery when it was acquired by Carlsberg, but my passion for beer increased when I became interested in craft beer production in Italy.

Why do you judge at the World Beer Cup? What does judging at the World Beer Cup mean to you?

I think the renaissance of beer started in the U.S. Right now, the World Beer Cup best represents the evolution of beer, and leads the beer movement around the world.

Carl Kins

How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?

My interest in beer started at an early age. In Belgium you are allowed to drink beer at 16, and I did so, visiting my first brewery at age 17. I always had an interest in all aspects of beer—the history, ingredients, production, styles, etc. My knowledge is built on reading a lot about beer and on visiting hundreds of breweries around the world. I started writing about all this a few decades ago for various international magazines. Next to that, the demise/takeover of a lot of small breweries in the 1970s and 1980s incited me to get involved in consumer action groups in order to fight for diversity, fair taxation, etc., both on national and European level.

Beer matters because it is the best social lubricant there is. It is affordable and has the largest taste universe of any alcoholic beverage.

Why do you judge at the World Beer Cup? What does judging at the World Beer Cup mean to you?

The World Beer Cup can be considered the Olympic Beer Games. Not only the participants but also the judges have international backgrounds, and this helps and continues to improve my knowledge of the beer world greatly, through tasting, talking and discussing.

Sebastian Carrillo Miño

Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina

How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?

Since I can remember, beer has always been a mystery for me. I wondered why it had that golden color, why it was so bright and bitter, how it was made. It has always been and continues to be my desire to know how to make the best beer in the world.

I grew up thinking and wanting to know the ways to make it. I started studying chemistry, homebrewing, and working in breweries to be able to make my dream come true. Beer is life for me.

Why do you judge at the World Beer Cup? What does judging at the World Beer Cup mean to you?

What could be better than tasting and rewarding the best beers on the planet and learning from the best judges? It is just a unique and unrepeatable experience.

Dana Johnson

Colorado, United States

How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?

Like many, I got into the industry after falling in love with home brewing. For my 30th birthday, I was given a homebrewing kit and (of course) Charlie Papazian’s “Complete Joy of Homebrewing” book. This was prior to the internet and my first batch or two had a very steep learning curve, but I was hooked. Five years later, I knew I didn’t want to start my own brewery but saw an opportunity selling cleaning, sanitizing, and process aids to the industry. I’ve been doing it ever since and couldn’t be happier.

Why do you judge at the World Beer Cup? What does judging at the World Beer Cup mean to you?

I’ve been judging at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) since 2015. When the opportunity to judge at the World Beer Cup presented itself a couple of years ago, I jumped at the chance. The World Beer Cup is open to breweries all over the world, not just the US. The WBC is one of the most prestigious beer competitions in the world with some of the best judges in the world. It is interesting to judge with people from across the globe and is very educational. I am extremely honored to be included as a World Beer Cup Judge and to know that we are all very committed to doing our very best, each and every round and awarding medals to the best beers in the entire world.