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.

Nicholas Galton-Fenzi

Western Australia, Australia

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

I was a keen learner, and I started homebrewing at 17. My first batch of beer (kit and kilo) had very poor temperature control and showed a lack of brewing understanding on my behalf … It was absolutely terrible. From then on, I have tried to learn as much as I can about beer, the industry, the ingredients, and the people involved. This journey has taken me through 23 different countries and I have now been involved in over 50 breweries worldwide.

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

I judge at the World Beer Cup because I wish to share what I have learned within the industry. I do it so I can provide my feedback, where I can, and further learn, for myself, about beer styles. I get the opportunity to meet with fellow judges who can also provide additional feedback on the style of beer that is being judged.

What else would you like the world to know?

This industry is rapidly changing, with the amount of additional science and information that comes through on a daily basis. A beer making it through to the second round of this competition is already leagues ahead. Achieving an award is an incredible accomplishment for the brewery involved.

Diego Setti

Florida, United States

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

I started homebrwing in 2010 in Buenos Aires, and became a Beer Judge Certification Program judge in 2012. Between 2012 and 2017, I gave many talks and trainings for the Asociación Civil Somos Cerveceros, which is the Argentine equivalent of the American Homebrewers Association.

In 2016, after a 6 months stay in Germany, I started doing some beer styles consultancies. In 2017, I quit my IT job to focus 100% on beer. I started a beer education institute called Zeta Atelier de Cervezas, offering a wide range of trainings and courses for beer enthusiasts and professionals. During that time I also became a Certified Cicerone and a Doemens Academie Biersommelier.

All that called the attention of many investors and entrepreneurs, so I accepted an offer to join the team of Prison Pals Brewing Company at the end of 2019 and I moved to Florida in 2020 to start that project, where I designed the layout and all the technical specs of the brewery. Now I’m working as brewmaster.

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

The World Beer Cup is one of the most prestigious beer competitions around the world and for sure is the biggest of all of them. It takes a lot of effort to become a part of the tasting panel: I applied for the first time in 2017 for the 2018 edition and for different reasons I’ve been able to have the honor of judging here for the first time in 2023. It’s a unique experience, where you taste world-class beers with a top notch tasting panel from every corner of the world.

Steve Luke

Washington, United States

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

In the summer of 2005, I found myself packing boxes and sweeping floors at a local brewery — and I was hooked!

The beauty of beer and brewing is that it can be as complicated or as simple you make it out to be, and finding that happy medium is up to each and every brewer. There are endless wormholes to seek knowledge and solutions, and continuously evolving techniques, equipment and ingredients. But at the same time, the brewing process is still timeless and logical. Good beer is good beer, no matter how you get there!

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

Judging at the World Beer Cup allows you to meet people with different backgrounds in the beer industry from all over the world. It’s engaging, exciting, and often challenging. And it gives you an unrivaled snapshot of the current state of beer — from a quality standpoint, to trends and experimentation, to observing and developing beer style parameters.