Jessica MI

Mexico City, Mexico

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

My mind was blown when I tried my first craft beer back in 2007. Since then, I couldn’t stop searching for those “different” beers. I became more and more involved until I ended up taking a course to become a beer sommelier, started homebrewing, and eventually became a beer judge. I attended various workshops, training sessions, and did plenty of studying. I launched my own brand in 2014, and now beer has become a very important part of my life—it has been my companion for many years.

Beer is such a versatile drink that brings people together. It’s a whole universe of options, and there’s a beer style for everyone!

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

I enjoy promoting beer culture and helping the industry grow and develop. I believe that through beer competitions, we can help the industry improve. Recognizing breweries that are doing a wonderful job is a great way to encourage them to keep up the good work!

I also wanted to be part of the panel of judges for the “Olympics of Beer” because participating in such a huge and important event is both challenging and something I truly enjoy!

Samuel D’Imperio

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

I entered the world of craft beer in 2013 by opening Malta’s first craft brewery. The beauty of making craft beer is that you can experiment with many styles, and we do, using as many local ingredients as possible. In 2016, we brewed the world’s first Gose using caper flowers as dry hopping and sea salt from local cliffs. We also invite the world’s leading breweries to Malta, combining ingredients from their countries with our local ones.

The philosophy of my brewery is to use the best machinery available on the market to ensure consistency while still producing unpasteurized beers. I believe it is impossible to achieve this goal without technology.

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

Being a judge at the World Beer Cup is a great thrill and a point of pride to be on the panel with the best judges from around the world. Ever since I founded the brewery, the World Beer Cup has always been a milestone. It is the most prestigious beer competition in the world, and representing Malta for the first time in this competition is a great privilege and honor for me.

Matt Johnson

South Dakota, United States

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

After homebrewing for a few years, I decided to become a professional brewer in 1997. I quit my job and went to brew school. I got a job as a brewer right out of school and never looked back. I was lucky enough to brew through the meteoric rise of craft beer, and I’ve enjoyed it the entire way. I worked my way up from brewing at a few brewpubs to being the brewmaster of brewery operations at a mid-sized brewery in San Diego, producing 85,000 barrels a year at our peak. Along the way, I built eight small breweries and have been a member of the Hop Quality Group, a voting member of the Hop Research Council, a member of the MBAA National Technical Committee, and the BA Brewpub Committee.

This industry is very big yet very small and collaborative, and I’ve enjoyed being a part of it. I will continue to be part of this great group of brewers and collaborators.

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

I became a judge for the simple reason that I wanted to learn more about beer styles and what it takes to brew them. Being able to taste and give opinions on beers for the World Beer Cup is a great learning experience. It also helps create friendships within our industry. Judging the WBC, one of the best beer competitions in the world, is an honor and a privilege for anyone. It’s a way to share my industry knowledge with other brewers and judges. I love it because it also allows me to continuously learn more about our industry and the trends happening within it.

Tetsuya Kojima

Tokyo, Japan

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

Beer has completely changed my life. About 25 years ago, I was just a craft beer fan. One day, I attended a beer festival in Tokyo sponsored by the Craft Beer Association and saw a flyer for a Beer Judge Seminar. I became interested in the beer judge qualification program in Japan, and a few years later, I took the seminar and got certified as a beer judge.

About 10 years ago, I received a phone call from Ryouji Oda, former president of the Craft Beer Association, asking me to serve as a lecturer at the beer tasting program and beer judge qualification program sponsored by the association. Now, I’m a lecturer for the association, teaching beer tasting and judging methods at seminars. I’m also a competition director at Japanese beer competitions, such as the International Beer Cup and the Japan Great Beer Awards.

In fact, I don’t work in the beer industry. My actual job is as a computer science professor at a college in Tokyo. However, beer occupies a significant part of my life. I am, and always will be, very happy to spend my life in the world of craft beer.

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

My first judging experience at the World Beer Cup was in Nashville in 2018. As a certified beer judge, I wanted to contribute to events like this to help raise the quality of craft beer. This was the primary reason I joined the World Beer Cup. Another reason was my desire to stay updated on global trends in craft beer, which remains a crucial part of my experience at the WBC. I hope to judge new beer styles at every World Beer Cup. It’s an excellent learning opportunity for me, and I can share my experiences from the competition with my students and fellow beer judges in Japan.