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.

Leigh Maberry Hostetler

Texas, United States

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

I entered the beer industry through an internship opportunity for QA and lab work. This was shortly after my first ever craft beer: a classic American pale ale, that completely blew me away with the complexity and delicious flavor craft beer could offer. As a microbiologist and anthropologist, my skill set seemed perfectly matched for the brewing industry. The love for the sensory sciences was a natural progression during my tenure in the industry because at the end of the day, beer is intended to taste cohesively good, which is something analytical data can’t always demonstrate. Beer has been a collaborative effort for millennia and I am excited by the contributions I can offer to encourage growth throughout the industry.

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 to expand my knowledge and palate for international classifications and flavors. I judge to meet fellow judges and learn from their wide range of occupations, experiences, and sensory backgrounds. The World Beer cup judging opportunity allows cultural divides and geo-political barriers to be loosened allowing for equal trade of beer enthusiasm and expertise. Bonus: Critically evaluating beer and diving deep into what four simple ingredients can provide and honoring our industry peers creativity is simply fun and rewarding!

What else would you like the world to know?

On average, 75% of the beers we taste throughout judging are good beers. Just because you don’t win an award doesn’t mean you aren’t making great beer. Keep up the good work brew crews and let’s craft beer thriving!

Francisco Montanaro

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

Working as a flight attendant for an airline, I managed to travel around the world and try local beers in over 60 countries! During my last years flying, things got serious, as a good friend of mine started homebrewing in his apartment and I used to assist during the brewing sessions (mainly with the BBQ). During that time we used to buy a lot of different beers without really knowing much about what to expect in each bottle/can. It was a fun way to start learning about beers. After a couple of years, things got serious and I’ve working in the beer industry for the past 10 years now. Beer is my day-to-day passion — couldn’t even imagine my life without it!

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 it’s an incredible way to learn with the best beer judges from all over the planet. It’s a really fun and delightful experience, such a privilege to be part of it, as well a lot of responsibility.

It’s a great way of connecting with people from all sides of the beer community, to recognize the creativity, talent and technical merits of all producers behind every single glass of beer we’re tasting.

Lotte Peplow

Greater London, United Kingdom

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

I’ve been in the beer industry all my career but initially on the periphery, and I came to it through the PR and marketing route. As the craft beer world grew so did my interest and passion for the subject. I was lucky enough to begin my long relationship with the Brewers Association back in 2006 and I gradually took on more responsibility. My role widened until in 2019 when I was appointed American craft beer ambassador for Europe. It’s an honor and a privilege to work for the Brewers Association and I’m incredibly proud to represent them either when traveling overseas or at home in the UK.

For me, beer is not just a career but a way of life. I love the wide variety of flavors and aromas found in beer. It’s super versatile and makes the perfect food accompaniment. I love the beer community and the people who make this industry special. Everyone is friendly, welcoming, and united in a shared appreciation of this beautiful beverage. It’s a uniquely collaborative space and I count myself very lucky to be associated with some of the most talented brewing minds in the industry.

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

Judging in the World Beer Cup is the pinnacle of my beer journey and the gold standard in beer judging. It’s like competing at the Olympics! The quality of the competition is second to none — from the world class quality of the entries to the high standards of the judges and the professional, smooth-running organization behind the scenes. Of all the competitions I’ve judged around the world, the World Beer Cup is the biggest, most prestigious, most international, best-organized and most professional of them all — in my humble opinion, of course!

Being selected as a judge for the World Beer Cup is a huge honor and fills me with pride. I love judging because it focuses my mind on everything I’ve learned about beer and brewing. Much like an Olympic athlete, I have to be at the very top of my game and that’s an exciting and thrilling prospect.

I have only judged one World Beer Cup so far (2023 in Nashville) but was completely blown away by the standard of entries, quality of the judges, and organization of the competition. It was an enormously rich and rewarding personal experience and one I hope to repeat again soon.

What else would you like the world to know?

I play hockey (that’s field hockey to my American friends!) for a Club in southwest London and have done for many years. It’s great fun, a chance to run around and blow away the cobwebs before a beer in the bar afterwards. Last season we were undefeated and won promotion to a higher league. This season may be different! I’m married with three grown up children and one very lively dog.