Emin Cem Surer
How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?
My interest in beer began with curiosity at a young age. As a child, I was fascinated by the bright golden, foam-covered liquid on the table—something I was not allowed to drink, but often noticed how it made the people around the table smile. Once it became legal for me to drink, that curiosity turned into a passion. I traveled across countries, tasted beers, and took notes, but over time I realized that tasting alone wasn’t enough to truly understand beer unless you knew how it was made. That realization pushed me toward self-directed brewing education. I immersed myself in brewing literature, experimented through homebrewing, and gradually moved into formal certifications and judging. This journey eventually led me into the professional beer industry, where I now work as a brewer and lead a beautiful brewery. Beer matters to me because it has been part of human culture for more than 12,000 years and remains a vast, ever-evolving universe. No matter how much you learn, you never reach the end—and that endless depth feels like a lifelong journey into space. It brings together culture, science, craftsmanship, people, and—of course—smiles.
Why do you judge at the World Beer Cup? What does judging at the World Beer Cup mean to you?
I first learned about the World Beer Cup many years ago and quickly understood that it is the biggest and most respected beer competition in the world. From that moment, becoming a WBC judge became one of my personal dreams. Judging at the World Beer Cup means a lot to me because it gives me the chance to support the global beer community and meet people who share the same love for beer. I am also really looking forward to being part of the conversations at the judging tables. Tasting the amazing beers in the competition is a nice bonus too.
