Jan Schatz
How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?
My craft beer journey started in 2009 with curiosity—visiting breweries and organizing tours to learn directly from brewers. In 2010 I took a brewmaster course and began brewing, which helped me understand how a great beer is the result of small, well-made choices. After a few years I realized my strongest passion was sensory evaluation, so I pursued a Sommelier Diploma in 2016, and I passed the BJCP exam. Since then, I’ve been involved in competitions as a beer judge. Beer matters to me because it’s a product of both craft and community: it’s technically fascinating, culturally rich, and meant to be shared.
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 one of the most meaningful ways I can contribute to the global beer community—by helping recognize excellence and giving thoughtful, consistent feedback. It’s also an opportunity to keep learning alongside experienced judges and to help uphold quality benchmarks for this community. Personally, it’s an honor—and a responsibility—to evaluate beers at that level, to recognize excellence, and to contribute to results that have real meaning for breweries around the world.
What else would you like the world to know?
For centuries, beer has been part of how people celebrate, welcome others, and build community. It helped build friendships and relationships. In today’s increasingly digital and isolated world, those shared, human moments matter more than ever. What inspires me about beer is its openness: it invites experimentation, respects tradition, and thrives on collaboration. I’m optimistic that this culture—curious, inclusive, and grounded—can still be a small but real force for good.
