Santiago Gonzalez
How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?
In 2011, one of my best friends opened the first craft brewery in my country, Paraguay. At first I only went there to help him as much as I could. My knowledge of the field wasn't very extensive, but after a while he asked me if I wanted to work there, which I accepted. I attended several courses, read all the books I could and tried to put everything I learned into practice in the brewery. Now 15 years later, beer has given me very good friends in all corners of the world who have helped me in personal and work matters, from whom I have learned a lot and continue to learn every day.
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 the most important competition in the world. Every brewery wants to win it, and every beer judge wants to be part of the tasting panel, its the pinnacle of the field. For me it's a great honor to judge in the competition. It's the fruit of years of dedication to the world of beer and it helps me continue learning more every day. It is also a great opportunity meet other judges, each with different experiences to share, so we can all learn more about what we all love...beer!
