Steve Gonzalez
How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?
I took a break at about midnight from studying for the Medical College Admissions Test to brew Toad Spit Stout from the New Complete Joy of Homebrewing. I had been sober for 7 weeks to keep focus on my chemistry & physics, and while I was reading that book became very intrigued by the discussions of heritage, history, science, and food the way it was laid out in the book. I had been cooking and reading history books since I was five years old. It was such a natural fit. I became obsessed with brewing, and after a summer internship at a hospital decided medical school was not for me and wanted to go into brewing. Three years later, after some professional training, I got my career start working for Sierra Nevada at 24 years old. What a ride!
Why do you judge at the World Beer Cup? What does judging at the World Beer Cup mean to you?
Judging beer styles I am not that familiar with but want to learn more about is huge for me. Seeing category evolution is amazing. I have had a few opportunities to captain tables where we had such a diverse panel with five or six judges, each from a different country. A woman from Brazil, another from South Korea, a man from Malta, another from England, and a woman from South Africa for example. Those are really special moments where you get some very different perspectives! All cultures like sweet beer more than we like to admit is one takeaway!
What else would you like the world to know?
I hope I can judge 20 more years and maybe even further!
