Nathan Keffer

Quito, Ecuador

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

After helping to open a backpackers hostel and bed-and-breakfast in 2012 in Quito, Ecuador, we quickly saw a demand for craft beer. We had guests from all over the world passing through, and many often asked where they could get a good pint. At that time, the only options available were the typical commercial national lagers that small Latin American countries have. Having just graduated from the University of Oregon, we were very familiar with the amazing options local craft beer had to offer, so we started brewing in Ecuador in hopes of serving great beer to our guests and introducing our local friends to the culture of American craft beer.

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

It’s an honor to judge at the World Beer Cup. Judging there is an opportunity to give back to the brewing community I hold so dear, and it allows me to test my skills against other judges with different levels of experience and diverse backgrounds. There’s always something to learn as a judge, and even more so when you are paired with some of the other great people at WBC.

Fal Allen

California, United States

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

I started as a homebrewer in 1985. I was working at a waterfront bar in Seattle and one day, while I was checking in a couple of cases of Redhook, I had an epiphany: I thought, “Wait a minute, someone gets paid to make Red Hook beer. Maybe I could get paid to make Redhook beer!” So I started visiting the Redhook brewery in the Fremont district and sharing my homebrew with the brewer. I would stop in a couple of times a week and ask him to try the beers with me. Finally, he hired me with the provision that I not bring him any more of my homebrew. For a few years I worked at the brewery during the days and tended bar at night. Rick the brewer was kind to me and rotated me through most of the positions in the brewery. I learned a lot about beer. In 1989, I got a job as a full time brewer at Pike Place Brewery. Then, in 1999, I moved to Anderson Valley Brewing in California, where I am today.

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

I judge the World Beer Cup for a couple of reasons. One, for the opportunity to judge with other people that have a different take on beer than I do. To learn and discuss beer and brewing with these folks and make new friends and partnerships in the brewing world. Second, I like to keep up to date on what is going on in the wide wide world of beer. Being selected to judge the most prestigious beer competition in the world is a great honor. I feel very lucky to be in such esteemed company of great brewers and beer industry people.

Ricardo Aftyka

Buenos Aires, Argentina

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

I started my beer career very early, at 19 years old, as a brewer. After more than 15 years in which I participated in the founding of the Argentine Brewers Association, wrote articles, made video tutorials and wrote a book, I decided to found my own brewery, Juguetes Perdidos. I have been an International Judge for more than 15 years and thanks to beer I have traveled all over the world and met wonderful people. Today I am 45 years old and my life is completely filled with beer, so much so that my children learned to say “aftertaste” before “dad.” If I had to define in one word what beer means to me, I would say it is “passion.”

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

I trained for many years to be able to enter the World Beer Cup as a judge. It is the highest level we can aspire to as international judges.

Judging at the World Beer Cup is a unique opportunity to learn from other judges, share time and experiences, represent my country, Argentina, and be part of the most important competition in the world of beer.

What else would you like the world to know?

Juguetes Perdidos, my brewery, was the first one to get a Gold award for Argentina at the World Beer Cup!

Silvia De Tomas Ayllon

Lima, Peru

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

I am part of the second generation of a brewing family in Peru that started in 2003. My parents taught me the art of making beer when I was 9 years old, studying and learning from it. This is how I fell in love with that passion, with its community, and everything that revolves around it. Over the years I have founded projects such as the Latin American Craft Beer Cup, Peruvian Beer Cup, Brewmart school, Brewpub Cebichela and my Two Broders Brewery. I also became a beer judge in 2014, participating in multiple competitions in Latin America. Beer matters to me, because it is part of the story of my family, of my life and it has taught me a lot over the years. I feel respect, admiration and I work hard to share with others how important it is, that they learn to value it, but above all to understand it.

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

I always dreamed of being part of the World Beer Cup, ever since I was young I always admired everyone who was part of it, and the experience one must have to be chosen for this great competition. I always followed in detail each event organized by the Brewers Association, learning from it and using it as a reference for the Peruvian market.

I judge beers in this competition, because it brings together the best beers and breweries in the world into one place. The level of analysis and professionalism that exists in each tasting session is incredible. Since beers are of a high level, it allows you to have different points of view and understanding about the every beer. You get to meet judges from all over the world! This is a very reason important reason for me to be part of it, get to know different cultures, exchange ideas, they make me personally a better person every day.

I am very happy to be part of this great competition that marks important milestones in the history of beer worldwide.