World Class Judges

Fernanda Ueno

São Paulo, Brazil

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

I began my brewing journey in 2009 at Cervejaria Colorado in Brazil, starting as an intern and becoming head brewer. After earning a degree in food engineering, I completed the Master Brewers Program at UC Davis in 2015. I then led innovation projects for AB InBev’s craft breweries across South America and Europe.

In 2021, I moved to Europe to manage brewing and quality for ABI’s craft brands—including Camden Town, Bosteels, Birra del Borgo, and La Virgen—as well as co-packers and Beyond Beer products, until 2024.

Throughout my career, sensory analysis and beer judging have been part of my daily work. I’m passionate about experimenting with new ingredients, flavors, and techniques, exploring not just beer but also beverages like sake and coffee.

I’m also co-founder and brewmaster of Japas Cervejaria, a female-owned gypsy brewery blending Japanese and Brazilian influences. We brew and distribute our beers in Brazil, the U.S., and Taiwan, using beer as a creative way to honor our heritage.

Beer continues to teach me and connect me with amazing people every day—and I’m proud to give back to the industry that inspires me so deeply.

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

Judging at the World Beer Cup is both an honor and a way for me to give back to the brewing community that has shaped so much of my life. It’s a chance to support brewers by providing thoughtful, constructive feedback, and to celebrate the creativity, diversity, and technical skill that go into every beer. With a background in brewing, sensory analysis, and innovation across different cultures and styles, I see judging as a unique opportunity to keep learning while also helping to uphold the highest standards in our industry. It’s incredibly rewarding to be part of such a prestigious event that brings together passionate professionals from around the world to share knowledge, elevate beer quality, and inspire one another.

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!

Gad Deviri

Tel Aviv, Israel

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

It all started for me with homebrewing, which fed my soul. I started to import brewing supplies to the very young and small Israeli craft and homebrew market. I enrolled in courses at the Siebel Institute in Chicago and started teaching homebrewing and beer sensory.

Beer is a very interesting drink. It can be very ‘down to earth’ or a very complicated drink. It has so many shapes and shades. It’s never boring.

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

Judging in the prestigious competition in the word is a milestone in my professional life. It is an honor to be part of the team. Judging at this International competition gives me a broad perspective of the world of beer styles and tastes and is a rare opportunity to meet others from the industry.

Francisco Montanaro

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

Working as a flight attendant for an airline, I managed to travel around the world and try local beers in over 60 countries! During my last years flying, things got serious, as a good friend of mine started homebrewing in his apartment and I used to assist during the brewing sessions (mainly with the BBQ). During that time we used to buy a lot of different beers without really knowing much about what to expect in each bottle/can. It was a fun way to start learning about beers. After a couple of years, things got serious and I’ve working in the beer industry for the past 10 years now. Beer is my day-to-day passion — couldn’t even imagine my life without it!

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 an incredible way to learn with the best beer judges from all over the planet. It’s a really fun and delightful experience, such a privilege to be part of it, as well a lot of responsibility.

It’s a great way of connecting with people from all sides of the beer community, to recognize the creativity, talent and technical merits of all producers behind every single glass of beer we’re tasting.

Masafumi Morita

Nagano, Japan

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

It was 20 years ago when I had my first taste of English Pale Ale and was shocked. It was the moment I discovered the diversity and richness of flavors in beer. From there I went on to drink all kinds of Japanese craft beers and eventually had the opportunity to work for the brands I loved the most.

I think beer is a very important beverage because it is one tool for living a relaxed life, and it promotes community and connection.

Craft beer is also a great new form of industry. The spirit of working together to create a market, rather than each brewery competing for it, is the most important aspect of craft beer. It feels like it represents an improvement over capitalistic economic activity. That’s why I love working in this industry.

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

I love the craft beer industry and want to contribute my bit to it. The judging sessions give me tips on how to improve my brewing, and I get to have a great time with my judge friends from around the world — it’s an irreplaceable opportunity for me.

The World Beer Cup is attended by some of the best brewers, journalists, and consultants, and getting to know them and sharing new ideas and information is also a great experience. I feel very fortunate to have been a part of this effort for over 10 years. Without this experience, our beers would be of a lesser caliber today.

What else would you like the world to know?

Beer is just a beverage and has no power to heal injuries or illnesses. But we are born in really difficult times, with a lot of stress, and drinking a good craft beer is one oasis. I also feel that the craft beer industry is taking a more democratic, artistic, and organic approach to things. I am hopeful that it will gradually make the world a better place. I encourage you to seek out craft brewers in your area who have a great spirit. And if you can relate to them, please support them.

Brian Watson

Hamilton, New Zealand

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

In 1990 I saw a job for a trainee brewer with Heineken in the newspaper. I was lucky enough to get the job and never looked back. I have been in craft since 1996 in the U.K. and just love the industry, the people in it and what craft sands for.

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

I judge to give back to the industry, catch up with people from different countries and cultures, learn from people, and experience the wider world of craft beer. I am passionate about craft beer and love the industry and those in it. Every time I travel I learn something, and hope to never stop learning.

Carlo Graciano

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

I started home brewing in 2009 and fell in love with beer industry. I co-founded my first brewery in 2014, Santo Domingo Brewing Co. We started small and grew to a 10bbl system. I was the COO overseeing the brewers. In 2016, I co-founded Cerveceria Punta Cana, and we started importing our flagship beer, Canita, with the intention to gain market to be able to start with a bigger brewery. I sold SDBC in 2020. Our first locally brewed Canita came out April 2021, that year we brewed 1,400 HL and we have grown to almost 24,000 HL a year.

I started my formal beer education in 2018 with the Cicerone Certification Program and in 2019 obtained the Certified Cicerone level and in 2024 the Advanced Cicerone level.

I started judging beer in 2019, and been traveling to beer cups every year after the pandemic to Colombia, Mexico, Brasil, Argentina, and the World Beer Cup in 2024.

Beers is not only a job for me. It is a way of life, and traveling to different beers competitions has become my way of meeting new people and seeing new places.

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

Judging at the World Beer Cup means judging the best beers in the world with the best judges out there. It means that at each table you share feedback with judges with vast experience in the styles being judged.

Shaun O’Sullivan

California, United States

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

After several career changes in my twenties—from being a photographer for a local Los Angeles weekly covering music and politics, to working as a CNN assignment desk editor, and then as a legal clerk at a high-powered corporate law firm—I found my passion in homebrewing, with the goal of one day opening my own brewpub.

Discovering my destiny and community within craft beer has been incredible, and I still can’t believe I get paid to do this.

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

I often tell aspiring beer judges that becoming a judge at the World Beer Cup can make you a better brewer and person. The experience involves interacting with fellow international beer judges, honing the skills of listening and being open to discussion. It’s a humbling experience that requires judges to set aside their egos, as we all strive toward the common goal of recognizing the best beers.

Werner Glossner

Bavaria, Germany

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

I was born into a brewing family and had no chance of avoiding beer, but fate has been damn good to me.

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

It is the international encounters — around a table, over evenings and days with tasters from all over the world, that is the World Beer Cup.

Carl Kins

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

My interest in beer started at an early age. In Belgium you are allowed to drink beer at 16, and I did so, visiting my first brewery at age 17. I always had an interest in all aspects of beer—the history, ingredients, production, styles, etc. My knowledge is built on reading a lot about beer and on visiting hundreds of breweries around the world. I started writing about all this a few decades ago for various international magazines. Next to that, the demise/takeover of a lot of small breweries in the 1970s and 1980s incited me to get involved in consumer action groups in order to fight for diversity, fair taxation, etc., both on national and European level.

Beer matters because it is the best social lubricant there is. It is affordable and has the largest taste universe of any alcoholic beverage.

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

The World Beer Cup can be considered the Olympic Beer Games. Not only the participants but also the judges have international backgrounds, and this helps and continues to improve my knowledge of the beer world greatly, through tasting, talking and discussing.

Noel Sanchez

Stuttgart, Germany

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

I’ve been a beer enthusiast since an early age, mainly because of the close relationship between beer and heavy metal. It has always been my favorite beverage during fun times. Beer and music can bring people together in a curiously special bond. I greatly enjoy being an agent who promotes this wonderful human connection—and making a living from it.

In the mid-2000s, my interest in understanding beer more deeply was sparked when some relatives invited me to brew beer at home. A few years later, while working as a creative director, I participated in a brainstorming session to create the brand for the first microbrewery in Panama. Seeing the boom that craft beers were experiencing, I saw an opportunity to quit advertising and dedicate myself fully to the beer industry.

In 2014, I began my journey as a beer professional, studying and formally training with various organizations. Since then, I have managed to stand out in different fields as an entrepreneur, consultant, and educator. I also became a beer judge at competitions held in more than 20 countries, building a large network of colleagues and opportunities across the globe.

Today, I’m the regional sales director for BrauKon in Germany.

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

For me, having the opportunity to participate as a judge in the largest and most important beer competition in the world, next to internationally respected professionals, is an honor, a privilege, and a great reward for dedication.

Walter König

Bavaria, Germany

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

I’ve never done anything other than beer and music! I grew up on a farm in a small village in Bavaria. There was a princely brewery in this village that was founded in 1598. Our neighbor was a brewer in this brewery and I often visited him in the brewhouse. I was fascinated by this craft and quickly became enthusiastic about the profession. At the age of 15, I began training as a brewer and maltster in this brewery. After several years of practical experience as a brewer, my career path took me to the Technical University of Munich, where I graduated as an engineer in brewing and beverage technology.

In Bavaria in particular, beer is closely associated with traditions, festivals, rituals and everyday life. There are many different beer styles for every occasion and every season. Due to my background in agriculture, I am primarily fascinated by the beer raw materials malting barley, wheat and of course hops and the conviction that a good beer needs nothing more than three ingredients, nature and the skill of the brewer.

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

I would like the German beer styles to be interpreted and judged at the jury tables in the way they have evolved from their tradition. I also enjoy exchanging ideas with judges from other countries and beer histories and discussing other beer styles and trends in the brewing industry.

Every brewer who submits a beer to the competition is entitled to transparent and honest feedback on their beer. It is therefore important to me that well-trained and focused judges give each beer the necessary attention. The World Beer Cup offers optimal conditions for this thanks to its organization and the online-based evaluation system. And despite the concentrated work, there is still enough freedom and many opportunities to get to know each other and have fun.