Lana Svitankova

¿Cómo entró en la industria cervecera? ¿Por qué le importa la cerveza?

Beer is a love story in every sense. I fell down this rabbit hole on my honeymoon in Prague, over a glass of dark Czech lager, and I’ve continued my journey ever since. It started as a hobby, but it became a job, an educational vocation, and so much more. Like any relationship, there have been highs and lows, but the beer industry, the drink itself, and the people involved never cease to amaze me.

It’s more than just a set of flavors—it’s a collection of stories, emotions, memories, and experiences. That’s what makes it so exciting. Not all stories have a happy ending, but we’re here to change that and make the industry better.

¿Por qué participa como juez en la Copa Mundial de la Cerveza? ¿Qué significa para usted ser jurado en la Copa Mundial de la Cerveza?

Judging at the World Beer Cup is a roller coaster of emotions. It’s a huge responsibility to do justice to an overwhelming number of beers. It’s an uplifting feeling to represent your country with pride. It’s an immense joy to meet and learn from the best peers in the beer world, having countless meaningful conversations. It’s a lot of fun, but everyone takes it very seriously. The amount of knowledge and experience in the room is outstanding.

Winning a medal at the WBC means going through rigorous assessment and reaching the podium with flying colors. It’s a reason for every winner to be proud and to celebrate their work and team effort.

Rene Aduan Junior

São Paulo, Brazil

¿Cómo entró en la industria cervecera? ¿Por qué le importa la cerveza?

I’ve worked in beer industry since 2004, first as a beer taster (sommelier), then as a brewmaster in biotechnology and science. For 15 years I’ve been teaching the new guys “how to taste beer” in a sommelier course in ESCM and at Doemens achademy in Brasil. Beer is my priority and unconditional love.

¿Por qué participa como juez en la Copa Mundial de la Cerveza? ¿Qué significa para usted ser jurado en la Copa Mundial de la Cerveza?

The World Beer Cup is the most refined world competition, with the best selection of judges. It is a pleasure to be part of this event, sharing knowledge to the market. The exchange of experiences between everyone who participates is the solid basis that motivates me to participate since 2014. This competition is the best way to celebrate all the values ​​that beer represents in our society!

Dana Johnson

Colorado, Estados Unidos

¿Cómo entró en la industria cervecera? ¿Por qué le importa la cerveza?

Like many, I got into the industry after falling in love with home brewing. For my 30th birthday, I was given a homebrewing kit and (of course) Charlie Papazian’s “Complete Joy of Homebrewing” book. This was prior to the internet and my first batch or two had a very steep learning curve, but I was hooked. Five years later, I knew I didn’t want to start my own brewery but saw an opportunity selling cleaning, sanitizing, and process aids to the industry. I’ve been doing it ever since and couldn’t be happier.

¿Por qué participa como juez en la Copa Mundial de la Cerveza? ¿Qué significa para usted ser jurado en la Copa Mundial de la Cerveza?

I’ve been judging at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) since 2015. When the opportunity to judge at the World Beer Cup presented itself a couple of years ago, I jumped at the chance. The World Beer Cup is open to breweries all over the world, not just the US. The WBC is one of the most prestigious beer competitions in the world with some of the best judges in the world. It is interesting to judge with people from across the globe and is very educational. I am extremely honored to be included as a World Beer Cup Judge and to know that we are all very committed to doing our very best, each and every round and awarding medals to the best beers in the entire world.

Luc De Raedemaeker

Bruselas, Bélgica

¿Cómo entró en la industria cervecera? ¿Por qué le importa la cerveza?

La cerveza y la vida: si tienes que comer y beber, mejor que lo disfrutes". Esta es una importante regla de vida que aprendí creciendo en Bruselas, donde desarrollé mi aprecio por las ofertas del valle del Zenne, en particular la Geuze y la Lambiek. Adquirí el gusto por la cerveza como estudiante de barman y mi pericia creció a medida que me formaba en Bélgica y en todo el mundo. Ahora soy profesor de citología y redactor jefe de Bier Grand Cru. Mi primer libro, The Belgian Beer Book, ha sido aclamado como la guía perfecta de la cerveza y la cultura cervecera belgas. Soy ponente habitual en festivales gastronómicos y cerveceros de todo el mundo. También soy cofundador y director del Brussels Beer Challenge, un prestigioso concurso internacional de cerveza.

¿Por qué participa como juez en la Copa Mundial de la Cerveza? ¿Qué significa para usted ser jurado en la Copa Mundial de la Cerveza?

Participar como jurado en la Copa Mundial de la Cerveza es una oportunidad de formar parte de una celebración mundial de la cerveza, contribuir al crecimiento y la calidad del sector y enriquecerse personal y profesionalmente con la experiencia. Ocupa un lugar especial en mi corazón.