Nicholas Galton-Fenzi

Australia Occidental, Australia

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

Yo era un aprendiz entusiasta y empecé a elaborar cerveza casera a los 17 años. Mi primer lote de cerveza (kit y kilo) tenía un control de temperatura muy deficiente y demostraba una falta de comprensión cervecera por mi parte... Era absolutamente terrible. Desde entonces, he intentado aprender todo lo que he podido sobre la cerveza, la industria, los ingredientes y las personas implicadas. Este viaje me ha llevado por 23 países diferentes y ahora he participado en más de 50 cervecerías de todo el mundo.

¿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?

Soy juez en la Copa Mundial de la Cerveza porque deseo compartir lo que he aprendido en el sector. Lo hago para poder dar mi opinión, cuando puedo, y seguir aprendiendo, por mí mismo, sobre los estilos de cerveza. Tengo la oportunidad de reunirme con otros jueces que también pueden darme su opinión sobre el estilo de cerveza que se está juzgando.

¿Qué más le gustaría que supiera el mundo?

Esta industria está cambiando rápidamente, con la cantidad de ciencia e información adicional que llega a diario. Una cerveza que pasa a la segunda ronda de este concurso ya está muy adelantada. Conseguir un premio es un logro increíble para la cervecera en cuestión.

Matt Johnson

South Dakota, United States

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

After homebrewing for a few years, I decided to become a professional brewer in 1997. I quit my job and went to brew school. I got a job as a brewer right out of school and never looked back. I was lucky enough to brew through the meteoric rise of craft beer, and I’ve enjoyed it the entire way. I worked my way up from brewing at a few brewpubs to being the brewmaster of brewery operations at a mid-sized brewery in San Diego, producing 85,000 barrels a year at our peak. Along the way, I built eight small breweries and have been a member of the Hop Quality Group, a voting member of the Hop Research Council, a member of the MBAA National Technical Committee, and the BA Brewpub Committee.

This industry is very big yet very small and collaborative, and I’ve enjoyed being a part of it. I will continue to be part of this great group of brewers and collaborators.

¿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 became a judge for the simple reason that I wanted to learn more about beer styles and what it takes to brew them. Being able to taste and give opinions on beers for the World Beer Cup is a great learning experience. It also helps create friendships within our industry. Judging the WBC, one of the best beer competitions in the world, is an honor and a privilege for anyone. It’s a way to share my industry knowledge with other brewers and judges. I love it because it also allows me to continuously learn more about our industry and the trends happening within it.

Markus Raupach

Baviera, Alemania

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

I was born and raised in Bamberg and practically imbibed our beer culture with my mother’s milk. As I grew older, beer first became my passion and then my profession, not only in Germany but all over the world. I am the author of over 60 books and games about beer, including the chronicle of the German Brewers’ Association, host Germany’s most successful beer podcast with over 250 episodes, am a beer judge at the most important competitions worldwide and train beer sommeliers and beer judges throughout Europe with the German Beer Academy. As a Nominated Beer Educator, I have also recently started doing this for WSET. And it’s really funny to see what has become of the first sips of Bamberg Rauchbier…

¿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 special for me in many ways. For one, I get to learn about many different parts of U.S. beer culture and have already made many new friends across the U.S. Of course, I also learn a lot about the current and historical beers of the USA. On the other hand, I can bring my European-influenced, but also very extensive international experience to the table and share it with the judges. This results in exciting discussions, which are always enriching for everyone involved thanks to the different perspectives. I also really enjoy the supporting program and the CBC, which I always enjoy attending.

Juan Camilo Riveros

Bogota, Colombia

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

Got a revelation on my first pint of Guinness and being from a country with only industrial lager for beer decided to start brewing my own. I studied culinary arts in Argentina and there also learned the basics of brew ing. After that the books of Palmer, Papazian, Talley, Daniels, Hieronymus, Bouckaert and Cantwell, and Michael Jackson were my sources. A lot of homebrewing came after that. Humanity and beer have a very close relationship most of the different cultures in the planet have beer whenever they are celebrating or mourning. It is comfort for a friend or just joy of being somewhere or with someone. Good beer brings us together and gladness our spirits.

¿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 WBC means a lot of different things for me. In a way is a validation of all my reading, tasting, and hard work in general. It is also an important way of learning from people more knowledgeable than me or from beer cultures that I am not so familiar with. In a more personal level there is a moment that comes from time to time when a table of judges just sync perfectly and complement each other, where knowledge is shared and we are able to do a great job. That moment is very satisfying. Last but not least, when I am judging beer I feel that each beer tells me a different story and sometimes you find exceptional ones that innovate and change the way that you look at beer as a whole.