The Most Prestigious Beer Competition in the World
About World Beer Cup
The Brewers Association developed the World Beer Cup Competition in 1996 to celebrate the art and science of brewing. Often referred to as “The Olympics of Beer Competitions,” the World Beer Cup is the most prestigious beer competition in the world.
Awards Ceremony
The Venetian Las Vegas
April 24, 2024
Meet Our World Class Judges
Amaey Mundkur
Connecticut, United States
How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?
I fell backwards into beer. I ran out of money while living in Australia and starting home brewing so I could continue to enjoy beer as a 21-year-old. I made a lot of bad alcoholic ginger beer before I learned to brew proper beer. People started buying my homebrew that I made out of my dorm room on the 11th floor of Howitt Hall at Monash University.
After I graduated, I didn’t want to move to Christmas Island in the South Pacific to study predatory ants that feasted on the migrating red crabs.So I picked beer.
Beer matters because it is art and love. It is an expression that is worthy of sharing. It matters to me because it engages with the very core of me, the scientist, the pedant, and the creative. Beer is about community — and as an immigrant from India (and the only Indian World Beer Cup beer judge — yes, out of almost two billion humans) who loves personal expression, it is where I belong.
Why do you judge at the World Beer Cup? What does judging at the World Beer Cup mean to you?
I judge beer for a couple of reasons. It’s extremely important to positively impact beer quality. I have been in this industry for almost twenty years and have made beer on four continents. In that time, beer has grown, changed, and become what it is today. It is important to give positive feedback to all those brewers who aspire to be great, and I hope I can be part of that journey.
Judging at the World Beer Cup literally means the world to me. It is an affirmation of my achievements in the industry, as recognized by my peers who have kindly allowed me to judge with them, and to be part of an esteemed group of people that I can learn from. Hoarding information is selfish, while sharing it is selfless. And I hope to learn more.
What else would you like the world to know?
Besides beer, I love all the time I can spend with my wife and dog. I like hitting a little white ball around a large field (golf) and into a tiny hole. I love cooking and my family!
Luc De Raedemaeker
Brussels, Belgium
How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?
‘Beer and life: If you have to eat and drink anyway, you might as well enjoy it.’ This is an important rule of life that I learned growing up in Brussels, where I developed an appreciation for the offerings from the Zenne valley, particularly the Geuze and Lambiek. I acquired my taste for beer as a student bartender and my expertise grew as I trained in Belgium and around the world. I am now a lecturer in zythology and chief editor of Bier Grand Cru. My first book, The Belgian Beer Book, has been hailed as the perfect guide to Belgian beer and beer culture. I am a regular speaker at food and beer festivals all over the world. I am also the co-founder and director of the Brussels Beer Challenge, a prestigious international beer competition.
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 a chance to be part of a global celebration of beer, contribute to the industry’s growth and quality, and gain personal and professional enrichment through the experience. It holds a special place in my heart.
Phil Joyce
Colorado, United States
How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?
I got into beer as a homebrewer and a founding member of the Avery Brewing Company’s “Homebrewers and Bottle Collectors Support Group,” as well as the homebrew club Hop Barley and the Alers in Boulder, Colo. After homebrewing for a few years, I was the founding head brewer of Powder Keg, which was my first opportunity to make brewing my career.
Beer matters to me because of the community of people that it brings together. I have always found a group of people that have supported me, and provided me with opportunities to express myself technically and artistically. The beer industry has provided me with lifelong friends and an opportunity to learn from a diverse group of people.
Why do you judge at the World Beer Cup? What does judging at the World Beer Cup mean to you?
I judge because I want to continuously learn and expand my palate and give back to the community that has given me so much. It’s wonderful to network and meet other beer professionals and support the Brewers Association through judging every year. This past year I had the opportunity to judge with a number of international judges and their shared insights provided incredible education outside the style guidelines and brought unmatched validity to the competition that I haven’t experienced elsewhere.
Jason Macias
Pennsylvania, United States
How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?
After graduating with my MBA in finance from Drexel University, I was conflicted. Should I accept just ‘any’ job where my education and skills would be rewarded with a salary, or should I build on my educational foundation with hands-on skills in a unique industry that I was interested in learning more about — which was brewing.
My interest in brewing began as a homebrewer and was fueled when I began working as a server at a brew pub while attending college which introduced me to brewing on a micro scale — larger than home brewing but smaller than ‘big beer.’ My first industry job was as an assistant brewer at an upstart brewery in the quiet suburban outskirts of Philly which was initially perplexing to my family until they heard me share stories of my first few weeks and they knew I found my passion.
Eventually my education caught up with me as I worked my way out of the brewery and into various sales roles, starting with beer then raw materials (hops, malt) and eventually printed and brite aluminum cans, where I happily work currently with the Zuckerman Honickman packaging team.
Why do you judge at the World Beer Cup? What does judging at the World Beer Cup mean to you?
The process of judging beer allows me to tap into my sensory skills, which I was mostly unaware I possessed until a few years back when I became a Beer Judge Certification Program judge and exam administrator for my local homebrew club. Having been educated in marketing during my undergrad years, I was well aware of how branding, labels, and packaging can impact consumer demand and sales. To completely put that aside and focus only on the actual beer was fascinating!
Beer styles are historical stories of a time and place where they originated. They offer glimpses into that time when you worked with what the land offered and played the hand you were dealt. Brewers played their hand across the globe creating the dozens of beer styles with countless attributes and characteristics that we have today. This is in addition to the story your senses can tell you about a specific beer sample’s journey into your sample glass.
The World Beer Cup represents the pinnacle of judging opportunities for me and I’m so thankful and proud to be a part of this beer judging community and engage with such amazing and interesting people from around the world.
Competition News
Taste the Victory: World Beer Cup 2024 Winners Announced
The World Beer Cup, the largest beer competition in the world, honored the best beers in 110 categories covering 172 different beer styles.
Registration for the 2024 World Beer Cup Commences November 7, 2023
Registration for the biggest battle of the beers, the World Beer Cup, is open from Nov. 7 through Dec. 7, 2023.