Judging and the Jury

Judging and the Jury

Sylvia Kopp

Sylvia Kopp

The internationally renowned Beer-Sommelière works as author, speaker and educator on the subject of the changing global beer culture.

She teaches sensory evaluation, the study of styles and serves as long-term judge at international beer competitions. Sylvia gives seminars and workshops across Europe.

Henry Reuchelin

Henri Reuchelin

The chairman of the European Beer Consumers Union (EBCU) may not be missed out when it comes to beer judging. He is the founder of BIERburo and co-founder of the Foundation of Dutch Beer Education (StiBON) and the Circle of Dutch Family Brewers. He chairs the Dutch Beer Week and has written a book on Beer and Art.

John Mallett

John Mallett

Director of Operations at Bell’s Brewery in Michigan, USA. He is the author of the widely read book “Malt: A Practical Guide from Field to Brewhouse” and has been recognized for his expertise and leadership in brewery technical education and training. He serves on many boards and technical committees, including Master Brewers Association of the Americas, Brewers Association, Hop Quality Group, and American Malting Barley Association.

Pete Brown

Pete Brown

Pete is an acclaimed author, journalist, broadcaster and consultant specialising in food and drink, especially the fun parts like beer and cider. He was named British Beer Writer of the Year in 2009, 2012 and 2016, and has just published a much-noticed book on the subject of beer ingredients: “Miracle Brew: Hops, Barley, Water, Yeast and the Nature of Beer”.

Yvan de Baets

Yvan de Baets

A mixture of craft beer hero and heavily principled brewer from Belgium completes the panel perfectly. He is co-founder and face of the highly respected Brasserie de la Senne in Brussels.
With his penchant for historical beer styles and his love for quality he represents the small, artisanal brewers that are the heart and soul of Belgian brewing.

Sponsored by

Breun Seed 

JUDGING PROCEDURE AND AWARD CEREMONY

The jury of five international judges evaluated all applications and has nominated 10 beers for the finals. Finally, the jury will convene on the day before the Symposium and evaluate the beers in a blind tasting. The jury will rely on conventional standards used in international beer competitions such as the WBC, GABF, and EBS. The four winners will be the best showcases for the qualities of the selected heirloom malts.

The judges will evaluate each beer along the following criteria:

  • Appearance (colour, clarity, foam)
  • Aroma
  • Taste (sweetness, bitterness, sourness)
  • Malt flavour, body, balance
  • Mouthfeel (alcohol, carbonation, texture)
  • Aftertaste and Finish
  • Technical Quality
  • Adherence to style
  • Overall Impression

The award winners will be announced at the RMI Analytics Heirloom and Terroir Barley and Malt Symposium in Nuremberg in an award ceremony during the evening event.

The award is sponsored by the German barley breeder Saatzucht Josef Breun of Herzogenaurach, Bavaria.

All winners agree to be interviewed for an RMI press release to be distributed to the trade press in cooperation with Sylvia Kopp.