Celebrating the world's best beers

The Judging

Judging Process

All judging is blind, and held in four stages.

Stage One

To select the 'Best Styles' by region. Each beer is tasted by style in the region in which it is entered to select the best beer style in Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Stage Two

To select the 'World's Best Styles'. The winning beers from each style in each region are then tasted against each other to select the 'World's Best Styles'.

Stage Three

The 'World's Best Styles' are then tasted against each other to select the 'World's Best Beers' by Category.

Stage Four

The 'World's Best Categories' are then tasted against each other to select the 'World's Best Beer'.

Judging Criteria

Entrants will be tasted blind and marked to an agreed and strictly enforced marking system. As well as aroma, flavour, appearance/condition, mouthfeel and finish the judges will look for beer with balance, character, complexity and quality.

The Stages

The World Beer Awards has expert judges in Asia, Europe and the Americas, each with its own regional chair under the guidance of the International Chairman, Roger Protz.

Stage One

Regional judging conducted in the UK, Japan and the USA at a group tasting by the regional chairman and the regional World Beer Awards judges.

Stage Two

Conducted in London at a group tasting. Attended by The International judging panel.

Stages Three And Four

Conducted in London at a group tasting. Attended by The International judging panel, with leading journalists, retailers, buyers, brewers and brewing marketers.

Calculating The Results

Each criteria is scored to a strictly enforced marking system, and the final scores for each criteria are added together. This score is used to calculate which beer has performed best. The top scoring beer in each region and each style becomes the 'Best' in that style and goes through to the next stage.

The Judges

Roger Protz, World Chairman
Adrian Tierney-Jones, European Chairman
Stan Hieronymus, The Americas Chairman
Bryan Harrell, Asian Chairman

Mitch Adams
Tatsuo Aoki
Paul Baxendale
Ry Belville
Marc Bishop
Arnd-Henning Bottrich
Jay Brooks
Pat Brophy
Pete Brown
Susan Chisholm
James Clarke
Phillip Cutter
Glynn Davis
Des de Moor
Peter Eells
Jeff Evans
Fergus Fitzgerald
Steven Gibbs
Tim Hampson
John Hannafan
Toby Heasman
Kate Hempsall
Stuart Howe
Monique Huston
Phil Kuhl
Stephen Marshall
Jo Miller
Colin Oke
Gray Olliver
Glenn Payne
Jeff Pickthall
Brett Pontoni
Jeff Rosenmeier
Derek Scare
Adam Vavrick
Steve Williams

Key Dates

Entry deadline
31st May 2013

Stage 1 & 2 Judging
June 2013

Stage 3 & 4 Judging
July 2013

Winners Announced
27th September 2013