Francisco Montanaro
How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?
Working as a flight attendant for an airline, I managed to travel around the world and try local beers in over 60 countries! During my last years flying, things got serious, as a good friend of mine started homebrewing in his apartment and I used to assist during the brewing sessions (mainly with the BBQ). During that time we used to buy a lot of different beers without really knowing much about what to expect in each bottle/can. It was a fun way to start learning about beers. After a couple of years, things got serious and I've working in the beer industry for the past 10 years now. Beer is my day-to-day passion — couldn't even imagine my life without it!
Why do you judge at the World Beer Cup? What does judging at the World Beer Cup mean to you?
I judge at the World Beer Cup because it's an incredible way to learn with the best beer judges from all over the planet. It's a really fun and delightful experience, such a privilege to be part of it, as well a lot of responsibility. It's a great way of connecting with people from all sides of the beer community, to recognize the creativity, talent and technical merits of all producers behind every single glass of beer we're tasting.
