World Cup Beer Sommeliers 2025

Trailer World Cup 2022

World Class Beer Sommeliers

The position of Beer Sommelier has become well established within the brewing industry. It’s no wonder, then, that the number of Beer Sommeliers has steadily increased in recent years. So it’s no wonder that the number of beer sommeliers has risen steadily in recent years. Doemens and its partners have now trained over 5,000 Beer Sommeliers worldwide.

The tasks of a Beer Sommelier are extensive: in the food services sector, he/she prepares the beer menu, advises the chef on dishes that incorporate beer and handles the purchasing of beer brands for the restaurant. In other words, he/she does whatever it takes to help ensure that any beer served to the guests is of optimum quality, preserving and enhancing its overall value. These special abilities have been honored since 2009 in the form of a World Cup (“World Cup Beersommeliers”), which takes place bi-annually at varying venues, organized and managed by Doemens Academy.

The know-how of the participants is tested and evaluated in various runs. In the pre rounds, both theoretical basics about beer and sensory skills in beer style and flavor tests are required in order to qualify for the final. In the final, sensory and knowledge as well as the necessary performance on stage during the beer presentation are required.

The winners of the past championships:

2009: Karl Schiffner (Austria), World Cup in Sonthofen, Germany
2011: Sebastian Priller (Germany), World Cup in Anif, close to Salzburg, Austria
2013: Oliver Wesseloh (Germany), World Cup in Munich, Germany
2015: Simonmattia Riva (Italy), World Cup in São Paulo, Brasil
2017: Stephan Hilbrandt (Germany), World Cup in Munich, Germany
2019: Elisa Raus (Germany), World Cup in Rimini, Italy
2022: Giuliano Genoni (Switzerland), World Cup in Munich, Germany

The new World Champion of Beer Sommelier 2022: Giuliano Genoni (centre) with the runner-up Felix Schiffner (left) from Austria and the third-placed Léon Rodenburg from the Netherlands.

For example, the participants in the world championship have to identify beer styles in a blind tasting

World Cup 2025

In 2025, the world champion will be sought for the eighth time from the ranks of beer sommeliers from all over the world. Prior to this, national championships will be held in countries around the world. Around 80 participants from 20 countries are expected to attend the World Cup Beer Sommeliers 2025.

Where:

Gräfelfing/Munich, Germany

Date:

September 13th, 2025: Preliminary rounds, Doemens Academy, Gräfelfing near Munich, Germany
September 14th, 2025: semi final/final, Munich Exhibition Center, CCN Ost, Munich
The final from 3 p.m. is open to the public!

Schedule:

Preliminary rounds (September 13th, 2025)

Practical tasting test 1 – Recognizing beer styles
Practical tasting test 2 – Detecting off-flavors
Small theoretical test (10 questions)

Semi-final (September 14th, 2025)

The ten best from the preliminary rounds qualify for the semi-final, in which two participants always compete against each other. Both participants receive the same beer and have to present it. The five winners and the best “lucky loser” qualify for the final.

Final (September 14th, 2025, from 3 p.m., open to the public)

Each finalist must present a beer that is unknown to them. The jury will evaluate the background to the beer, the sensory description of the beer, possible food pairings as well as the performance and the beer sommelier skills.

+++ The final will be streamed live +++