It was a Who’s Who of the most important breweries worldwide: On July 15, the Finest Beer Selection 2024 was celebrated with a festive awards ceremony in the evening in Neustadt an der Weinstraße. An international expert jury had previously tasted and evaluated more than 800 beers during a three-day expert tasting session at Doemens in mid-June.
Finest Beer Selection 2024: Here Are the Winners in the “Beer of the Year” Category
“We not only confirmed the level we set in the first round, but we also surpassed it in 2024,” summarizes Dr. Werner Gloßner, Managing Director of Doemens. Christian Wolf, a member of the management at Meininger Verlag, adds: “Thus, we have come a long way towards our goal of creating a neutral and comprehensible quality seal for beers.” The fact that the expert jury awarded a world-class rating of 95 or more points 20 times speaks for the excellent quality of the beers. Two beers stood out.
The Nordik-Porter from Störtebeker Braumanufaktur in Stralsund achieved the highest Finest Beer Score of 97 points and was thus named “National Beer of the Year.” The Vatgerijpt Mezcal from the Dutch brewery Hertog Jan also scored 97 points in the blind tasting, earning it the title of “International Beer of the Year.”
“Brewery of the Year” Also Announced at Finest Beer Selection 2024
In addition to the Beer of the Year, the jury also awarded the title of Brewery of the Year. Internationally, the Dutch brewery Hertog Jan from Arcen near Venlo impressed with a total of eight award-winning beers and an average Finest Beer Score of 94, securing the title of “International Brewery of the Year.”
With twelve beers in the Finest Beer Selection – including three classic wheat beers and nine modern brewing creations from the “Maisel & Friends” brand – and an average Finest Beer Score of 93 points, the German Gebr. Maisel brewery from Bayreuth once again secured the award for “National Brewery of the Year” in 2024. The outstanding quality of the beers was confirmed once again this year with sensational results.
Expert Jury Evaluates Beers and Breweries in a Complex Testing Procedure
Although beer is generally a matter of taste for private consumption, experts can evaluate beers and brewing processes based on certain criteria. We spoke with Constantin Förtner, brewmaster and beer sommelier, who was part of the tasting team for the Finest Beer Selection 2024.
Mr. Förtner, you were a juror at the Finest Beer Selection 2024. What exactly did you do there? How does one imagine the work of a juror?
Basically, all beers are tasted as a team. A group consists of seven people who taste and evaluate the beer together. The style of a beer is evaluated based on attributes such as appearance, color, foam, aroma, initial taste, body, carbonation, aftertaste, maltiness, hop bitterness, and quality. There is a specific point system by which each juror individually rates the beer. The group then discusses how each member’s rating matches the overall impression. This reflection helps ensure that personal preferences are not overly integrated into the objective evaluation.
Malt as a Central Element for Taste and Appearance
Mr. Förtner, you work full-time at Weyermann. In your opinion, what influence does malt have on the appearance, taste, and success of a beer?
As a team leader and brewmaster at Weyermann® Braumanufaktur, where we refine our malts in liquid form, malt is a very important raw material for beer. Malt gives beer its soul, as we like to describe it. Malt not only dissolves the sugar that later ferments into alcohol and carbon dioxide during fermentation. Depending on the beer style, the color, taste (grainy, malty, bready, caramel, chocolate, coffee, etc.), and aroma, which is imparted into the beer through the use of various malts, are crucial for the success of a good beer. Balance is a decisive factor. This harmony can be achieved through fine adjustments already at the malt selection stage. Harmony can be reached through suitable specialty malts as well as flavorful base malts. We have an excellent portfolio at our disposal from which we can draw extensively.
Mr. Förtner, you have now sampled a multitude of beers. What type or style is your personal favorite?
As a Franconian and native of Bamberg, one almost has a predilection for Franconian Rauchbier (smoked beer). These are already diverse in their traditional form, but the modern interpretations also have their charm for me.
More information about the Finest Beer Selection 2024, the awarded beers, and the distinguished breweries can be found at https://finest-beer-selection.com/en.
