Stella Artois, the legendary pilsner from Belgium, named the champion of the 14th Stella Artois World Draught Masters competition, which was hosted in London on October 28. The event, which has been held annually since 1997, celebrates the iconic 9-step pouring ritual, which must be followed by any professional bartender in the world. This time, the grand prize—the Stella Artois Chalice—went to Chris Myers from Madison, Wisconsin (USA).
In total, there were 25 contestants from all around the globe who demonstrated their skills at the event before a panel of industry experts, which were rating how they implemented every element of the pouring and beer-serving process. This year, the World Draught Masters show was broadcast via live streaming on Stellaartois.com for the real fans of Stella Artois to see the perfect observance of the 9-Step Pouring Ritual, which consists of the following steps:
1. The Purification—Use clean & rinsed branded glass
2. The Sacrifice—Open the tap in one quick action and let the first drops of beer flow away
3. The Liquid Alchemy Begins—Hold the glass just under the tap without touching it at a 45° angle
4. The Head, although ‘Crown’ would be more appropriate—Lower the glass to allow the natural formation of the foam head
5. The Removal—Close the tap quickly and move the glass away so beer doesn’t drip into the glass
6. The Beheading—While the head foams up and overflows the side of the glass, smooth it gently with a head cutter
7. The Cleansing—Clean the bottom and sides of the glass
8. The Two Finger Rule—The right amount of foam is usually about 2 fingers
9. The Bestowal—Present the beer on a clean beer coaster with the logo facing the consumer.
In course of the show, the jury shortlisted the contestants to four and in the end named the Stella Artois World Draught Master, or world champion of the perfect pour, as well as the three runners-up—Siobhan Kathleen Mullins (Australia), Keith Cuveele (Belgium) and Marc Pronovost (Canada).
The grand winner is soon to embark on a global trip to visit more than 10 different countries around the world as an ambassador for Stella Artois just like the previous champions used to do. Last year, the trophy was awarded to a contestant from New Zealand, just like it was in 2007. Chris Myers is the second contestant from the USA to win this prestigious competition.