2013 Beerdrinker of the Year from Wynkoop Brewing

They also design and brew a special batch of beer at Wynkoop Brewing (with head brewer Andy Brown) as part of their winnings. The winner also enjoys the unmatched glory that comes from being named the nation’s greatest beer fiend.

J. Wilson, a Prescott, Iowa writer, homebrewer, beer judge and beer blogger, is the reigning Beerdrinker of the Year. Wilson’s astute beer knowledge, beer ambassadorship (from a town of just 283 people) and a 2011 beer & water fast helped him win the 2012 contest.

In 2011 Wilson fasted for 46 days on just water and a dopplebock he brewed with a Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant in West Des Moines. His experience became a book, Diary of a Part-Time Monk, and landed him national attention.

Wilson is the first Beerdrinker winner to hail from the nation’s heartland, and he lives in a rural area far removed from a rich beer culture. “I don’t live near any beer mecca and I’m a 90-minute drive from a city with a brewery,” he says. “But you can win this contest by doing things in your own community.”

At the finals, Wilson discussed his philosophy for a life rich with beer. ”Having a balance is all important,” he said. “I love beer. But I also truly love my family, and in the grand scheme of things that’s far more important.”

Wilson has a 3-tap, 8-foot home bar supplied by a 10-gallon brewing system in his basement. An advocate for beer for 15 years, he organized numerous beer events in his home state in 2011. (Read his beer blog at www.brewvana.net .)

The three Beerdrinker of the Year finalists are flown to Denver at Wynkoop’s expense for an action-packed weekend that culminates with the Beerdrinker of the Year National Finals on February 23, 2013 at 2 PM at Wynkoop Brewing.

The event is open to the public and draws a standing-room-only crowd. At the event a panel of wigged & robed beer experts and previous Beerdrinker winners grills the finalists with tough beery questions. They then pick the 2013 winner.

This year’s three finalists will stay in Denver’s famed Brown Palace Hotel while in town for the finals.

To enter the contest, applicants must submit beer resumes that include the entrant’s beer philosophy and details on their passion for beer and 2012 beer experiences.

Resumes should also detail the entrant’s understanding of beer and its history and importance to civilization, along with the entrant’s efforts to educate others to the joys of great beer.

Resumes for the Beerdrinker of the Year are reviewed by the nation’s beer experts and previous Beerdrinker of the Year winners.

Resumes must be sent by email to beerdrinker@wynkoop.com and be received by Wynkoop by no later than December 31, 2012. Each entrant will receive an email confirmation that their resume was received.

A few more rules:

• Resumes cannot exceed three 8 1⁄2" x 11" pages and must be written in 12-point or larger font, in Word format.

• Resumes must include the entrant’s home brewpub/beer bar and T-shirt size.

• Do not enter if you are currently employed in the beer-making trade.

Entrants must read the complete contest details at www.wynkoop.com .

Members of the media seeking more information, photos, and interviews with previous Beerdrinker of the Year winners can contact Marty Jones at 303-860-7448 (home office), 720-289-9345 (cell), martysjones@att.net or marty@wynkoop.com .

2012 Beerdrinker of the Year
J. Wilson
Prescott, Iowa

2011 Beerdrinker of the Year
Phil Farrell
Cumming, GA

2010 Beerdrinker of the Year
Bill Howell
Sterling, Alaska