2012 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. Best of all, the winner also enjoys the unmatched glory that comes from being named the nation’s greatest beer nut. “I was pinching myself for about a week,” says Phil Farrell, the 2012 Beerdinker of the Year.

With his year as reigning Beerdrinker of the Year running down, Farrell (a Cumming, Georgia commercial pilot, homebrewer, beer judge and four-time Beerdrinker of the Year finalist) is still pinching himself.

At this year’s American Homebrewers Association convention in San Diego, Farrell reports, "I had groups of complete strangers come up to me and take my picture and ask for autographs.” Farrell’s home beer bar is Five Seasons North in Alpharetta, GA.

The biggest highlight of Phil’s year? “Rogue Brewery’s John Maier shook my hand,” Farrell says, "and told me he thought it was fantastic and a big accomplishment to win the title. This from the man who took the very first BJCP exam, won the Homebrewer of the Year title as an amateur, and is now a legendary professional brewer.”

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 25, 2012 at 2 PM at Wynkoop Brewing.

The event is open to the public and draws a standing-room-only crowd each year. At the event a panel of wigged & robed beer experts and previous Beerdrinker winners will grill the finalists with tough beery questions. They then pick the 2012 winner.

This year’s three finalists will stay in Denver’s famed Brown Palace Hotel while in town for the finals. The iconic hotel is one of several new allies for the 2012 Beerdrinker of the Year title.

To enter the contest applicants must submit beer resumes that include the entrant’s beer philosophy and details on their passion for beer and 2011 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, 2011. 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 .

2011 Beerdrinker of the Year
Phil Farrell
Cumming, GA

2010 Beerdrinker of the Year
Bill Howell
Sterling, Alaska