This past week, I had the distinct pleasure of joining the judging panel for the Brussels Beer Challenge, hosted this year in the charming Belgian town of Marche-en-Famenne. As Belgium’s premier international beer competition, the BBC is a true celebration of global brewing excellence, and being a part of it was a real honour.
A stage for quality beer
The scale of the competition is impressive. Over three days, more than 70 international judges evaluated over 1,700 beers from 30+ countries. Each beer is tasted blind and assessed meticulously according to its style category. The challenge isn’t only about picking winners, it’s also about providing constructive, objective feedback that helps brewers understand how their beers are perceived and how they can continue to innovate and improve.
The importance of objective feedback
Tasting such a wide and diverse range of beers in a short time is intense but rewarding. It requires real focus to identify the subtle nuances that separate a good beer from a gold-medal winner.
This process also highlights one of our core beliefs at CraftSense: expert feedback is one of the most powerful tools a brewer can have. It helps uncover strengths, identify off-flavours or processing issues, and provide the critical insights needed to achieve exceptional quality.
Cheers to everyone who continues to raise the bar for great beer!
— Tuur
Inspired by the pursuit of brewing excellence? At CraftSense, we offer tailored Sensory Training and Quality Consulting to help you perfect your products. Let’s talk about how expert feedback can elevate your craft.