DRAFT Magazine

By Bob Ecker

Winners at the World Draughtmaster Championship. From left, Volodymyr Vavryk, Tommy Goukens, Claire Dong. Photo courtesy of Anheuser-Busch/Susan Goldman.

Leuven, Belgium

The mood was tense and anticipatory as competitors from 30 countries got ready to compete in the World Draughtmaster Championship, recently held in Leuven, Belgium, home to Stella Artois. Essentially a beer pouring competition, friends, family, coaches, and global media observed this spirited contest pitting the world’s finest bartenders in a rigorous test of beer pouring technique, accuracy, cleanliness, and speed.

The contestants were mostly in their 20’s and 30’s, with varied shape, size, and language. They included charming, talkative Tad Robson from Canada and fiery Marita Barna with piercing eyes and magenta hair from Serbia, as well as Israeli Maor Friedman at 6″ 7″ tall and a funny Australian, Nicholas Drabble.

For the first round of the competition, participants had to pour two perfect Stellas and present them to the grim-faced judges in two minutes or less. (The seated judges were considered “customers.”) Every glass (or chalice) had to be expertly cleaned and rinsed, the beer poured, the head scraped, washed again, and served, all following the strict rules and guidelines of the 9 Step Belgian Pouring Ritual. The winner would be the World Draughtmaster Champion, taking home glory, and a 2,500-euro top prize.

At the appointed signal, American champion Anthony Alba, a professional bartender and consultant from Las Vegas, walked over to the large white pouring station and began the ritual. Smiling and oozing confidence, Alba effortlessly cleaned, rinsed, poured, beheaded, washed, then served his beers to the judges. “We judge the foam,” said Judge Paul Van de Walle. “It must be between 3 and 4 cm, no more or less.” The audience applauded Alba even as the Czech participant got ready for his turn.

Alba trained hard for the event. In fact, he was seen practicing the 9 Step Ritual at 8:00 a.m. in the hotel bar under the critical gaze of his coach, Marc Stroobandt. “[Pouring] needs to come over as everyday working in a bar, being professional and at ease,” said Stroobandt. “It’s not just technique.” The Belgian-born Stroobandt is a renowned beer and beer pouring expert, and had coached other international teams in the past.

The World Draughtmaster Championships featured flag waving, cheering onlookers, the occasional broken glass, laughter, shouts and cheers, nervous pacing, and non-stop complimentary beer. Not just for the competitors, mind you, but for friends, family, and everybody else. This guaranteed a happy audience. Plus, you could tell it was in Belgium because what other international event would have a “Waffle Break?”

Alba and 11 others made it to the final round where contestants had seven minutes to pour two Stellas, one Hoegaarden, and one Leffe Brun for the judges. The finals were a hard fought battle of foam, form, and function. Though many in the crowd rooted on Alba, the Serbian and Ukrainian contingents were the loudest, boisterously encouraging their own. And it may have helped. Volodymyr Vavryk, a bartender from Kiev, Ukraine came in third. A pretty, petite, terribly efficient woman, Claire Dong, from Beijing, China was number two. Tommy Goukens, from Laakdal, Belgium, took the World Draughtmaster title, scoring 259 points out of a possible 270. Home field advantage? Perhaps — but Goukens, a handsome hit with the ladies, poured perfect beer after perfect beer, showing the years of experience he’s gained working at his father’s bar since age 12.

Some grumbled about the “political” nature of the winner, but all was forgiven as more waffles and flowing beer lubricating the international crowd. Technically, effervescent 20-year-old New Zealander, Kirsty McLean, had the highest score of all, but went over on time and had points deducted. “I hate the clock,” she was heard remarking. “I’m not sure if I’m happy or sad.” Anthony Alba didn’t medal, saying, “It’s fun to be here, though nobody likes fourth.” However, he conceded that “The winner did phenomenal. He deserved it.”

Afterwards, competitors danced away the stresses of the competition into the wee hours. At one point, the women from Serbia, Brazil, and Luxemburg danced seductively on the bar making a sandwich out of Alba, who didn’t seem to mind at all. After all, winning isn’t everything.

Bob Ecker is a writer from Napa, California

Group shot. Photo courtesy of Bob Ecker.

The judges. Photo courtesy of Bob Ecker.

Alba watches his coach. Photo courtesy of Anheuser-Busch/Susan Goldman.

Alba practices. Photo courtesy of Anheuser-Busch/Susan Goldman.

The Champion. Photo courtesy of Anheuser-Busch/Susan Goldman.