Scandinavian School of Brewing awards "World’s Best Diploma Master Brewer”

The Scandinavian School of Brewing (SSB) has elected Anders Kissmeyer for the title of world’s greatest Diploma Master Brewer 2011. On Thursday, 11 August 2011, colleagues from many countries paid tribute at a festive gathering at SSB in Copenhagen. Besides the title Anders Kissmeyer was rewarded with 3000 Euro, presented by the Chairman of SSB, Erik Juul Rasmussen.

Anders Kissmeyer is chosen because of his importance for the brewing industry. Both by virtue of his work as a quality and laboratory manager at Carlsberg, and later as an important motivator in the Danish beer revolution. Anders Kissmeyer was the initiator of Nørrebro Bryghus, one of the first Danish microbreweries. Kissmeyer has generously shared his knowledge with other pioneers in Danish microbreweries, as lecturer as SSB, being part of the Danish Brewers Association Executive Board and as the editor of Scandinavian Brewers’ Review.

Anders Kissmeyer is 55 years old. As a high school student in Aarhus he showed interest in chemistry, and the first thoughts about a future as a master brewer was born. This led to chemical engineering studies. His thesis ‘‘Botanical components of rye’’ laid the foundation for his lifelong interest in beer molecular secrets. In 1984, he graduated at The Scandinavian School of Brewing. He was handpicked by Carlsberg to a career in the group, which included laboratory manager and later quality manager positions for the Group’s breweries around the world. From 2001 to 2010 he was the instigator and director of Nørrebro Bryghus. He has now started beer production under his own name "Kissmeyer Beer and Brewing" and is a consultant for, among other Nørrebro Bryghus. In addition, he serves as judge at several international beer competitions, and he is constantly developing new beers and sharing his passion for beer.

More than twenty different master brewers were nominated for the title. The selection committee was formed by the Chairman of The Scandinavian School of Brewing and the Danish Master Brewer Association Erik Juul Rasmussen, Michael Jakob, vice president, Supply Chain, Carlsberg Asia in Hong Kong and Kimmo Jäskelainen, who recently retired after a long career as production director from Sinebrychoff in Finland.