By: Sean Chua
The gym’s been open for about 9 months now and you may have had the pleasure to interact with my roommate Zach. You probably already know that he was on the swim team in high school, closes deals with The World Bank as a Public Affairs Consultant with the Advocom Group, and can deadlift 300+ pounds. What you probably didn’t know about Zach is that he’s a WORLD-CLASS Draught Master.
How does a person even become a World-Class Draught Master? The journey to becoming a World-Class Draught Master is very similar to qualifying for the Crossfit Games (probably even more difficult). One day, Zach stumbled upon a Stella Artois booth outside of a bar in Columbia Heights. The ladies at the booth beckoned Zach over to learn the 9-step process to pouring a perfect beer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW8UQ57PZXw). Zach has always been a beer connoisseur and would never pass up an opportunity like this. After learning the process, he competed against others that had signed up. Zach made quick work of his peers, conquering the open and qualifying for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Competition in Eastern Market.
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Competition was full of veteran beer-pourers, but Zach had unknowingly been prepared for this his entire life (did I mention that he was the Recruitment Chair for his Fraternity?). From the warm-ups alone, it was clear that Zach was the competitor to beat. In a 1v1 single-elimination bracket format, match after match, the three judges unanimously decided Zach was the victor. He would go on to compete at the US Finals to have a chance to go onto Worlds!
Zach got the celebrity treatment in Chicago with food and beverage tastings, party buses, swag and his own paparazzi. After 2 days of practice and getting to know the other competitors, it was time to get down to business. In the first round, Zach was put up against the hometown favorite. Zach was surrounded by boo’s and taunts from the Chicagoans as soon as he was introduced onto the stage. Zach wouldn’t let this faze him though; he got on stage and poured his heart out. Unfortunately, being the away team in an arena serving $1 beers can take down even the best competitors.
Zach is still the current Mid-Atlantic Draught Master and hopes to retain his title this summer. He knows that Crossfit will aid his journey in becoming the US Champion of beer-pouring. Want to learn more about becoming a Draught Master or Zach? You can usually find Zach at the 7am or 8pm classes and always at the gym happy hours mastering his art.