Stella's 9 Steps: It Sure Beats 12 Steps

I thought you might be interested in this press release I was sent regarding the Stella Artois World Draught Master event, in which bartenders around the world are judged on how well they perform the 9-step Stella pour. 9 steps? Now I know why I don't order Stella- it takes too damn long to get the beer! It should be fun to watch, though. Coverage starts at 3 pm Mountain time today, with links at bottom of page. Here's the release:

On Thursday, Oct. 29, draught masters from 32 countries will descend upon New York City to compete for the 2009 Stella Artois World Draught Master title, commemorating the 10 anniversary of Stella Artois being available in the United States. We’ve created a live stream broadcast so you can join the Belgian beer experience. In addition, you will have the opportunity to do more than just watch, you will have the opportunity to vote for a Fans’ Choice that will be crowned at the end of the event as a special online winner.

The competition recognizes the best bartenders from across the globe for their ability to perform the Stella Artois Belgian Pouring Ritual. This year’s champion will embark on a global quest during which he/she will visit more than 20 different countries as a Stella Artois brand ambassador and share his/her passion and dedication to the craft of the perfect pour.

This is the first time the Stella Artois World Draught Master Competition will be held in the U.S., after being hosted in Leuven, Belgium for the past 12 years. The timed competition will take place in front of an esteemed panel of judges including Food & Wine magazine’s Ray Isle, Bon Appétit magazine’s Andrew Knowlton, Stella Artois Draught Master, Cian Hickey and 2008 U.S. Draught Master Winner, Anthony Alba.

Below are two links to live stream broadcasts of the competition:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Stella#/Stella?v=app_160720853700
An alternate link to watch within the Ustream platform: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/stella-artois-world-draught-master-finals