The Brewers Association (BA) hosted the 27th Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America, coupled with the 2010 World Beer Cup at the Chicago Sheraton Hotel and Towers, in Downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA. The Opening Session on Thursday, April 8th featured a treasure trove of leaders in the professional brewing community, including Charlie Papazian, President of the Brewers Association; Julia Herz, Director of Craft Beer Marketing for the Brewers Association; Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association; Nick Matt, Brewers Association Chairman of the Board of Directors; Gary Fish, Owner of Deschutes Brewery and BA Member of the Board of Directors; Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Or); Jim Koch, Owner of Boston Beer Company and BA Member of the Board of Directors; and Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA).

Dick Cantwell, head brewer and co-founder of Elysian Brewing Company and BA Member of the Board of Directors, announced the winners of the most prestigious awards given by the Brewers Association. Awards and winners were:
The Brewers Association 2010 F.X. Matt Defense of the Craft Brewing Industry Award to Steve Hindy, Co-founder of Brooklyn Brewing, author, and co founder of the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn
The Brewers Association 2010 Brewers Recognition Award to Larry Bell, Founder of Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo, Michigan
The Brewers Association 2010 Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Craft Brewing to 30-year brewing veteran Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California

The 2010 event included the World Beer Cup Competition, creating an atmosphere where international faces were the norm. Below is a gallery of some of the famous beer-industry professionals that filled the ballrooms and seminar rooms.

Beer Fox Carolyn Smagalski and Megan Parisi
Beer Fox Carolyn Smagalski of BellaOnline chats with fellow Pink Boots Member Megan Parisi of Cambridge Brewing Company of Cambridge Massachusetts, USA.

Chuck Skypeck
Chuck Skypeck, Head Brewer and Founding Partner of Boscos and Ghost River Brewing of Memphis, Nashville, Little Rock, and Franklin.

Tonya Cornett and Tony Simmons
Prompted by the Beer Fox to “C’mon! Feel the Love!” Tonya Cornett, World Beer Cup award-winning Brewer of Bend Brewery, Bend, Oregon, USA, has fun with Tony Simmons, creator of the award-winning recipe for the Ben Franklin Tercentenary Commemorative Ale, and Owner of Pagosa Brewing Company in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, USA.

Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Or)
Congressman Peter DeFazio, founder of the House Small Brewers Caucus, delivers the Keynote Speech at the 2010 Craft Brewers Conference in the Sheraton Ballroom, Chicago, Illinois.

Goose Island serves Matilda and Sophie
Who better than Goose Island’s CEO to promote Matilda, coupled alongside of Sophie, Goose Island’s newest offering?

Greg Koch
Greg Koch, CEO of Stone Brewing of Escondido, California, USA, relaxes between sessions at the 27th Craft Brewers Conference in Chicago.

Award-Winner Steve Hindy
Steve Hindy, Co-Founder of Brooklyn Brewing, holds up his engraved plaque, presented by Dick Cantwell of the Brewers Association.

Jay Brooks
Beer Writer and World Beer Cup Judge Jay Brooks of the Brookston Beer Bulletin relaxes before Opening Remarks at the Craft Brewers Conference 2010.

Julia Herz
Ball-of-Fire Julia Herz, Director of Craft Beer Marketing for the Brewers Association, stirs up passion for brewing at the Opening Ceremony of the 27th Annual Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America.

Ken Grossman
Ken Grossman, Founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, California, graciously accepts the 2010 Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Brewing from the Brewers Association.

Larry Bell
Larry Bell, founder of Bell’s Brewery of Kalamazoo, Michigan, accepts the 2010 Brewers Recognition Award at the Craft Brewers Conference in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Chairman of the Board Nick Matt
Nick Matt, Chairman of the Board for the Brewers Association, takes a quick break at the end of the Opening session of the CBC in Chicago.

Eric Toft, Mona Euringer, and Burghard H. Meyer
Serving up Bavarian hospitality in the Hospitality Suite of the Hallertau Hop Growers Association and the German Hop Growers Association are Eric Toft, Head Brewer of Private Landbrauerei Schonram in Bavaria, Hop Queen Mona Euringer, and Burghard H. Meyer of VLB-Berlin.

A rose between two thorns
The fairest Cicerone of all is flanked by David Phillips and Ray Daniels of the Cicerone Certification Program at the 2010 BrewExpo America.

Cheers!