Alexandria Man Named 'Beerdrinker of The Year' by Wynkoop Brewing Company

Alexandria resident Tom Ciccateri was picked 2005 “Beerdrinker of the Year” by Wynkoop Brewing Company in their search for the most intense, passionate beer drinker in America.

Ciccateri’s win was a victory of “John Elway-ish” proportions; after failing to win in three other stints as a Beerdrinker of the Year finalist, he finally won the championship.

“There’s a load lifted off my shoulders,” Ciccateri said after winning the crown. “I’ve had my eye on the prize for a long time, it’s great to finally win it.”

“That’s what it takes to win the Beerdrinker of the Year search,” Ciccateri said of his lengthy quest. “It’s a very tough title to win, the competition is very serious and the judges are experts who really know their stuff.”

Ciccateri is an Alexandria, VA specialist in weapons of mass destruction nonproliferation programs. His local brewpub is Alexandria’s Founders Restaurant & Brewing Company.

Ciccateri’s beer drinking philosophy of “beer is my guiding light” has led him to “a richer and more enjoyable life.” It has also led him to extensive travels around the globe in pursuit of the world’s best beers. Ciccateri has tried over 2500 beers in 30 countries, he has visited 321 of the planet’s breweries, and attended 95 beer festivals.“And I’m still on my original liver,” Ciccateri jokes.

Ciccateri fought off serious challenges from Richard Pedretti-Allen, a McKinney, Texas recording producer and two-time Beerdrinker of the Year finalist, and Fred Pelon, a Longmont, Colorado disc-drive engineer and the first Colorado resident to make the finals in the Beerdrinker of the Year search.

Ciccateri’s title grants him free beer for life at the Wynkoop Brewing Company, $100 worth of beer at his local pub, and other great prizes.

He celebrated his win by enjoying a few rounds of Wynkoop beer, and then venturing out with his supporters to other brewpubs in Denver. “That’s the great thing about being a finalist in the Beerdrinker of the Year competition,” Ciccateri says. “It gives you a chance to come to Denver and sample world-class local beers that you can’t find any place else.”

During the competition Ciccateri vowed that, if he were crowned 2005 Beerdrinker of the Year, he’d use his title to spread the merits of American beer to more people.

He’s wasting no time in doing that. This Thursday he heads for Belgium to attend the Zythos Beer Festival. “I’m excited about carrying out my role as ambassador for America’s amazing craft beer culture.”

The resume review panel for the 2005 Beerdrinker of the Year search included the top beer writers, beer experts and food and drink editors and writers in Colorado and the United States.

The Beerdrinker of the Year competition was started in 1996. Wynkoop Brewing Company was founded by current Denver mayor, John Hickenlooper.