Several questions were raised at the Craft Brewers Conference last week regarding beer-and-food pairings and what restaurants do by way of beer.

I posed some of the same questions to South Sound chefs and restaurateurs, all of whom own or work at places that have good selections of craft beers.

Have you ever been approached by any craft brewers regarding beer dinners or beer-and-food pairings?

Gordon Naccarato, chef/owner Pacific Grill, Tacoma; and The Beach House at Purdy: I have not … but I would enjoy the challenge.

Mark Gaimster, owner Il Fiasco, Tacoma: No.

Jeff Bishop, chef, Sound Food Cafe, Vashon Island: No.

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Here are some MP3 audio excerpts from a mock judging held for the media during last week’s Craft Brewers Conference. Scroll down to read more about the mock judging, or click here.

“A medium-bodied category” (0:17)

“Reduce six down to three” (0:33)

“Like sour cheesiness” (0:50)

“I just can’t get past the nail polish” (2:09)

“It just kind of lingered there and sat on your tongue” (1:48)

“That was an easy one” (0:26)

The appertif, Orval Trappist Ale, had the boozy flush of a wet horse. Not a bad beer to get a diner out of the starting gate at the 2006 World Beer Cup awards dinner at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle on Friday night.

All of the beers served were previous World Beer Cup medalists. Here are my beer-and-food tasting notes:

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Judging by the gasps, chuckles and cheers, Japanese breweries did surprisingly well at the 2006 World Beer Cup.

When the winners of the biennial “beer Olympics” were announced in Seattle on Friday night, Japanese breweries earned nine medals.

Haru Urara (Iganosato Mokumoku of Iga, Japan) won the gold medal in the American-style Hefeweizen category. Swan Lake Beer Porter, from Hyouko Yashiki No Mori Berwery in Agano, Japan, won a gold medal in the Robust Porter category.

But the biggest surprises, at least culturally drinking, were Japanese medals in German-style categories.

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Washington breweries won 12 awards, including three gold medals, in the 2006 World Beer Cup, the biennial “Olympics of beer.”

Medalists, including silver winners from Olympia’s Fish Brewing Co. and Silverdale’s Silver City Brewing Co., were among 530 brewers from 55 countries competing in 85 categories.

Judging was held over two days this week at the Craft Brewers Conference at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle. In all, 109 judges from 17 countries considered 2,221 beers.

Winners were announced Friday night.

Here’s the complete list of winners. Washington medalists include:

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It wasn’t all suds and trade-show fun at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center. Other groups were holding their own meetings. Teenagers belonging to the The Future Business Leaders of America were meeting on the same floor as the craft brewers.

In respect for other convention-goers, beer-makers and beer-drinkers were reminded only to drink in designated areas. Here’s a helpful sign:

Sam Calagione’s keynote address at the Craft Brewers conference today rocked. The president of Deleware’s Dogfish Head Craft Brewery compared the craft brewing revolution to Bob Dylan going electric.

Dylan plugged in and shocked the folkies in ’65. Craft brewers hopped it up and shocked beer out of its blandness a couple of decades later.

“What is more punk rock than saying: how does it feel to be on your own?” Calagione asked a room of men and women who bucked the Budweiser establishment. “I think everyone in this room knows. It feels pretty exhilarating.

“A

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Judging of the 2006 World Beer Cup was held behind closed, and presumably locked, doors on Monday and Tuesday this week. In 16 hours of judging, each judge judged 52 beers. The winner of the bi-annual World Beer Cup will be announced Friday at the Craft Brewers dinner at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center.

Today, a mock judging was held for the media. The six judges who sniffed, snipped and described six American IPAs in terms such as “diesel” and “nail polish” included:

Chuck Hahn of Australia’s Hahn Brewery

Sean Franklin of Rooster’s

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