Ricky Barbara (29), from Trout Bar and Restaurant in Wanaka, beat 30 other entrants from bars around the South Island at the knockout semifinals in Queenstown on the weekend to pour the perfect glass of Heineken draught beer.
The holder of the other spot was Georgia Rea from the Saucy Chef Restaurant, in Invercargill.
Competitors were marked on 30 different criteria and judged on how they rinsed the glass, poured the beer, skimmed the beer, checked how it was poured and how it was served it.
Mr Barbara said the steps ensured the beer held its flavour and the customers received the highest quality of beer.
He started pouring beers when he was 18 and the competition was an "opportunity to do something different", he said.
It was the most "nerve-racking" experience he had ever had as "there were about 200 people watching you on a stage and three judges standing right beside you watching every thing you did."
The winner of the national final wins a trip to Amsterdam, the home of Heineken beer.
