Tonya (Riddle) Cornett was the first woman to win the title of Small Brewpub Brewmaster of the Year at the World Beer Cup (2008), the world’s largest commercial beer competition. She previously was Brewmaster at Bend Brewing Co. in Oregon for 10 years and is now Innovation Brewmaster at 10 Barrel Brewing Co.

After graduating from Marion High School, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Ball State University. In 2001 she graduated from the World Brewing Academy, a partnership between Siebel Institute of Chicago and Doemens Academy of Munich, Germany.

Tonya assumed the Brewmaster position at Bend Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon, in 2002. Her first of many accolades came in 2006 when she won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival for HopHead in the American IPA category (typically the largest category every year). During her 10 years at Bend Brewing Co. she consistently brought home medals. Highlights include eight Great American Beer Festival medalsand four gold medals at the World Beer Cup. In 2008 Tonya was honored as the first woman to win the title of World Beer Cup Small Brewpub Brewer of the year. She guest brewed in England four times for the JD Wetherspoon Pub chain at Marston’s, Everards, Shepherd Neame and Wadworth Breweries. In 2011 she was featured in the documentary “The Love of Beer” as one of the main characters.

In January 2012 Tonya joined the 10 Barrel Team. Her favorite part of brewing had always been recipe design so when offered a position that centered on research and development it was hard to refuse. At 10 Barrel she participated in a three-way collaboration with Stone and Bluejacket Brewing Company where they brewed Suede, an Imperial Porter, based on one of her recipes. In 2015 she traveled to China for a collaboration with Jing A Brewery which possibly created the first intentional sour beer ever brewed in China.

Continuing her medal winning momentum for 10 Barrel, she is personally responsible for five Great American Beer Festival medals and Three World Beer Cup medals, bringing her career total to 20 medals combined in these prestigious competitions.

In 2016 1859 Magazine included her in their list of 16 women who have made Oregon history, crediting her for helping to bring Oregon beer into the national spotlight and for “breaking the pint glass ceiling for women in the craft brewing industry. “

2018 saw the release of her second documentary, “Beers of Joy”, which follows her to Germany to learn about traditional Berliner Weisse beers, a nearly extinct style.

Several years ago, Tonya and her husband Mark decided to take advantage of years of the craft beer experience by opening The Mountain Jug, a beer shop in Sunriver, Oregon specializing in the promotion of Central Oregon beers to locals and tourists alike.

10 Barrel Brewing has a strong focus on local charities, often featuring Tonya’s unique beers. Part of her personal mission is being a mentor for the company’s junior brewers.