Brauerei Forum 11/2023 (int.)

BRAUEREI

FORUM

Technical Periodical for Breweries, Malt Houses, the Beverage Industry and Partners

No 11 – International VLB Edition II/2023 | 27 November 2023 | ISSN 0179-2466

 New VLB members  Horst Müller awarded

with the golden badge of honor

 Nexera Organic Acid Analysis System:

a closer look on the analysis of organic acids

 Event reports: VLB Africa Brewing Conference

and Ibero-American Symposium

www.brauerei-forum.de Information Service of Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin – Germany

YOUR FIRST CHOICE FOR GERMAN HOPS We are the hop growers

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www.hvg-germany.de/en

07.11.23 14:25

CONTENT

 VLB INSIDE 4 VLB Berlin warmly welcomes its new members 6

Jens Hoffmann new member of the VLB Administrative Board

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VLB Berlin awarded Horst Müller the golden badge of honor

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VLB Pilot Brewery: VLB is delighted with its new Krones can filler

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VLB Summer Festival: The 140 th birthday brings VLB its first roof terrace

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VLB LaboTech: A highly specialized service provider for the entire beverage industry

4 In 2023, VLB Berlin again welcomed new members – companies from Germany, Denmark and the USA. VLB was also able to expand its network on the African continent

 RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 16

Quality control during beer production: a closer look on the analysis of organic acids

8

 TRAINING & EVENTS 18

Brewing Know-how: Check your expert knowledge!

20

Ibero-American VLB Symposium “Brewing & Filling Technology” in Colombia

22

VLB Africa Brewing Conference 2023 was hosted in Cameroon

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VLB international activities in 2023

26

News from the “Vereinigung ehem. VLBer – Brewers of Berlin” (VLB Alumni)

27

Certified Brewmaster Course 2023: 21 freshly graduated “Certies” said goodbye

28

VLB Certified Brewmaster Course – Graduates 2023

30

Announcement: Update VLB Membership Regulation 2024

31

Imprint / VLB institutes and departments – Contacts

32

VLB event schedule

Cover photo: The bar at VLB's Guild House (Zunfthaus).

Photo:oh

16 With “Nexera Organic Acid Analysis System” Shimadzu Europa developed an IEC method for the analysis of organic acids in beer with pH-buffered conductivity detection in order to react to changing market trends

 OTHER

editor@brauerei-forum.de

For his inexhaustible commitment, VLB Berlin awarded Horst Müller with the golden badge of honor. Müller left from the Administrative Board after 16 years of membership

20 One year of successful international conferences lies behind us: VLB Berlin organized the Ibero-American Symposium in Colombia and the Africa Brewing Conference in Cameroon, to name just a few Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

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VLB INSIDE

 VLB INSIDE

VLB Berlin warmly welcomes its new members Since May 2023, VLB Berlin again welcomed some new members. Eleven companies from Germany, Denmark and the USA joined the VLB network. VLB was also able to expand on the African continent.

Fortunately, the Central African Union Camerounaise de Brasseries (UCB) joined in the summer.

the USA . Both companies are now owned by the Japanese Kirin Group through Australian Lion. www.newbelgium.com

New Belgium Brewing Company, Fort Collings, USA (inkl. Bells) Following the acquisition of longtime VLB member Bell's Brewery in Michigan, USA , New Belgium Brewery has decided to intensify its cooperation with the VLB and to extend its membership to both breweries as of this year. Both Bell's and New Belgium are among the pioneers of the craft beer scene in

The VLB membership The Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB) e.V. – founded in 1883 – is a registered, non-profit organization. Its purpose is to promote science and vocational training in the fields of brewing, the beverage industry and biotechnology.

Who can become a member?

Voting membership is open to all breweries/groups of breweries, beverage producers and commercial maltsters.

Membership without voting rights ("supporting membership") is open to all natural and legal persons, as well as economic, governmental and scientific bodies.

What are the benefits of VLB membership?

As a member company, you become part of the VLB Berlin network in the national and international brewing and beverage industry. You can participate in our technicalscientific committee, receive regular advice and analyses for the optimization and setup of processes and products.

You also support the VLB in maintaining and operating a modern infrastructure for training and research for the benefit of the brewing industry.

Interested in becoming a VLB member?

Contact: Dr. Josef Fontaine, mitglieder@vlb-berlin.org

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Kehrwieder Kreativbrauerei, Hamburg Since its founding in 2011, the small, independent family brewery from Hamburg-Sinstorf has brewed over 100 different beers and received over 40 international awards for its work. Kehrwieder is one of the first generation of creative breweries in Germany and is a founding member of the association Deutsche Kreativbrauer e.V. Kehrwieder is an environmental partner of the City of Hamburg and stands against exclusion and racism with its "No Beer for Nazis" campaign. www.kehrwieder.beer

Union Camerounaise de Brasseries (SA-UCB), Douala, Cameroon Founded in 1972 by Joseph Kadji, the company is now the leading private brewer in the Central African country of Cameroon. SA-UCB produces beer and beverages market-

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

ed in glass bottles, PET bottles and kegs. In addition to its own three beer brands, Union Camerounaise de Brasseries also produces a range of soft drinks and a brand of mineral water. www.sa-ucb.com

KURITA EUROPE GmbH, Mannheim Founded more than 70 years ago, the company is a world leader in industrial water and process treatment. With more than 7,500 employees worldwide, the Kurita Group delivers proven solutions that increase plant efficiency while contributing to environmental sustainability. Kurita's main business activities are water management, sustainable energy use, waste reduction and improvement of industrial production technologies. www.kurita.eu

UWE MÜLLER GmbH & Co. KG, Loßburg-Betzweiler Since its foundation in 1993, Uwe Müller GmbH has been developing and producing private labels in the field of liqueurs and spirits for European retail groups. In the company's own laboratories, new products are developed and ex-

isting products are adapted to changing market requirements. The assortment ranges from fruit and herb liqueurs to Boonekamp and fruit brandies to premix cocktails. www.uwemueller.de

Steinbeis Papier GmbH, Glückstadt Steinbeis Papier GmbH is a company of the Steinbeis Holding and has been on the market for over 40 years. Various companies from segments of ecological paper production, recycling management and environmentally friendly energy production are united within the holding. The portfolio of Steinbeis Papier is fed 100% from recovered paper and is produced in a resourcesaving manner in one of the most modern paper mills in Europe. www.stp.de

banke GmbH, Taufkirchen Founded in 2006, banke GmbH develops modernization concepts for breweries and offers energy optimization solutions for existing plants as well as process components to increase efficiency. The company's innovative energy concept can also be found in new plants such as complete breweries, turnkey brewhouses as well as the compact brewhouse "Sud Sixty Six". In addition to hop technology for late and dry hopping, banke GmbH also supplies process units for dealcoholization, beer filtration and cleaning. www.banke.de Sophus Fuglsang ExportMalt­fabrik A/S, Thisted, Denmark Sophus Fuglsang Export-Maltfabrik A /S produces high-quality malt - mainly for export,

but also for Danish breweries.

When Dragsbaek Malthouse in northern Denmark joined the Fuglsang Group in 2006, the total capacity increased to 157,000 tons. This makes Sophus Fuglsang Export Malt Factory A/S the largest malt factory in Denmark and also maintains its position as one of the largest independent malt factories in Northern Europe. Sophus Fuglsang supplies dark malt, pilsner malt and pale ale malt all over the world. www.fuglsangmalt.dk

company offers solution concepts ranging from process control systems and control technologies to switchgear and energy management. Digitalization plays an essential role in their comprehensive solutions. schulz.st ATB Systemetiketten GmbH, Kulmbach ATB Systemetiketten GmbH supplies printing and processing technologies for label production. In addition

to food, beverage, personal care and industrial applications, the company also focuses on labels for special applications in all formats.

The company currently produces labels at three locations – in Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland. With the most modern machines in each case, they are able not only to serve a wide variety of industries, but also to cater to special and highquality printing and finishing requests. www.atb-etiketten.de

Enviro Group GmbH, Haiger Enviro Group GmbH, headquartered in Haiger, Germany, was founded in 1981.

The company specializes in packaging, stretch film and tape optimization and helps its customers reduce material usage and improve packaging results with innovative products. Enviro helps its customers to reduce their environmental impact through innovative packaging solutions, while at the same time reducing costs without compromising load safety. www.enviro-group.de Schulz Systemtechnik GmbH, Visbek Schulz Systemtechnik GmbH is a globally active company that has specialised in automation technology, mechanics, electrical engineering and information technology since 1954 and is active at numerous locations. The company headquarters are located in Visbek, Lower Saxony. The Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

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VLB INSIDE

Jens Hoffmann new member of the VLB Administrative Board On 9 October 2023, the General Assembly of the Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB) e.V. unanimously elected Jens Hoffmann, Managing Director Technology and Logistics of the Haus Cramer Group, to its Administrative Board. In this honorary position, Hoffmann replaces Ulrich Brendel, who has left the internationally active German brewery group.

(oh) Jens Hoffmann (48) is a brewmaster and holds a degree in business administration. He has been Managing Director of Technology and Logistics at the Haus Cramer Group in Warstein since November 2022. Prior to this, he held various national and international management positions in the brewing and beverage industry, including at AB InBev Germany and most recently at Ratsherren Brauerei in Hamburg.

Administrative Board The Haus Cramer Group is one of the longest-standing member companies of VLB Berlin and has been represented on the Administrative Board for decades – most recently

by Peter Himmelsbach and Ulrich Brendel. Jens Hoffmann took over this position on October 9, 2023. “I am delighted about the trust placed

in me and will gladly continue this Warsteiner tradition at VLB,” said Hoffmann at the General Assembly following the vote.

At the same time, Horst Müller, EFES Beer Group, was bidden farewell from the Administrative Board after 16 years of membership. He was awarded the golden VLB badge of honor by VLB President Ulrich Rust for his extraordinary commitment (see page 8).

Thus, the Administrative Board of VLB Berlin consists of the following members (as of 9 October 2023): Uwe Ebbighausen, CUEX Consulting, Jameln (Treasurer) Jens Hoffmann, Haus Cramer Group, Warstein Michael Jakob, Carlsberg Supply Chain Company AG, Ziegelbrücke/ Switzerland

Wolfgang Janssen, Radeberger Gruppe, Frankfurt Dr. Stefan Kreisz, Privatbrauerei ERDINGER Weißbräu Werner Brombach GmbH, Erding (Vice Chairman) Dr. Stefan Lustig, Efes Beer Group, Istanbul/Turkey Ulrich Rust, Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG, Gerolstein (Chairman/President) Jan Steffes, Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG, Gerolstein The Administrative Board decides on all fundamental matters concerning the VLB and is thus one of the three steering bodies of the VLB, along with the General Assembly and the Management. It is elected by the General Assembly for a period of four years. The last election took place in October 2022.

The VLB Administrative Board at the General Assembly on 9 October 2023 in Berlin (l.); Jens Hoffmann (r.), Haus Cramer Group, was elected as a new member of the Administrative Board. Hoffmann succeeds Ulrich Brendel, who left Haus Cramer Group

Photos: ew

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Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

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VLB INSIDE

VLB Berlin awarded Horst Müller the golden badge of honor At the General Assembly of VLB Berlin on 9 October 2023 in Berlin, Horst Müller was bidden farewell from the Administrative Board after 16 years of membership. For his special commitment as representative of the Anadolu EFES Group at the VLB, the Administrative Board honored him with the award of the VLB golden badge of honor.

Ulrich Rust (r.) awards Horst Müller the VLB's golden badge of honor below: Horst Müller

(oh) Horst Müller looks back on five decades of experience in the international brewing industry.

As Diploma Brewmaster (Weihenstephan), he began his career in 1967 at the Haake-Beck brewery in Bremen. After the merger with Beck & Co., he was responsible for the entire brewing operations and numerous investment projects. In 1993, he left Beck & Co. and joined Photos: ew

the EFES Beer Group in Turkey. As Chief Technical Officer at EFES he was largely responsible for the expansion of the beverage group in Russia and the CIS states.

It was in this context that his contact with the VLB came about: due to the need for sound training in brewing technology in the numerous new EFES breweries, the VLB developed a brewing course in Russian on Horst Müller's initiative. This was held for the first time in 2004 and formed the basis for the subsequent successful expansion of the VLB network into the CIS states in the 2000s.

Another milestone for the international expansion of the VLB was the membership of the EFES Beer Group in 2006. Subsequently, Horst Müller was elected to the VLB Administrative Board at the 2007 General Meeting. In the following years, this membership developed into a close relationship on different levels (including analytics, consulting, training), which is still lived today.

Müller himself continued his active involvement in the Administrative Board as an official advisor to the EFES Beer Group until 2023.

Personal words At the VLB General Assembly on 9 October 2023 in Berlin, he finally resigned from this body and was bidden farewell. VLB President Ulrich Rust read a personal greeting from Can Cakan, President of the Beer Group and CEO of Anadolu EFES. He praised Horst Müller's extraordinary commitment to the Anadolu EFES Group and the important bridge to the VLB, which had contributed to the success of EFES. But also Ulrich Rust found personal words: ”I must confess that this is a very special moment for me, too.

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Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

As a Bremen native, I naturally had my first experience in the brewing industry at Beck & Co. A nd who was the head brewmaster there at the time? Horst Müller, of course,” says Rust. “And today, almost 40 years later, I'm standing here and awarding you the VLB golden badge of honor as VLB President. That is a very special event for me, too.”

Horst Müller was visibly touched when he accepted the honor: “Of course it is difficult for me to give up this honorary office after such a long time. Together with the Administrative Board, we have gone through some ups and downs in the past 16 years, mastered many situations and successfully developed the VLB. I wish you all the best for the future – and should you need my advice again, you know how to contact me!”

Badge of honor With the introduction of the VLB golden badge of honor in 2014, the VLB resumed the tradition of the VLB Coin of Honor (until approx.

1928) and the Max Delbrück Medal (1928–1974). The badge is awarded by decision of the Administrative Board for special honorary commitment to the VLB. The following have been honored so far: Dr. A xel Th. Simon (2014) Prof. Dr. Gerolf Annemüller (2015) Dipl.-Ing. Wolfgang Kunze (2015) Dr. Hans-J. Manger (2015) Prof. Dr. Reinhold Schildbach (2015) Dr. Wilfried Rinke (2017) Isara Khaola-iead (2017) Prof. Dr. Ulf Stahl (2017) Gerhard Theis (2021) Horst Müller (2023)

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Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

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VLB INSIDE

 VLB PILOT BREWERY

VLB is delighted with its new Krones can filler

Photos: ew

In May 2023, the VLB Pilot Brewery took delivery of a long awaited new addition: a can filler. The single organ pilot filler was supplied to the VLB by long time VLB member Krones AG. The can filler has already been employed not only in project work but also in the training and education practical work in the VLB Certified Brewmaster Courses.

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„We have been very fortunate to have the support of Krones and we’re very excited to have this new addition", said Kurt Marshall, Brewmaster and Head of „Wilfried Rinke Pilot Brewery". „The can as a beverage container has wide acceptance worldwide and we‘re very happy to be able to not only demonstrate can-filling in our training courses but also to be able to fill cans with industrial acceptable values for our project partners. The fact that this filler is manufactured by an industry leader like Krones is really the best we could hope for.“ The cans are closed with an external seamer which presented certain challenges for the VLB team. „The

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

can filler is excellent“, said brewmaster Paul Koennecke. „The weak link in the chain for filling in this pilot scale is the human being doing the lid closing which is why we built an additional under-lid gassing utilizing nitrogen to give us extra safety in preventing the ingress of oxygen during the closing and seaming process.“ The can filler was built and tested at the Krones headquarter in Neutraubling and is fitted with the newest Krones Modulfill VFS-C filling valve. The valve is pneumatically lowered onto the can for pressing-on. Thanks to a differential pressure chamber, the cans are centered and pressed onto the valve with particular care. Thanks to the proven inductive flow meter, very high filling accuracies are achieved. The filling jet is spread to the inner wall of the can and thus enables foam-free and gentle filling.

The pilot filler is equipped with the same filling valve control as all consumer fillers. This includes the type management and enables the VLB to save many different filling recipes and maintain the required flexibility during the filling runs. The test cans were provided by Ball Beverage Packaging.

In the meantime, the VLB is also very pleased to have a new bottle filler from Krones. A pilot scale, single filling head “Dynafill” bottle filler was delivered at the end of October 2023 and is currently being put into operation.

Above: Krones can filler with operator console Below: Kurt Marshall (l.), head of the “Wilfried Rinke Pilot Brewery”, and prospective brewmaster Paul Böck proudly present the Krones can filler

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VLB INSIDE

 VLB SUMMER PARTY

The 140th birthday brings VLB its first roof terrace In glorious summer weather, more than 500 cheerful guests from near and far celebrated at the VLB summer party on Friday, July 7, 2023. A highlight of this year's summer gathering was the opening of the new roof terrace, which was completed with the support of the Bitburger Brewery Group.

Photos: oh

left: Jan Steffes, Surinder Singh, Michael Jakob, Josef Fontaine, Gerhard Andreas Schreiber, Ulrich Rust, Jan Niewodniczans­ki, Julia Steiner, Wolfgang Janssen, Prof. Dr. Friedrich Meuser (f.l.t.r.) toast the new roof terrace; right: At the courtyard of the VLB

Above the rooftops of BerlinWedding: guests enjoy the nice ambience on the roof of the VLB

(oh) The VLB summer party is wellknown and popular as an informal get-together for alumni, active members, friends, members, customers and students – and usually has no specific agenda. This year, however, VLB President Ulrich Rust referred to the 140th anniversary of the VLB in his welcoming address.

Founded in 1883 by the brewing and malting industry, it has survived two world wars and the partition of Germany, as well as various economic crises, said Rust. He gave a brief summary: since 1883, more than 6,000 graduates have completed training at the VLB to

become master brewers, graduate brewery engineers, graduate master brewers, Bachelor/Master of Science or Certified Brewmasters. In the field of research, it is estimated that well over 1,000 research projects have been carried out at or together with the VLB. And after 140 years, the VLB still enjoys the trust of 370 members worldwide.

The VLB has therefore certainly fulfilled its main task, namely “the improvement of the brewing industry through scientific and practical research and the training of brewers”, which is still valid today.

Rust thanked all guests and the entire organizing team as well as all beverage sponsors, especially the BerlinerKindl-Schultheiss brewery and the association ehem.

VLBer for their active support of this event.

The new roof terrace A highlight of the event was the opening of the Bitburger roof terrace on the 4th floor of the VLB building. Jan Niewodniczanski, Managing Director Technology and Environment of the Bitburger Braugruppe was among the

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Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

guests and he did not want to miss the opportunity to personally attend the opening of the new Bitburger roof terrace.

On behalf of the Bitburger shareholder family, who had made the project possible with a donation, he welcomed the numerous guests: “The Bitburger brewery and the VLB can look back on a long history together and have worked closely together to this day. Now, in addition to the A xel Simon Library, we have been able to set another impressive marker here at the VLB with the Bitburger roof terrace,” he said, expressing his enthusiasm for the new ambience on the 4th floor of the new VLB building.

VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine thanked the Bitburger Brewery Group for its support: “The roof terrace was removed from the funding project at the time. We are therefore delighted that we have now been able to complete it with your support.

With the name and the new Bitburger equipment, it will also be a striking symbol of the solidarity between our companies in the future.” The next VLB summer party is expected to take place at the beginning of July 2024.

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VLB INSIDE

 VLB LABOTECH

A highly specialized service provider for the entire beverage industry With a streamlined product range, personnel restructuring and a new online catalog, VLB LaboTech GmbH presents itself to its old and new customers as a reliable partner. The VLB subsidiary specializes in equipping laboratories in the brewing, malting, beverage and spirits industries. (oh) The work of VLB LaboTech GmbH goes back to the “Glasbläserei” founded in 1876 by the Verein für Spiritusfabrikanten in Berlin (association of spirits producers). The 100% subsidiary of VLB Berlin has been offering special instruments and materials for quality analysis for more than 20 years. The target group are laboratories in breweries, malt houses and the beverage and spirits industry – both nationally and internationally. In addition to pure trading activities, the focus is also on consulting. Here, LaboTech can draw on VLB's extensive experience in all areas of beverage, raw material and packaging analysis – a unique selling point for the benefit of customers.

Restructuring 2020 Over the past three years, LaboTech's core business has faced several challenges: Supply bottlenecks,

uncertain industry trends and soaring prices had to be overcome. In addition, a realignment of the workforce became necessary. “In 2020, we were at a point where we had to put our subsidiary's entire business model to the test,” says Dr. Josef Fontaine, who is also the managing director of VLB LaboTech GmbH. “Since we are still convinced of the potential, we put together a team to get LaboTech back on track. I think the restart was successful!”

The first step was to review and streamline the product range: “We have a very specialized product portfolio that is not fully covered in this form by many large laboratory specialty distributors,” says Markus Wildegans, head of customer service and pilot malting at the VLB Research Institute for Raw Materials and Beverage A nalysis. Wildegans is also coordinating the restructuring of LaboTech. “In our optimization

Specialized supply program The supply program focused on the beverage industry includes the supply of microbial nutrient media as well as instruments for raw material and malt analysis. Special attention is paid to the specifications of the methodological regulations of the Mitteleuropäische Brautechnische Analysenkommission (MEBAK) or the “EBC Analytica” of the European Brewery Convention.

In addition, a wide range of glassware such as alcohol meters, saccharimeters, thermometers, pipettes and storage bottles in various sizes are part of the core business. The range is complemented by instruments for chemical analysis and quality assurance, as well as general consumables for brewery, distillery

LaboTech has a very specialised portfolio with high-quality niche products serving customers all over the world

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measures, we naturally had to take into account the different requirements and needs of our numerous national and international customers. We have to handle everything from classic individual orders for equipment or machines to complex collective orders in an efficient and customer-oriented manner. Particularly with foreign customers, shipping, customs clearance and sometimes the adaptation of electrical equipment pose special challenges that cannot always be standardized.

Customer convenience is an issue we are working hard on,” explains Wildegans.

VLB LaboTech's customer base includes small and large laboratories worldwide. They are also working on special offers for craft breweries. Along the way, LaboTech also had to reorganize and optimize the shipping of VLB's technical book program, which has been handled

by LaboTech for 20 years.

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

available in German and English at labotech-shop.vlb-berlin.org.

Photos: oh

and beverage laboratories. In this segment in particular, the recent past has shown how vulnerable supply chains are to international crises. In order to ensure the abil-

ity to deliver fast-moving products, stock levels have been increased in certain areas. In addition, a bilingual online catalog was created, a basic version of which is now

Commissioning and training LaboTech is also a reliable partner and supplier of complete laboratory equipment. Depending on the requirements and application, the necessary instruments are assembled and delivered according to the desired range of analysis. At the customer's request, the support extends to the commissioning of the laboratory and the training of the laboratory personnel.

“LaboTech is not a classic start-up, but our young team is highly motivated, and we are sure that we will be successful in the long term with high-quality products combined with first-class customer service in this very special market niche,” says Markus Wildegans.

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Contact: labotech@vlb-berlin.org labotech-shop.vlb-berlin.org

VLB LABOTECH – YOUR EXPERT FOR LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS Laboratory instruments and microbiological culture media to analyse raw materials, intermediate finished products as wellfrom as by-products forEuropean Symposium forand craft and micro brewers Germany &

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Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

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RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Quality control during beer production: a closer look on the analysis of organic acids Uwe Oppermann, Vadim Kraft, Robert Ludwig, Gesa Schad, Shimadzu Europa GmbH, Duisburg

The beer market is the largest part of the global alcoholic beverage market, as beer belongs to the most popular alcoholic beverages, and next to drinking water, it is one of the most researched food products with the highest standards regarding quality, freshness, appearance and flavor. These standards have been set in the German Beer Purity Law of 1516 (the “Reinheitsgebot”), which uniquely defines the ingredients of beer to be hops, malt, yeast and water and have an important impact in the brewing community all around the world. However, the market trends are changing, and that’s why it is important to have a closer look on what has been going on in recent years.

Fig. 1: Nexera Organic Acid Analysis System

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The popularity and the demand for craft beers are anticipated to expand further, as many consumers prefer a variety of innovative and flavorful beer options. More and more consumers are becoming health-conscious, and this is a reason for a trend towards lower-calorie and non-alcoholic beer products. Thus, the global non-alcoholic beer market grew to US-$ 22 billion in 2022, with an annual growth rate of 8 %. The history of fermented drinks like kvass and kombucha can be traced back to ancient times, and they have always been consumed for their healing powers. Kvass is a fermented cereal-based low-alcohol beverage, which originates from Northeastern Europe, with a slightly cloudy appearance, light-brown color and sweet-sour taste. Kombucha is a popular fermented drink, which has historical roots in Japan, and is made from the trio of brewed black or green tea, sugar and a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast).

slightly sour flavor [1] . During fermentation, yeast generates numerous chemical compounds including ethanol, carbon dioxide, aldehydes, alcohols, fatty and organic acids (mainly acetic, citric, formic, lactic, malic, succinic and pyruvic acid), which can influence not only the flavor (sour, bitter or salty) but also the pH of beer. The presence of these acids can also inhibit the growth of some bacteria, helping to improve the shelf-life of beer. Therefore, the control of the organic acid content in beer is important [2].

The organic acids present in beer provide important information on the product’s quality, organoleptic properties and are useful indicators of the fermentation performance.

Ion-exchange chromatography (IC)

Organic acids Microorganisms such as lactic acid and acetic acid bacteria are used for non-alcoholic fermentation. The products of fermentation include organic acids such as lactic acid and gluconic acid, which facilitate digestion and metabolic processes.

Fermented beverages are especially favored by consumers as healthy, natural refreshments due to their

with gradient elution or ion-exclusion chromatography (IEC) used in isocratic mode are established methods for the analysis of organic acids. The acidic eluent usually applied for IEC improves the separation of organic acids, but the sensitive conductivity detection is affected by the low-ionization grade of the analytes at low pH. In the center of innovation and product support (CIPS) of Shimadzu Europa, an IEC method has been developed for the analysis of organic acids in beer with pH-buffered conductivity detection. The method involves continuous addition of a pH-buffering reagent after separation on the column to adjust the pH level close to neutral. This not only reduces background noise but also

Table 1: Analytical conditions of IEC of organic acids LC system

Nexera Organic Acid Analysis System

Column

2 x Shim-pack SCR-102H (300 × 8 mm I.D., 7 μm); guard column SCR-102H (50 × 6 mm I.D.)

Eluent

5 mM p-toluenesulfonic acid

Reagent

5 mM p-toluenesulfonic acid/0.1 mM EDTA•4H/20 mM BIS-TRIS

Eluent flow rate

0.8 mL/min

Reagent flow rate

0.8 mL/min

Column oven temperature

50 °C

Detection

Conductivity (53 °C cell temperature)

Autosampler temperature

Room temperature

Injection volume

20 µL

Analysis time

35 min

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

Component

Resolution

LOD [µM]

%RSD tR

%RSD area

R2

Citric acid

---

3.24

0.017

1.7

> 0.99999

Pyruvic acid

2.1

1.51

0.017

0.1

> 0.99999

Malic acid

2.7

1.91

0.015

1.2

> 0.99999

Succinic acid

6.1

1.91

0.016

0.5

> 0.99999

Lactic acid

2.9

4.98

0.015

0.5

> 0.99999

Formic acid

3.7

3.27

0.015

1.2

> 0.99999

Acetic acid

3.4

4.38

0.016

0.3

> 0.99999

Pyroglutamic acid

5.2

6.22

0.016

0.5

> 0.99998

dissociates organic acids from the substance being analyzed, enabling electrical conductivity detection of organic acids with high sensitivity and selectivity (see Fig. 2).

Different combinations of column length, mobile phase and column temperature can be selected, according to the analytical requirements. Shimadzu provides two different types of columns for the Nexera Organic Acid Analysis System[3, 4].

In this work, the high-resolution type[3] was applied for the analysis of beer with the goal to separate a high number of organic acids. Shimadzu studied both types in terms of varied capacities of the stationary phase as well as temperature as a factor influencing selectivity.

A list of experimentally determined values of retention time obtained on two Shim-pack SCR-102H columns, connected in series and using different column oven temperatures[3] , was used to identify optimum separation conditions.

Experimental work The analytical conditions of the IEC method for the analysis of beer with the goal to separate a high number of organic acids is listed in Table 1.

Organic acid standard stock solutions were prepared with a final concentration of 0.1 mol/L. The beer bottles and cans containing samples were opened, and the samples were degassed for 10 min in the ultrasonic bath. After filtration, the samples were diluted with ultrapure water (10-fold) and injected in the HPLC system.

time and peak area (n = 6) as well as proven linearity in the range of 0.05 to 2 mM were achieved for all organic acids relevant in beer analysis by IEC using the Nexera Organic Acid Analysis System, as can be seen in Table 2 (also see Fig. 3). The overlap injection function contributes to the reduction in analysis time. Fig. 4 demonstrates the function on an example of a batch analysis of beer samples, leading to a total time saving of 13 min per run starting with the 2nd injection.

Conclusion Selectivity and resolution of the separation of organic acids vary with column oven temperature and column capacity. Two 30cm columns connected in series provided a baseline separation for almost all measured organic acids in five beer samples. The ideal column temperature of 50 °C was selected based on tabulated retention indices [3] . Furthermore, the method shows high repeatability for peak area and retention time. With an LOD in the range of 1 to 6 µmol/L, the method is also sensitive for the target compounds.

The disadvantage of long analysis time can be compensated by the Fig. 4: Overlap injection function for reduced analysis time

Shimadzu overlap function for a series of analytical runs.

References [1] MEBAK online. Method B-590.26.132.

Organic Acids – RP/Ion Chromatography, Photometry Methods. Rev. 202010. Mitteleuropäische Brautechnische Analysenkommission (MEBAK®) e. V. [2] Anderson, H.E., Santos, I.C., Hildenbrand, Z.L., Schug, K.A. (2019). Analytica Chimica Acta, 1085, 1–20.

[3] Shimadzu Application News No. 0100171-EN – Nexera Organic Acid Analysis System and its Application.

[4] Shimadzu Technical Report C190E237A – High-Speed Analysis of Organic Acids Using Shim-pack Fast-OA and pHBuffered Electrical Conductivity Detection.

Abb.: Shimadzu

Table 2: Results for resolution R, limits of detection LOD, precision and linearity in the IEC analysis of organic acid standard solutions

Fig. 2: Flow line diagram of the Nexera Organic Acid Analysis System

Fig. 3: Overlay of chromatograms presenting the analysis of five beer samples and a 0.1- mM standard mixture of organic acids

Analytical results Baseline resolution, low limit of detection, good precision of retention Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

17

TRAINING & EVENTS

 BREWING KNOW-HOW

Check your expert knowledge!

?

?

?

How solid is your expert knowledge when it comes to beer brewing? Whether craftsmanship or extensive expertise in the field of microbiology and food chemistry: A brewer needs the knowledge and overview of the entire manufacturing process. This is why the questions in this issue cover a broad range of facts which a professional brewer should be familiar with.

1. Filtration is one of the “separation processes” in mechanical process engineering. Which of the following substances cannot be “separated” during beer filtration? a) Proteins b) Yeast c) Turbidity particles d) Tannins e) Maltose 2. Which of the following substances is not used as an auxiliary for beer filtration? a) Cotton b) Activated carbon c) Gravel d) Perlite 3. When can hydrogen be generated in a bottle washing machine? a) By carryover of cleaning caustic. b) By dissolved paper labels in the caustic solution. c) By the friction of broken glass in the caustic solution. d) By entry and dissolution of aluminum foil in the caustic solution. e) By carryover of beer residues into the caustic solution.

4. One of the most commonly used alkaline cleaning agents in the brewing industry is caustic soda. Which of the following molecular formulas represents sodium hydroxide solution? a) NaHCO3 b) NaCO3 c) NaCl d) NaOH e) Na3PO4 5. Various additives are added to the cleaning caustic in the bottle washer. Which of the following additives does not make sense? a) Stone-preventing agents b) Scuffing preventing agents c) Surfactants d) Anti-foam agents e) Contrast agents 6. To which concentration does the indication “1 ppm” correspond? a) 1 mg in 1 kg b) 1 g in 1 kg c) 1 g in 100 kg d) 1 g in 100 dt e) 1 g in 1000 t

18

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

7. The so-called melanoidins are formed during the kilning of malt. These coloring and flavoring substances are formed ... a) from the decomposition products of protein and carbohydrates b) by a Maillard reaction of cellulose. c) from fatty acids and monosaccharides. d) by caramelization of monosaccharides.

8. In order to start the fermentation quickly, a high concentration of so-called initial fermentation sugars is advantageous. A sugar that can be metabolized easily by the yeast cells at the beginning of the fermentation process ... a) is maltose. b) is maltotriose. c) are the marginal dextrins. d) is glucose. e) are all non-reducing sugars.

9. What is understood by “stripping” the wort? a) Casting the wort via the lauter tun when using cone hops. b) Adjusting the desired extract content in the pitching wort. c) The pressure build-up in the kettle during low-pressure boiling. d) The evaporation of unwanted aroma substances from the wort.

10.

Diacetyl, among other things, is broken down during the maturation of the beer. During this process, a new substance is formed from the diacetyl. What is this substance called? a) 2,3-pentanedione b) 2,3-butanedione c) 4-vinyl guaiacol d) Ethanol e) alpha acids

11.

In addition to the four classic basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty and bitter), “umami” is considered a fifth basic taste. Which substance is "umami" particularly associated with? a) Iso-α-acids b) Monosodium glutamate c) Dimethyl sulfide d) Anisole e) Piperonal

Answers 1. e) Maltose: The common pore size in beer filtration is in the range of 1-10 µm. Proteins, yeast cells and other turbidity particles are usually larger and are therefore retained during filtration. A disaccharide molecule such as maltose is much smaller and easily passes through the filter layer.

Ultra- or nanofiltration would be required.

2. c) Gravel: Cotton fibers (in mass filters), activated carbon or even perlite (both as an additive in diatomaceous earth filters) are commonly used aids in beer filtration. Gravel filters are too coarse and are mainly used in groundwater treatment.

3. d) By entry of aluminum foil: Aluminum is not caustic resistant. When cleaning returnable bottles with aluminum foil on the neck, the foil is dissolved by the hot caustic soda solution. This chemical reaction produces, among other things, gaseous hydrogen, which combines with oxygen to form highly explosive oxyhydrogen gas. For safety reasons, it is essential that this gas be extracted from the bottle washer.

4. d) NaOH: Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is a white hygroscopic (water-attracting) solid. It dissolves easily in water with strong heat generation. The resulting sodium hydroxide is a widely used alkaline cleaning agent and is used in breweries in concentrations up to 5 %.

5. e) Contrast agents are drugs used in the diagnosis of diseases. Stone-preventing agents reduce lime deposits in nozzles and pipes, agents against scuffing reduce the formation of friction rings when glass bottles are knocked against each other on the conveyor belts, surfactants and anti-foam agents optimize the cleaning effect of the caustic solution.

6. a) 1 mg in 1 kg: ppm stands for parts per million”, i.e. a factor of 10 -6 or one millionth. Even smaller concentrations are given in ppb (factor 10 -9, i.e. a billionth).

7. a) Melanoidins are formed by chemical reaction (the socalled Maillard reaction) of reducing monosaccharides (e.g. glucose) and amino acids during heating. They are characterized by a dark color, are highly flavor active and have a major influence on the color, odor and flavor of many foods.

8. d) Glucose is a monosaccharide that is easily metabolized by yeast and is therefore important for the rapid multiplication of yeast cells, especially in the early stages of fermentation. In the later stages of fermentation, brewer's yeast then breaks down the disaccharide maltose.

9. d) The evaporation of unwanted aroma substances from the wort: Stripping is a physical separation process in which substances are transferred from a liquid phase to a gas phase. For this purpose, the liquid phase is usually brought into contact with a gas using the countercurrent principle.

10. b) 2,3-butanedione: Diacetyl is formed by the yeast during primary fermentation and excreted into the green beer. During the maturation phase, the diacetyl is then broken down again by the yeast and converted to acetion and then to 2,3-butanediol. Unlike diacetyl, 2,3-butanediol has a very high taste threshold and is no longer perceived in the beer.

11. b) Monosodium glutamate: Umami stands for a spicy or meaty taste impression. In particular, the sodium salt of glutamic acid triggers this taste on the human tongue.

Therefore, monosodium glutamate is often used as a flavor enhancer in the food industry.

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

19

TRAINING & EVENTS

The conference guests visit Cervecería Bavaria in Tocancipá: the supporting program offered exciting insights into brewing practice

Photos: Brauwelt/Schoyerer

Ibero-American VLB Symposium “Brewing & Filling Technology” in Colombia From 4 to 6 September 2023, the 13th Iberoamerican VLB Symposium “Brewing & Filling Technology” of the VLB took place in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. With 185 participants from 21 nations, this event once again consolidated its status as one of the most important communication and knowledge platforms for technical executives in the brewing industry in Latin America. (oh) Since 2008, the Iberoamerican VLB Symposium “Brewing & Filling Technology” has established itself in the Spanish- and Portuguesespeaking regions as a top-class specialist event for technical managers from the brewing and beverage industry. After stops in Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Guatemala, among others, in 2023

Colombia was the host country for this series of events for the first time. With a population of around 52 million and an annual beer production of about 28 million hl the country is the second largest beer nation in South America after Brazil. The clear market leader is Cervecería Bavaria, which belongs to AB InBev. Another important player

The presentations were very well attended (r.)

Ziemann Holvrieka and VLB Berlin have a long business partnership (next page, top)

20

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

in the beer and beverage market is Central Cervecera de Colombia, a joint venture of the Colombian Grupo Postobon and Compañía Cervecerías Unidas SA (CCU) from Chile.

In addition, a lively craft beer scene has developed in the beer-savvy country.

The programme of lectures dealt with current aspects and innova-

The event was also enthusiastically received on the part of the participants: “A great event. Thanks to all who visited our brewery” (Andrés Barón, Central Cervecera de Colombia/3 Cordilleras) / “Thanks for the great hospitality to the colleagues from Colombia!” (Joseduardo Armas, Cervecería Polar) / “An enriching opportunity to broaden one's knowledge and make new contacts” (Carlos Donizete Parra, Engarrafador Moderno) / “Excellent event, I enjoyed the days!” (Daniela El Alam, Pentair Haffmans) / “Good people, interesting content and great format – looking forward to 2024!” (David Alegre, BayWa Hops) / “We were honoured to support this top event as a Platinum Sponsor” (Florian Schneider, Ziemann Holvrieka).

tions in the fields of brewing raw materials, brewhouse technology, fermentation, yeast management, beer filtration and digitalization of brewing processes. The lectures were presented by experts from the VLB, invited speakers from breweries and competent industry representatives. As usual, the symposium was held in English and Spanish with simultaneous translation.

Hall 8

Extensive supporting programme Insights into brewing practice were not neglected either: the breweries of Cervecería Bavaria in Tocancipá and Central Cervecera de Colombia in Sesquilé could be visited as part of the supporting programme. And the convivial welcome evening took place at the invitation of Platinum sponsor Ziemann Holvrieka at the craft brewery “3 Cordilleras” in Bogotá.

“On behalf of the VLB and all the participants, we would like to thank in particular the teams from Cervecería Bavaria and Central Cervecera de Colombia for their fantastic support and hospitality,” said Roberto Biurrun, lead organiser of the Iberoamerican VLB Symposium since 2015. “The same applies to our sponsors, of which I would like to highlight Ziemann Holvrieka, Fermentis, Anton Paar, Hopsteiner, KHS, Steinecker and Pall.”

The next Iberoamerican VLB Symposium “Brewing & Filling Technology” is scheduled for September 2024 in Mexico.

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Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

21

TRAINING & EVENTS

VLB Africa Brewing Conference 2023 was hosted in Cameroon After Ethiopia (2019) and two online versions in 2021 and 2022, the 4th Africa Brewing Conference was held again this June as a face-to-face event in Douala, Cameroon. With 120 participants from 20 nations, this event thus consolidated its status as an excellent communication and knowledge platform for technical leaders in Africa's brewing industry.

(oh) Africa has great potential and resources: a young population, positive economic development and widely dispersed deposits of various raw materials. It is therefore not surprising that beer is also a growth product in many African countries.

The distribution in the more than 50 countries is very heterogeneous. The ranking of beer nations on this continent is headed by the Republic of South Africa (approx.

34 million hl annual production), followed by Nigeria (18 million hl), Ethiopia (15 million hl) and Angola (12 million hl). Finally, Cameroon comes in fifth place with about 8 million hl of beer. With a population of 28.9 million inhabitants, the Central African country has a per capita consumption of about 29 litres per year, with a share of 18 % in the gastronomy sector.

The clear market leader in beer is Boissons du Cameroun, part of the French Castel Group, whose breweries also produce Guinness and the Warsteiner brand “Isenbeck”.

Number two is the Union Camerounaise de Brasseries (UCB). Found-

The lecture hall was well filled; Jan Biering (VLB)

22

ed in 1972 by the Cameroonian multi-entrepreneur Joseph Kadji, the brewery has now reached its capacity limit of 1.8 million hl of beer and wants to expand further.

It is followed by Brasseries Samuel Foyou (BRASAF), which started operations in Douala in 2022. In addition, a lively craft beer scene has also developed in Cameroon.

Cameroon's capital, Yaoundé, is located in the interior of the country, but the country's economic centre and largest city is the port metropolis of Douala, situated on the Atlantic coast. This is why the VLB chose this city as the venue for the Africa Brewing Conference.

After the online conferences in 2021 and 2022, the participants' expectations were high. The lecture programme covered current aspects and innovations in the areas of brewing raw materials, brewhouse technology, fermentation, microbiology, sustainability, bottling and the digitalization of brewing processes. The lectures were presented by VLB experts, invited speakers from breweries

Photos: VLB Berlin

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

and specialists from the supply industry. The conference language was English, but the presentations were also translated into French, the official language of Cameroon.

The breweries Boissons de Cameroun (Castel Group) and the Union Camerounaise des Brasseries in Douala opened their doors to the conference participants. During both visits, the visibly committed staff presented modern brewery and bottling facilities.

During the VLB Africa Brewing Conference, the Union Camerounaise de Brasseries (UCB) decided to join the VLB as a member. Roberto Biurrun, VLB coordinator for Africa and project manager of the event, said: “We are very pleased that we were able to convince Whalen Kadji from UCB of the benefits of VLB membership. It is an honour for all of us at VLB to be able to support this company in its future expansion plans.”

This makes the brewery the fourth VLB member company from Africa.

The VLB's next Africa Brewing Conference will be held in mid-2025.

The location is yet to be announced.

108TH INTERNATIONAL BREWING & ENGINEERING CONGRESS 2024 13 to 15 March 2024 MartiniPlaza Event Center, Groningen, NL The conference participants were allowed to take a look behind the scenes of Boissons de Cameroun (Castel Group) and the Union Camerounaise des Brasseries

Conference for the international brewing and malting industry Monday, 13th March 2024 + Meeting VLB Technical Scientific Committee (TWA/TSC) + Get-together at the Convention Site

Thursday, 14th March 2024

The VLB delegation in Cameroon with Samuel Foyou (m), owner of Brasseries Samuel Foyou, BRASAF

+ Technical Presentations: Brewing Industry is moving towards Net Zero – Status and Prospects + Afternoon/Evening: Technical visit incl.

Grand Opening of Holland Malt’s Zero Emission Malthouse in Eemshaven

Friday, 15th March 2024 + Technical Presentations: Brewing Industry is moving towards Net Zero – Status and Prospects

– with accompanying exhibition –

www.vlb-berlin.org/en/groningen 2024

In between the lectures the participants took the opportunity to network in the exhibition hall

VLB Berlin, Seestrasse 13, 13353 Berlin – Germany brewmaster@vlb-berlin.org

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

23

TRAINING & EVENTS

VLB international activities in 2023

VLB's Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine is talking at the 6th China International Brewing Conference in Qingdao in September 2023

Florian Schrickel, Roberto Biurrun and Jan Biering (f.l.) at the Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville (TN/USA) in May 2023

In September 2023, Jan Biering hands over the VLB membership certificate to Kanop Prathanadee, Managing Director of Thai Spirit Industries

Also in September 2023, VLB Alumni met in Thailand's capital Bangkok

Gayatri Mehta (VLB) gave a presentation at the Carnivale Brettanomyces Wild Beer Festival in Amsterdam in June 2023

Chris Bergtholdt and Wiebke Künnemann at the 8th Worldwide Distilled Spirits Conference in Edingburgh, Scottland, in May 2023

24

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

Photo: ew (3), oh (2)

In September 2023 Gayatri Mehta and Jan Biering represented VLB Berlin at the Brews & Spirits Expo in Bangalore, India

A delegation of the China Alcoholic Drinks Association (CADA) visited VLB in October 2023

28 – 30 November 2023 Nuremberg, Germany

BrauBeviale makes Nuremberg THE meeting place for brewers worldwide in November. The Who‘s Who of the brewing scene meets here – from established brewers to newcomers.

Be there and shape the future of the industry together with the international brewing community.

Sounds exciting? Find out more:

braubeviale.de/en BB-23_Ad_Beer_182x128mm_EN.indd 1

14.08.23 13:36

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

25

TRAINING & EVENTS

News from the “Vereinigung ehem. VLBer – Brewers of Berlin” (VLB Alumni) The Ordinary General Meeting 2023 of the Vereinigung ehem. VLBer e.V. took place in the run-up to the VLB summer festival on 7 July 2023 in Berlin. Among other things, it was decided to found a new district group/chapter Berlin and to expand the name of the association to “Vereinigung ehem. VLBer – Brewers of Berlin” in order to also address the numerous international alumni.

Vereinigung ehem. VLBer e.V. – Brewers of Berlin 1st Chairman: Klaus Niemsch (Planegg) 2nd Chairman (executive): Jan Biering (Berlin) Contact: Seestraße 13, 13353 Berlin ehemvlber@vlb-berlin.org www.vlb-berlin.org/ ehemvlber Information on membership:

The participants of the General Meeting of the “Vereinigung ehem. VLBer – Brewers of Berlin” in the atrium of the VLB Berlin

(oh) The two chairmen Klaus Niemsch and Jan Biering started the General Meeting with their report about the activities of the association in the past year. Among other things, these were: Project roof renovation Guild House (Zunfthaus): The renovation was completed in November 2022.

The costs of around 15 T€ were covered by the association.

Project VLB Alumni Gallery: The VLB Alumni Gallery with the group photos of all graduates of the Certified Brewmaster courses since 2005 and the German Brewmaster courses since 2019 was completed in December 2022. The Gallery is situated on the ground floor of the new VLB building and was “opened” in January 2023.

Project new bar in the Guild House: The support of the Association approved for this at the General Meeting 2022 was not taken up. Here, the Radeberger Gruppe stepped in with a permanent loan.

Other topics including the introduction of a Paypal payment option, support for the VLB summer festival and the members' meeting of the Bavarian-Austrian district group in Würzburg in May 2024 were discussed.

The cash balance has decreased due to the expenses for the above mentioned projects, but is still clearly positive. The financial statements as of 31 December 2022, prepared

by VLB's financial accounting department, were audited by the auditors Jürgen Solkowski and Manfred Staruß on 31 May 2023. No objections were raised. At the request of Hans-Georg Eils, the actions of the Executive Board were ratified.

New District Group/Chapter Berlin This was followed by a discussion of an admission procedure for members of the former Berlin Brewers Guild. The merger of the Berlin Brewers Guild and the Vereinigung ehem. VLBer has been under discus-

Name extension to “Ehem. VLBer – Brewers of Berlin” The 2nd chairman Jan Biering explained that the name “Vereinigung ehem. VLBer” is very cumbersome and difficult to understand, especially for the international alumni. The general meeting agreed to use the registered name “Vereinigung ehem.

VLBer” with the addition “Brewers of Berlin” in the future.

After about an hour Klaus Niemsch closed the General Meeting and suggested the VLB summer festival as the next meeting date, which will probably take place in July 2024.

Photo: oh

26

sion since 2017. The goal is to create a unique Berlin alumni association that will unite as many graduates of brewing, beverage and fermentation technology education in Berlin as possible. In June 2023, the association Berliner Brauer-Zunft e.V. has decided to dissolve. After extensive discussion, the following decisions were made An admission of the guild members into the association of the former VLBer is unproblematic according to the statutes and is welcomed.

A new “District Group/Chapter Berlin” will be founded, in which the former guild members and the graduates of the VLB courses and the TUB will participate.

This regional group will also take care of the operation and maintenance of the Guild House in the future. Burghard Meyer, VLB, agrees to lead this new group.

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

CERTIFIED BREWMASTER COURSE 2023

21 freshly graduated “Certies” said goodbye On 21 July, 21 graduates received their certificates and thus successfully completed the VLB Certified Brewmaster Course 2023. During the ceremony, VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine acknowledged the performance of the examinees and thanked all VLB employees who contributed to the success of the course in front of the class and behind the scenes. (ew) VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine opened the graduation ceremony by addressing the graduates and praising their amazing achievements in the face of the challenging world situation.

He congratulated the newly graduated Brewmasters and presented the coveted certificates that crowned six challenging months.

On 9 January, 9 participants joined the 1st part (theory) of the Certified Brewmaster training on-site at VLB. The remaining 13 joined online – they came to Berlin in April, when more than 20 internal and external instructors kicked off the practical part of the training at VLB’s teaching facilities.

For the first time since 2019, an excursion was also on the agenda. In mid-July, the group crisscrossed the country and visited

Photo: ew

not only malt houses and breweries but also companies from the supplier industry. The last day of the farewell tour was dedicated to Hallertau hops. The excursion was exuberant – which was well deserved after the demanding exams.

Of all people, the Kenyan Eliazah Kihanyia (EABL Kenya Breweries/ Diageo), whose participation was literally on the line until the very last second, finished as the best of the year. The second best result was achieved by Jara Camacho (Mahou S.A .) from Spain, followed by Berkay Kapan (Anadolu EFES) from Turkey. All three were delighted to receive an invitation to one of the upcoming international VLB conferences. The gift was presented by Roberto Biurrun, VLB Berlin, who acknowledged the success of all participants with the words: “Now

you are brewers. Now you are colleagues.”

Farewell Course instructor Burghard Meyer thanked all participants for their support. He said he is always a little wistful when a cohort says goodbye. The new course coordinator Sybille Young also took stock: “It was not an easy legacy to take over from Heike Flohr. But it has been tremendous fun for me.”

Dr. Josef Fontaine dismissed the “Certies” into the well-deserved graduation ceremony and emphasised: “I hope we will stay in touch.

The doors at VLB are always open to you.” The next Certified Brewmaster Course will start on 8 January 2024 and, according to plans, will again take place purely as a classroom event.

Photo: ew

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

On the last day, a total of 17 Certified Brewmasters proudly received their certificates in person.

Unfortunately, four participants had to leave before the final farewell event

27

TRAINING & EVENTS

VLB Certified Brewmaster Course – Graduates 2023 – They came from 13 different nations and they grew together into one group: 21 graduates of this year and one participant from 2021 received their certificates at the end of July 2023. VLB Berlin congratulates all of them on their successful completion of the very demanding Certified Brewmaster Course.

Camacho, Jara (Spain)

Carvalho, Greice (Brazil)

De Lima, José Ricardo (Brazil)

Donat, BariŞ (Turkey)

Farrin IV, Michael D. (USA)

Gadiyeva, Oxana (Kazakhstan)

Gürkan, Yağmur (Turkey)

Heilman, James (USA)

Kapan, Berkay (Turkey)

Kihanya, Eliazah (Kenya)

Koziel, Robert (Germany)

Photos: ew (21)

Aladag, Irmak (Turkey)

28

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

Lesnik, Amanda (Brazil)

Mahla, Swati (India)

Myers, Robert (USA)

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Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

29

VLB MEMBER AFFAIRS

 VLB ANNOUNCEMENT Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB) e.V.

MEMBERSHIP FEE REGULATIONS Valid from January 1, 2024 I. Contributions 1. Members with voting rights in accordance with § 6 of the statutes pay the following annual fees: a. Breweries, brewing and beverage groups with an annual output (incl. alcohol-free beverages): up to 35,000 hl: from 35,000 hl to 1 Mio. hl: from 1 Mio. hl to 2 Mio. hl: from 2 Mio. hl to 3 Mio. hl: from 3 Mio. hl to 4 Mio. hl: from 4 Mio. hl to 5 Mio. hl: from 5 Mio. hl to 7 Mio. hl: from 7 Mio. hl to 10 Mio. hl: from 10 Mio. hl to 12 Mio. hl: from 12 Mio. hl to 15 Mio. hl: over 15 Mio. hl: b. Commercial malt factories

flat rate of 600 EUR 1.70 Cent/hl flat rate of 22,050 EUR flat rate of 33,075 EUR flat rate of 44,100 EUR flat rate of 54,600 EUR flat rate of 66,150 EUR flat rate of 77,175 EUR flat rate of 88,200 EUR flat rate of 98,700 EUR flat rate of 110,250 EUR 6 cent / ton

2. Members without voting rights in accordance with § 6 of the statutes pay the following annual fees: Contribution is dependent on the size of the company and is determined by the VLB managing directors: 600 EUR minimum contribution Individual members 50 EUR For active participation in the TSC and BWA of the VLB, all VLB members without voting rights have to pay an annual fee of € 2,800 per seat in the TSC and BWA committees. In the case of an existing membership, this sum will be offset against the current annual membership fee.

II. Rendering of Account 1. Members according to 1a) and 1b) are obliged to provide the amount of their output in hectolitres of beer and alcohol-free beverages or the production of malt in tons within 6 weeks following the end of the year.

2. On the basis of their report, members will receive a quarterly invoices (15 Feb / 15 May / 15 Aug / 15 Nov) for the same amount, which are in each case due and payable within 30 days. Higher or lower production from the previous year will be offset in the invoice for the first quarter of the new year.

3. Members according to 2) will receive an annual invoice for the full amount on February 1 of each year.

4. Every new member shall have to pay the total annual membership fee for the current year if they join

before July 1, and half of the annual contribution if they join after July 1.

Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB) e.V. / Seestraße 13 / 13353 Berlin T +49 30 450 80-0 (Zentrale) / brewmaster@vlb-berlin.org / www.vlb-berlin.org

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Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

VLB institutes and departments – Contacts VLB Berlin, Seestrasse 13, 13353 Berlin, Germany  + 49 (30) 450 80-0,  brewmaster@vlb-berlin.org ,  www.vlb-berlin.org

Managing Directors Dr.-Ing. Josef Fontaine (CEO)  + 49 (30) 450 80-292  fontaine@vlb-berlin.org Gerhard Andreas Schreiber (CFO)  + 49 (30) 450 80-292  g.schreiber@vlb-berlin.org

Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production (FIBGP) Dipl.-Ing. Jan Biering  + 49 (30) 450 80-132  biering@vlb-berlin.org

Research Institute for Management and Beverage Logistics (FIM)

Research Institute for Biotechnology and Water (FIBW) Dr.-Ing. Martin Senz  + 49 (30) 450 80-153  m.senz@vlb-berlin.org

Microbiology and Brewing Biology Dr. Martin Hageböck  + 49 (30) 450 80-157  m.hageboeck@vlb-berlin.org

Water Quality, Ma­nagement and Technology (WMT) Dr. Alfons Ahrens  + 49 (30) 450 80-294  ahrens@vlb-berlin.org

Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Heyer  + 49 (30) 450 80-139  heyer@vlb-berlin.org

Research Institute for Raw Materials and Beverage Analysis (FIRGA)

Dipl.-Ing. Ingo Pankoke  + 49 (30) 450 80-192  pankoke@vlb-berlin.org

Dr.-Ing. Nils Rettberg  + 49 (30) 450 80-106  n.rettberg@vlb-berlin.org

Dipl.-Ing. Alexander Scharlach  + 49 (30) 450 80-239  scharlach@vlb-berlin.org

Beverage Analysis

Logistics

Ludmilla Linke  + 49 (30) 450 80-100  linke@vlb-berlin.org

Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Heyer

Special Analysis and Research

Returnable Systems and Packaging

Dr. Sarah Thörner  + 49 (30) 450 80-250  s.thoerner@vlb-berlin.org

Dipl.-Ing. Ingo Pankoke

Truck Database Dipl.-Ing. Alexander Scharlach

Spirits Analysis

Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Heyer

Christian Schubert  + 49 (30) 450 80-299  c.schubert@vlb-berlin.org

Event Management

Sensory

Dipl.-Ing. Alexander Scharlach

Patrícia Diniz Fischer  + 49 (30) 450 80-149  diniz.fischer@vlb-berlin.org

Further Education

IfGB – Events Spirits & Distilling Wiebke Künnemann  + 49 (30) 450 80-270  kuennemann@vlb-berlin.org

International Sales / Coordination Iberoamerica & Africa Roberto Biurrun  + 49 (30) 450 80-185  biurrun@vlb-berlin.org

PR and Publishing Department / Editorial Office “Brauerei Forum” Dipl.-Ing. Olaf Hendel  + 49 (30) 450 80-255  hendel@vlb-berlin.org

Raw Materials Analysis Gustav Creydt  + 49 (30) 450 80-135  creydt@vlb-berlin.org

Pilot Malting and Customer Services Markus Wildegans  + 49 (30) 450 80-285  wildegans@vlb-berlin.org

VLB LaboTech GmbH  + 49 (30) 450 80-220  labotech@vlb-berlin.org

Imprint

Brauerei Forum Technical periodical for breweries, malthouses, the beverage industry and their partners Information service of VLB Berlin www.brauerei-forum.de ISSN 0179–2466 Publisher Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB) e.V. Seestrasse 13, 13353 Berlin, Germany Editorial Office Brauerei Forum Seestrasse 13, 13353 Berlin, Germany Phone: + 49 (30) 4 50 80-251 Fax: + 49 (30) 4 50 80-210 Email: redaktion@brauerei-forum.de Internet: www.brauerei-forum.de Editorial Department Olaf Hendel, Editor-in-Chief (oh) hendel@vlb-berlin.org Eva Wiesgrill (ew) e.wiesgrill@vlb-berlin.org Julia Bork (jb), j.bork@vlb-berlin.org Brauerei Forum Advisory Board Dr.-Ing. Josef Fontaine, Dr. sc. techn. Hans-J. Manger Advertising Sales VLB PR and Publishing Department Phone +49 (30) 450 80-255 media@brauerei-forum.de Publication Dates Appears with 8 editions a year, in German plus 2 issues in English.

Subscriptions Domestic 95 € incl. VAT Abroad 95 € (+ shipping) Cancellation of the subscription in each case at the end of the year Westkreuz Verlag, Berlin Phone +49 (30) 7 45 20 47 Fax +49 (30) 745 30 66 abo@brauerei-forum.de Print and Distribution Westkreuz Verlag GmbH Töpchiner Weg 198/200 12309 Berlin, Germany All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of VLB Berlin. We do not accept any liability of unsolicited sended scripts.

The editor do not assume any responsibility for contributions marked with a name or signature.

Brauerei Forum International – November 2023

31

Our next German edition will be released on 22 December 2023 The next international edition will be released in May 2024

VLB SCHEDULE 2023/2024  Certified Brewmaster Course 2024 8 January to 28 June 2024, Berlin

 VLB General Assembly 8 October 2024, Berlin

 108th international Brewing and Engineering Congress 13 to 15 March 2024, Groningen, NL

 Certified Brewmaster Course 2025 6 January to 27 June 2025, Berlin

 Workshop „Micro Malting in Practice“ 10 to 17 April 2024, Berlin

VLB will exhibit at the following international conventions and trade shows in 2024:

 4th VLB Symposium on Acidic Fermented Non-Alcoholic Beverages 7/8 May 2024, Berlin

 Craft Brewers Conference 2024 21 to 24 April 2024, Las Vegas, USA

 Bangkok Brewing Conference 2024 9 to 11 June 2024, Bangkok, Thailand

 EBC Congress & The Brewers Forum 2024 26 to 30 May 2024, Lille, France

 14th Iberoamerican VLB Symposium Brewing & Filling Technology 2 to 4 September 2024 Mexico City, Mexico

 Brasil Brau 2024 11 to 13 June 2024, São Paulo, Brazil  BrauBeviale 2024 26 to 29 November 2024, Nuremberg, Germany

 Workshop "Craft Brewing in Practice" 9 to 20 September 2024, Berlin  VLB October Convention 2024 7/8 October 2024, Berlin

Check

www.vlb-berlin.org/en/events for regular updates

Visit us at

BrauBeviale 2023 Nov. 28-30 | Nuremberg Hall 1, Booth 512

Naturally grown.

Traditionally processed.

Quality malt from Germany.

Since 1899. www.bestmalz.de

editor@brauerei-forum.de