Brauerei Forum - International Edition November 2014 by Brauerei Forum

Brauerei Forum

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

Published by Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin

No 11 – International VLB Edition II/2014 | 10 November 2014 | ISSN 0179-2466

 Dr. Axel Th. Simon 25 years President of VLB Berlin  News from Research & Development  Graduates Certified Brewmaster Course 2014  Craft Brewing Experience in Vielau

ion II /2014

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Technology Brewing & Malting by Wolfgang Kunze

The worldwide most popular textbook for brewers! 5th updated English Edition August 2014 960 pages, hardcover 850 figures Published by VLB Berlin ISBN 978-3-921690-77-2 149 â&#x201A;Ź

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Content

 VLB Berlin Inside 4

Mike Eberle is the new President of the VLB Berlin

Dr. Axel Th. Simon – 25 Years as President of the VLB Berlin

Dr. Axel Th. Simon is new Honorary President of the VLB Berlin

 Research & Development 10

Quantification and evaluation of the impact of shear forces

4 The Administrative Board of the Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB) e.V. has elected Dr. Mike Eberle as its new chairman. Eberle succeeds Dr. Axel Th. Simon, Bitburg, who had made this honorary post available after 25 years in service

in brewery relevant media 12

The stereochemistry of beer bitter acids: 40 years inverted world!

VLB LaboTech: Laboratory equipment for the brewing and beverage industry

VLB´s pilot brewery equipped with new water treatment technology

Tracing the origin of glass bottle breakage

The influence of inverted storage on the permeation and distribution of oxygen in glass bottles

 Training & Events 19

International VLB conventions in Spain and China

Genuine Craft Brew Experience in Vielau

Certified Brewmaster Course 2014

17 To determine the cause of bottle breakage after a customer complaint, the characteristic breakage pattern of broken glass bottles can be analysed to identify the point of origin for the breakage

 Other 26

Imprint / VLB institutes and departments – contacts

VLB international activities in summer/autum 2014

VLB international events 2014/2015

The two day VLB Workshop „Real Craft Brewing – Brewing like in 1900“ promised to teach brewing as it was in the olden days. This is due to become an annual event held in Vielau, a district of Reinsdorf in the western Erzgebirge near Zwickau, Saxony

 editor@brauerei-forum.de  www.brauerei-forum.de

22 Cover: “Real” craft brewing in the Vielau Brewery, Germany (see page 20) Photo: Jan Biering, VLB

Well done! Graduates and lecturers of the Certified Brewmaster Course 2014 after the distribution of the certificates

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

VLB inside

Mike Eberle is the new President of the VLB Berlin The Administrative Board of the Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB)

WE BREW FOR THE BEERS OF THE WORLD

e.V. has elected Dr. Mike Eberle as its new chairman. Eberle succeeds Dr. Axel Th. Simon, Bitburg, who had made this honorary post available after 25 years in service. (oh) At its constituent meeting following the General Assembly on 29 September, the new administrative board of the VLB has elected Dr. Mike Eberle as chairman of the supreme body of the VLB Berlin. The term of office is four years. Eberle takes over from the previous VLB President Dr. Axel Th. Simon, who held this tenure from 1989 to 2014. Mike Eberle (46) studied chemistry at the Technical University of Darmstadt. He earned his PhD (Dr.-Ing.) with a thesis on model systems for photosynthesis in 1996. In the same year, he switched to the industry and joined Unilever, where he started in the sector of food development. In further stages of his professional career he was responsible for copacking development at Unilever, the technical aspects of the bulk consumer business (purchasing, production, quality assurance,

Roasted Malt Beers Malt E x trac ts Beer Concentrate Brewing Syrups L i qu i d Su g a r Brewing Adjuncts

development and logistics) and, from 2005, as head of a production site for sauces and fine foods in the Netherlands. In 2008, he went to Müller Milch (dairy), where ASPERA BRAUEREI RIESE GMBH he took over the technical management at the large 45478 Muelheim-Ruhr, Germany dairy factory Sachsenmilch Phone +49 208 588 980 in Leppersdorf, close to Dreswww.aspera.de den. Finally, in 2009, his professional career led him into the brewing and beverage industry, to Germany’s leading independent brewing company, also an opportunity to give something the Radeberger Group in Frankfurt am back”, said Eberle in his first speech as Main. There, he has been Managing Di- VLB President in the evening after the rector for the areas of technology and General Assembly. logistics. Eberle is a native of Hesse, he is married and has two daughters. The new elected Administrative Board „I am very proud to work in this won- of the VLB has the following members: derful industry. The new task as head • Chairman: Dr. Mike Eberle, Managing Director Technology and servant of the VLB Berlin is therefore Logistics at Radeberger Gruppe KG, Frankfurt am Main, Germany • Deputy Chairman, Treasurer: Gerhard Theis, Managing Director at Karlsberg Holding GmbH, Homburg, Germany • Deputy Chairman: Ulrich Rust, Managing Director Technology at Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG, Gerolstein, Germany • Peter Himmelsbach, Managing Director Technology at Haus Cramer Management GmbH, Warstein, Germany • Dr. Stefan Lustig, Managing Director Technology at Brau Holding International GmbH & Co. KGaA, Munich, Germany • Horst Müller, EFES Beverage Group, Istanbul, Turkey

Photo: oh

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

VLB‘s Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine (l) and the new Administrative Board of the VLB: Horst Müller, Ulrich Rust, Dr. Mike Eberle (Chairman), Gerd Theis, Dr. Stefan Lustig (not pictured Peter Himmelsbach)

VLB inside Susanne Veltins (Meschede Grevenstein), Dr. Axel Th. Simon (Bitburg), Martin Göhler (Heidelberg) and HansGeorg Weber (Berlin) had stand down as candidates for the Administrative Board. In addition to the General Assembly and the Managing Director, the Administrative Board is the third official body of the VLB Berlin. It is elected by the General Assembly every four years and includes a maximum of seven seats. The Administrative Board performs primarily control and steering functions and resolves the fundamental issues such as the annual budget planning, the appointment of the Managing Director, acquisition/sale of land or interests.

ence at the TU Berlin in 2016/2017, a commitment of TU Berlin to maintain the degree program of Brewing Science for the duration of the new chair and the future use of the buildings on the premises at Seestrasse 13. The statement of the managing director ended with an optimistic outlook for the current year 2014 at the VLB.

The financial statements for 2013 were audited by the W + ST Revision GmbH and received an unqualified audit opinion. On behalf of the VLB board Dr. Simon thanked the managing director and all the employees of the VLB for their commitment and hard work. The General Meeting 2014 relieved the Board of Directors and management without a dissenting vote.

VLB annual report 2013 and optimistic forecast for 2014 Dr. Josef Fontaine, Managing Director of VLB, reported on the fiscal year 2013. The major developments can be summarized as follows: • The total revenues decreased by about 4.7 % to € 9.9 million. The major reason for this was a decrease of public funding in the field of research in 2013. This one-time effect has been balanced out so far in the current year 2014. In contrast, the revenues from the operational business (e.g. analyses, events, services) developed positively to € 6.6 million (+ 9 %). • The personnel capacity amounted to an annual average of 123 (135) employees. • In 2013, the VLB had a total of 369 members, including 326 company members. The total income from membership subscriptions developed positively. The following companies from the international brewing sector joined the VLB in 2013: Lotte Chilsung Beverage (South Korea), Molson Coors Group (USA), Firestone Walker Brewer (USA), Bell’s Brewery (USA), Boston Beer Brewery (USA), SABECO Group (Vietnam) • The project “Construction of the VLB training centre” experienced an unexpected delay when a legal objection was made at the end of October 2013 regarding the allocation of the contract for the shell construction work. Due to this objection, the work had to be stopped until the judgment of the Berlin Supreme Court in May 2014. In June 2014 the work has been resumed and the shell construction has now reached the first floor level. • Renewal of the cooperation agreement with Technical University of Berlin. This agreement includes a new professorship for Brewing SciBrauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

VLB inside

Dr. Axel Th. Simon – 25 Years as President of the VLB Berlin

After 25 years as Chairman of the Administrative Board of the Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB), Dr. Axel Th. Simon (71) vacated his honorary post at the Annual General Meeting on the 29th September 2014. We spoke to him about his time as President of the VLB, about his appraisal of the current situation at the institute and about the challenges to come in the future years.

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

VLB inside The last 25 years at the VLB were very eventful and characterised by numerous ups and downs. You have always emphasised that the VLB is something that is also very close to your heart. Is it particularly hard for you to step down from your post as active president? Simon: As the German phrase goes: I leave with a smile in one eye and a tear in the other. After such a long time it is naturally very difficult to relinquish something that has become so close to me. I advanced from being an undergraduate at the Technical University of Berlin to become a Doctor of Brewing Engineering and from an interested listening participant at the VLB conventions to Chairman of the Administrative Board. It is a long history that binds us together. In 1964 – now 50 years ago – I was interested in studying brewing technology at the VLB and found myself sitting at a table with the then Managing Director, Dr. Hans Günther Schultze-Berndt, to enquire about the studying conditions and accommodation. I began my studies in Berlin in the winter semester 1965/66. In the lecture hall “ehem. VLBer” (“VLB Alumni”), I came face to face with my own grandfather, Bertrand Simon, in an oil painting hanging opposite a more cheerful portrait of Professor Paul Kolbach. Both were great patrons of the VLB – one as practitioner, the other as scientist. From then on, grandfather Bertrand gave me a stern look over the shoulder during lectures and exams. “Paulchen” Kolbach looked conciliatory and seemed to saying to me: “You‘ll manage it okay”. From this first encounter onwards, the VLB had a firm hold on me. Eventually I completed my apprenticeship and journeyman years in several different breweries and malthouses, both at home and abroad. My family considered that I was then qualified enough for a professional career in the Bitburger Brewery. As Managing Director Technology it was natural for me to participate in the VLB conventions. Later when I was offered membership in the Technical Scientific Committees (TWA), I accepted and chose the Committee for Maltings and Brewhouse. Later, I was elected to succeed Dr. Leo König, Duisburg to the Board of Directors. There, in the course of a reorganisation, I was offered the post of Treasurer. I accepted the post after some consideration – after all, at the time, the VLB found itself in a very precarious financial situation due to mismanagement at all levels through to the Board of Directors. If, at that

time, a number of loyal member companies had not paid their subscriptions in advance, it would have meant the end for this venerable institution. However, after reorganisation and thanks to the removal of many old habits and customs, a fresh start was made by the newly elected Board of Directors under the chairmanship of Dr.-Ing. Winfried Rinke, from the Board of the Holsten Brewery in Hamburg. Many good years were to follow. Nevertheless, it‘s not hard to say farewell since, as a pensioner, I can see that my successor in this supervisory body is ideally suited. In February 1989, at the beginning of your presidency, an interview with you appeared in the Brauerei Forum. It dealt with the relationship with the Technical University, further developments of the VLB services sector and a large new building project. It is almost the same topics which concern the VLB some 25 years later. One could almost say that hardly anything has changed? Simon: Let me put it this way: According to our statutes the duties are naturally still the same as then: Paramount is the education and training of the prospective technical managers in the brewing industry and the transfer of scientific knowledge into operative practice and vice versa. The joint work of the scientists and the practitioners at the conventions and in the scientific committees is founded on the idea of help for self-help. This functions well because there is no secretiveness. The latest findings from research and business practice are discussed internally and then published. As before, the VLB is sustained by the membership fees of its member companies, from the revenues received for services rendered and from public third-party funding for research projects. Recently we have made contractual arrangements to safeguard our location with the Federal State of Berlin and with our cooperation partner TU Berlin. We have set up management structures which enable the employees to develop freely and to participate in the economic outcome of their work. Yes, thanks to more than 30 Mio. € public subsidies, we have recently begun with the construction of the new Education and Training Centre and thus put the VLB on a solid base for the future. Also, despite the concentration processes that have taken place in the brewing industry in recent decades, our membership is strongly characterised by medium-sized companies. What have changed are the general

conditions and the requirements. Nowadays, much more of the VLB‘s activities take place on an international level. The VLB has a good reputation worldwide. One should also realise that 25 years ago it was unthinkable that the beer market in Germany would ever shrink! We have recognised the demographic development as well as the changes in consumer requirements and have opened up neighbouring fields of business. We have used our expertise and increased our commercial activities. Important to us, these days, is the sustainability in terms of environmental protection, limited resources and the responsibility for the social consequences of our actions. The VLB is a non-profit organisation supported by its members and commercially managed. Its business model has remained a great success despite the economic changes. We have contractually guaranteed agreements with the Berlin Senate and the Technical University of Berlin, partake of public research funds and offer, as a further mainstay, educational and training courses as well as commercial activities in the advisory and service sectors in the fields of beer, soft drinks and spirits. In the last 25 years there were two particularly far-reaching developments which affected the VLB: On the one hand, there was the reunification Personal details: Dr. Axel Th. Simon •• Born on 11th August 1943 in Bitburg •• 1965–69: Studied Brewing Technology in Berlin, graduated as Dipl.-Ing. •• 1970–72: Postgraduate studies in Munich leading to Dipl.Wirtschaftsingenieur •• 1972: Entered the Bitburger Brewery Th. Simon GmbH as representative of the 6th generation in the family business •• 1975: Appointed Managing Director of the Bitburger Brauerei •• 1981: Appointed Treasurer of the VLB •• 1 Jan 1989: Inauguration as President of the VLB Berlin •• May 2007: Retired from the post of Managing Director of the Bitburger Braugruppe •• 29 Sep 2014: Ends his period in office as VLB President •• Dr. Axel Th. Simon is married, has three daughters and five grandchildren

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

VLB inside In January 2006, the first “VLB Certified Brewmaster Course” was held. Courses in Russian followed. In December 2006, the Turkish EFES Beer Group became a member of the VLB. Their technical consultant, Horst Müller, was appointed to the VLB Board of Directors. The Thai Boon Rawd Brewery joined the VLB in August 2007 followed by Diageo in 2012. In March 2013, the VLB gained new members from North America with the breweries: Molson Coors, Bell‘s Brewery and Firestone Walker. The VLB conventions are very well received by the international brewing companies. The VLB is also present with scientific papers, participants and booths at all relevant international congresses and fairs.

Dr. Axel Simon in front of the portrait of his grandfather, Bertrand Simon in the lecture hall “ehem. VLBer” (VLB Alumni)

of Germany and on the other, the rapid internationalisation of the brewing industry. Has the VLB, in retrospect, made full use of the challenges and opportunities arising from these developments? Simon: The answer is a clear Yes! The VLB used its opportunities correctly! Let us consider the reunification. We were well prepared. Long before reunification, representatives of brewing scientists in the GDR were invited to attend the October conventions in Berlin. The gentlemen sat together, a little to one side, but listened with interest to the lectures and discussions. It was therefore not difficult to re-establish the former ties. Dr. Schultze-Berndt prepared me a list of around 200 brewing and/or beverage companies in the GDR. After reunification, he spoke to them during his travelling visits regarding a reactivation of their VLB membership. Already on the 28th May 1990, the first brewing and brewing technology further training seminar for GDR brewers took place at the VLB. An outpost of the VLB was opened in Dresden. The management was in the hands of Wolfgang Kunze, the author of the easily comprehensible

textbook “Technology Brewing and Malting” which has been translated into many languages and published by the VLB in many editions. From then on, all renowned brewing companies in the “New Federal States” participated in our conventions. Numerous brewing colleagues became involved in the Scientific Technical Committees (TWA) and in the Business Management Committees (BWA). It is fair to say that the VLB is a successful example of reunification. In 1992 the Food Technology department of the Humboldt University was integrated with the Food Science and Biotechnology faculty of the TU Berlin. One year later, Prof. Dr. Gerolf Annemüller (Humboldt University) was appointed to the TU Berlin. He lectured on the subject of “Principles of Fermentation and Beverage Technology”. With respect to the internationalisation, in the 1990s the VLB had already developed strategies for the acquisition of members and customers throughout the world. In 1996 the first English edition of Wolfgang Kunze‘s “Technology Brewing and Malting” was published. This was followed by editions in Chinese, Polish and Russian.

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Was there a personal highlight during your period as President of the VLB on which you look back with particular enjoyment? Simon: Not just one! I will name the three things which were decisive for me. It all started with my decision to study in Berlin. Just as important for me, was to have helped directly in the reunification of Germany‘s brewing industry and last but not least that I can happily step down after 25 years from my post as Chairman of the VLB Board of Directors. I know that the management of the Board is in competent and reliable hands. Naturally one can also say that, where there is light, there are also shadows. Happiness and disappointments are a part of business. Human disappointments leave scars which remind one to become even better. It‘s a part of life. Let us look to the future. For the new building project the VLB has been able to acquire around 30 Mio € of subsidies in the last five years. What opportunities and obligations follow from this for the VLB? Simon: Two short answers: Firstly the chance of national and international reputation for the VLB and, secondly, the further successful promotion of future technical and scientific managers for the production of one of the best drinks in the world: our beer! The relationship between the VLB and the Technical University Berlin was always very important for you. How do you see the relationship now and in the future? Simon: The transfer of scientific know ledge in the practice and vice versa has been put on a very permanent, stable footing as a result of the cooperation contract with the Technical University

VLB inside Berlin. I see a win-win situation for all participants. The cooperation contract safeguards – as already mentioned – the continued existence of the VLB at its traditional location. Our branch is constantly undergoing change – both nationally and internationally. Where do you see the benefits and importance of the VLB for the brewing and beverage industries of today? And what do you see as the greatest challenge for the VLB in future years? Simon: The challenge is to constantly meet one‘s own standards even when the general conditions change, but I‘m confident as far as that‘s concerned. With its diversified fields of activity, the VLB is well positioned to withstand changes. The brewing and beverage industries can fall back on educational and training courses, as well as services, which are essential for their own business future. In my opinion, it is important that the VLB remains a commercially managed institution. This means that it must continue to ensure attractive general conditions for its students, employees and management and provide profitable solutions for its business partners, funding agencies and naturally also for its members and honorary supervisory bodies. When looking back at your 25 years as VLB President, is there anything that you would like to pass on to your successor Dr. Mike Eberle? Simon: Mike Eberle has been present as a guest in the administrative board for some years now and has always involved himself intensely with the issues that have arisen there. All I can say to him is, “Mike, continue in the way in which I‘ve experienced you at the board!” Can you still remember your first visit to Seestrasse 13? Simon: Yes, naturally I can remember the conversation with the Managing Director Dr. Hans Günter SchultzeBerndt as he showed me around the institute campus. I was pleasantly overwhelmed by his profound knowledge of the history of this Research and Teaching Institute – in contrast to the odours from the fermentation process which invaded my nostrils during the tour. When you think back to your own education in Berlin and your work at Bitburger Brewery over the decades, how has the job description and the demands on the brewmaster and brewing engineer changed? What

advice can you offer the young people today who wish to pursue this career path? Simon: I would recommend young people who are interested in a career as brewer that, primarily, they should gain practical experience in a well run brewery. There they will learn that the manual work has receded into the background due to the automation of the brewing processes. However, the orderliness, care and cleanliness which are inherent to this occupation and which are essential for the food and beverage which is beer, will always remain the most im-

portant. Alongside sound expertise and leadership experience, technical management staff should also have commercial skills. What are your personal aims / wishes for the coming years? Simon: To provide support and advice to the family business, to ensure peace amongst the associates and to tell the young people how wonderful a career as brewer is! Personally, maintaining my fitness is important to me and to be able to enjoy all the wonderful things for which I had too little time or leisure in the past.

The interview was conducted by Olaf Hendel. Photos: Jan Biering

Dr. Axel Th. Simon is new Honorary President of the VLB Berlin At the General Assembly of the VLB Berlin on 29th September 2014 in Berlin, Dr. Axel Th. Simon resigned as Chairman of the Administrative Board of the VLB. In recognition of his outstanding commitment, he was appointed as Honorary President of the VLB Berlin. It is an extraordinary relationship: Dr. Axel Th. Simon (71) has been actively connected with the VLB Berlin for about 50 years. He started his studies of brewing technology in Berlin as a member of the sixth generation of the owner family of the Bitburger Brauerei Th. Simon GmbH in 1965. He graduated as Brewing Engineer and earned his PhD (Dr.-Ing.) in Brewing Science. As Managing Director of the Bitburger Brewery, he was involved in the VLB’s Technical-Scientific Committee (TWA) over the years, became Treasurer of the VLB and was elected as Chairman of the Administrative Board of the VLB Berlin in 1989. In this honorary post, he actively supported the successful development of the VLB for 25 years with the power of his personality. At the General Assembly of the VLB on 29th September 2014 in Berlin, Axel Th. Simon resigned as President of the VLB Berlin. His successor as Chairman of the Administrative Board is Dr. Mike Eberle, Managing Director of Technology and Logistics at the Radeberger Group. At the beginning of the Welcome Evening of the 101st VLB October Convention, Mike Eberle and VLB’s Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine praised the work of Simon.

As a special appreciation for his decades of service to the VLB, Dr. Axel Th. Simon therefore was appointed as Honorary President of the VLB. “I am grateful for the many years of good cooperation. It was an honor to be allowed to accompany and shape the development of the VLB over the decades. I wish the management and the new Administrative Board every success for the future and I’d like to thank you all very much for this special honor”, said Simon, visibly touched when he accepted the appointment as Honorary President in front of around 250 guests in the atrium of the VLB Berlin. Dr. Axel Th. Simon has become a member of the small but distinguished group of Honorary Members of the VLB Berlin: • Dr. Wilfried Rinke, Holm-Sepensen (Honorary President) • Dr. Axel Th. Simon (Honorary President) • Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Beyer, Berlin • Dr. Dr. hc Guido G. Sandler, Bielefeld • Dr. Leo König, Duisburg • Prof. Dr. Ludwig Narziss, Freising-Weihenstephan • Dr. Werner Lenzhofer, Geldern • Dipl.-Ing. Wolfgang Kunze, Radebeul

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Research & Development  Technology

Quantification and evaluation of the impact of shear forces in brewery relevant media Dipl.-Braumeister Philipp Zeuschner, Dipl.-Ing. Mick Holewa, Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Jan Fischer, Dr.-Ing. Roland Pahl VLB Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production (FIBGP)

Gentle treatment of beer, wort, yeast and other media during the process of brewing is a frequently used marketing term. However, how can the impact of shear forces be measured objectively? The VLB Berlin is undertaking a research project on this issue. It is generally accepted that, whenever possible, shear forces should be avoided in day-to-day brewing practice. Nowadays, plant equipment, such as pumps and stirrers, are designed in a way that the respective medium (wort, beer, yeast etc.) is treated gently. This implies that shear forces should be avoided or minimized as far as possible and different strategies already exist for this purpose. But what is meant by low or high shear forces? What is really gentle treatment? These terms are frequently used, often in advertising. Approaches to measure mechanical stress in liquids have already been undergone in the past [1]. However, a real handy measurement of the actual input of shear forces has proved to be difficult up till now. Within the scope of a research project (supported by the research program INNO-KOM-Ost of the Federal Ministry for Economics and Technology) a new approach to measure the shear force impact objectively is being investigated at the VLB Berlin. This should then offer a handy neutral instrument with which plant equipment, especially different pumps, can be evaluated. Shear forces and β-Glucan One essential reason for attempting to keep the input of shear forces into wort and beer on a minimum is the presence of high molecular β-glucans originating from barley. In former research by Annemüller and Manger it has been proved that in their state as gels, they can cause considerable filtration problems and also that the gel formation is related to the intake of shear forces [2]. Letters and Narziss describe that the molecular structure of the β-glucans in the medium is initially randomly organized. Due to the influence of shear forces these structures then are stretched and arranged linearly [3, 4]. This favors the formation of hydrogen bonds between the individual molecules which can agglomerate to associates. Single associates subsequently

Figure 1: Plant outline – test stand can link together and, in extreme cases, form gels [5]. The structural, physical properties of the β-glucans are thus changed as a result of shear forces. This change, i.e. the transition of the β-glucans from sol to gel state, can be determined in the laboratory comparatively easily. The proportion of β-glucan gel in the medium is thus a measurable value which is directly dependant on the input of shear forces. This, therefore, provides an ideal test medium for their quantification.

of piping loops. The test stand has two sampling points to enable the examination of the β-glucan gel formation after defined intervals. Furthermore there are pressure and temperature sensors which serve to control the process. An inductive flow meter permits an exact definition of the recirculation rate of the medium as well as a determination of the flow velocity. In order to be able to run several operating points with a range of different pumps, a frequency converter is integrated into the test stand.

Pump test stand In the brewing and beverage industry, pumps are a fundamental plant component for dosing and transport of liquids [6]. Dependant on various parameters (e.g. pump construction, flow velocity) a certain intake of shear forces is unavoidable to a greater or lesser extent. In order to measure these forces a test stand was designed to evaluate various pumps regarding their shear force input under standardized conditions. As is shown in Figure 1, the test stand consists essentially of a storage vessel from which the test medium is recirculated, whereby after the pump a gentle pressure reduction is realized by a bundle

Initial results In the first trials, two different types of pumps were tested for their shear force input, whereby the gelatinization rate was measured in reference to the number of recirculations of the medium in the test stand. Each trial took between four to five hours and could easily be integrated into the daily routine of the laboratory. Initially, two operating points of a shear blender were compared. This type of pump is constructed for the simultaneous transport and mixing of different media, respectively for the production of dispersions and hence is intentionally designed to apply very high shear

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Research & Development forces. The shear blender thus provides a first reference value for the investigation of the considerably gentler working centrifugal and displacement pumps. The results for the two settings at 2400 and 1800 rpm can be seen in Figure 2. With the higher rotational speed it is evident that there already is a noticeable increase in the proportion of gel in the test medium after 40 recirculations. After only 60 recirculations, more than 50 % of the β-glucan in the solution has been modified into the gel state. If the pump speed is lowered, which naturally results in a reduction of shear stress, the same gel proportion is not apparent until after 90 recirculations. Furthermore, the curve is flatter and a significant rise in gel formation is first recognizable after 60 recirculations.The second type of pump installed in the test stand was a self priming centrifugal pump which, on account of its construction and mode of functioning, applies considerably less shear forces to the medium. This is confirmed by the test results as can be seen in Figure 3. The tendency that lower shear stress leads to a later occurrence of gel formation was further evident here. Even at a higher rotational speed (2900 rpm), a significant increase in gel formation is only observed after more than 100 recirculations. More than 170 recirculations are necessary to convert more than 50 % of the β-glucan into the gel state. The considerably smaller error indicators seen here are probably also related to a smoother pumping action. Outlook The results obtained up till now prove the concept of the here presented process to quantify the impact of shear forces. The possible gelatinization as a well known attribute of high molecular barley β-glucans could be used to develop a new measurement method. The next steps should extend and refine the already gained results by the examination of further pump types. Through the respective evaluation of multiple operating points, it is intended to define a key figure for the shear force input which would then enable the possibility to establish a new pump characteristic curve. In addition to the usual performancerelated characteristic curves, this could provide information about the level of the shear stress to be expected in a particular application. In further steps, the influence of different flow velocities on additional components, e.g. plate heat exchanger, throttles etc., will be examined with regards to their shear force impact. The results should provide new findings on the importance of common statements about flow velocities for wort and beer, which

are often only based on experience. Literature [1] Denk, V., „Die Wirkung von Schubspannungen auf die Würzeinhaltsstoffe“, EBC Proceedings (1995), 267–276 [2] Annemüller, G., Manger, H.-J., „Gärung und Reifung des Bieres“, Verlag VLB Berlin, 1. Auflage (2009) [3] Letters, R., „Beta-Glucans in Brewing“, EBC Proceedings (1977), 211– 224 [4] Narziss, L., „β-Glucan und Filtrierbarkeit“, Brauwelt 37 (1992), 1696– 1706 Figure 2: Gel formation – Shear blender

[5] Linemann, A., „Untersuchung der Struktur-Eigenschafts-Beziehung von β-Glucan bei der Bierherstellung“, Dissertation Technische Universität Berlin (1995) [6] Manger, H.-J., „Pumpen in der Gärungs- und Getränkeindustrie“, Brauerei Forum (2006), 13–16 The research project is supported by the Federal Ministry for Economics and Technology within the scope of the INNO-KOMM-Ost research program on the basis of a resolution passed by the German Bundestag. Contact Dr.-Ing. Roland Pahl pahl@vlb-berlin.org

Figure 3: Gel formation – Shear blender vs. Self priming centrifugal pump

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Research & Development  Analytics

 Analysis

The stereochemistry of beer bitter acids: 40 years inverted world! Prof. Dr. Leif-A. Garbe and Dr. Nils Rettberg, VLB Research Institute for Special Analysis

The spatial arrangement of atoms that finally form the structure of molecules is called stereochemistry. Since the early beginning of chemical research, the analysis of the latter has been a challenging but also highly relevant discipline. Today, many modes of stereochemistry are known, isomerism is a specifically important one. Isomerism exists when molecules with equal sum formulas differ in their spatial structures. In some special cases, this ends up in molecules that look like mirror images (called enantiomers). Recent experiments carried out by X-ray crystallography showed, that the stereochemistry of hop and beer bitter acids, which have been postulated 40 years ago, have to be corrected. Oh, inverted world! In brewing, hops is used for several purposes. It increases colloidal, microbial, and flavor stability, can impart pleasant hop aroma, but most importantly, hops is responsible for beer bitterness. Bitterness in beer is derived from a series of hop bitter acids, called humulones or α-acids. Those acids are extracted from hop or hop products into wort, and, by thermal treatment (wort boiling), they are transferred into the bitter tasting and water soluble iso-humulones (iso α-acids). Those iso-humulones are finally responsible for the pleasant bitter taste of beer. Consequently, the isomerization of humulones into iso-humulones is one of the most important and fundamental chemical reactions in the brewing process. Over decades,

plenty of research seemed to enable a proper understanding of the chemical reaction details including kinetics and stereochemistry. For its outstanding importance to brewing, students of brewing science were frequently asked to sketch the rather complex structures of hop and beer bitter acids in any kind of exams (Fig. 2). Honored professors paid attention to the correct arrangement of the molecules and their spatial arrangement (stereochemistry). But, as mentioned introductorily, stereochemistry is a rather complex topic which lacks in easy access to most people, but obviously not only to students but also to renowned researchers. There are haunting examples in which the importance of stereochemistry can be easily demonstrated: One example is Contergan® another one is carvone. In Contergan® one stereo isomer, more precisely one enantiomer, shows the desired sedative properties, whereas the other one acts teratogen to humans. Obviously, stereochemistry plays a vital role in biologic and physiologic properties of molecules. Another vivid example is the odorant carvone. One carvone enantiomer has a refreshing mint like odor, whereas the other one reminds of caraway. Is there anyone looking for chewing caraway flavored chewing gums? Figure 1 shows the enantiomers of carvone (R-Carvone/S-Carvone),

obviously the enantiomers look like mirror images comparable to human left and right hands. The R/S nomenclature, also known as the Cahn–Ingold–Prelog priority rules (CIP system or CIP conventions), are a set of rules used in organic chemistry to name the stereoisomers of a molecule. Back to school. Today, one or the other student who did not draw the correct stereochemistry of the bitter acids might be redeemed. Why this? Well, the stereochemistry of hop bitter acids published more than 40 years ago recently turned out to be wrong! Is this relevant or even fatal? We will find it out! Incorrect assumptions Iso-humulones feature two stereo centers at carbon four and carbon five. This results in four stereoisomers, the cis- and trans-diastereomers, as well as their respective isomers. Sounds complicated – yes it is! In fact, back in the 1970s the assignment of cisisohumolune failed. But let us start in the beginning: The assignment of stereo-configurations and their two dimensional representation traces back to the German Nobel prize winner Emil Fischer. 100 years ago, he first determined the so called „rotation value of linear polarized light“ of glyceraldehyde. By this, he was able to show, that there are two forms of this simple sugar, one rotating the light clockwise, one

Fig. 1: Chemical structures of the carvone enantiomers. The dotted line indicates a mirror, enantiomers look like mirror images, the red circles highlight the asymmetric substituted carbon responsible for the stereochemistry.

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Research & Development being levorotatory. 50 years later, the Dutch chemist Johannes Martin Bijvoet proved Fischer´s assumption to be perfectly right. The spectrometric methods of that time, e.g. the „optical rotary dispersion” were rather complicated indirect methods and prone to errors. However, they were accepted as THE methods to answer any questions of stereochemistry. Today, X-ray crystallography, a much more powerful method to determine spatial chemical structures, is used. It is a very complicated technique, but in enables the definite assignment of spatial structures. The complexity of this method might be indicated by the fact, that there is a Max Plank Institute of Biophysics in Frankfurt/Main (Germany) entirely focusing on this topic. Back to beer bitterness! In 2013, extremely complex and elaborate analyses using X-ray crystallography ascertained, that cis-isohumulones (the cis-iso-α-acids) have the (4S,5R)- configuration, trans-Isohumulones (trans-iso-α-acids) have a (4S,5S)- configuration, whereas humulones have a 4S configuration. By these findings, the works of De Keukeliere and Verzele, who used spectroscopic methods to elucidate the stereochemistry of hops and beer bitter acids, were shown to be incorrect 40 years after initial publication. Problem statement Now there are two questions on readers’ and brewers' minds: 1. Was it complicated to prove the correct stereochemistry of the bitter acids? 2. Is the stereochemistry relevant when it comes to beer bittering? To 1.) Regrettably yes! The discoverers of the wrong bitter acid stereochemistry are skilled specialists, that have access to extremely powerful instrumenta-

Leif A. Garbe garbe@vlb-berlin.org

tion (s. Urban et al.). Instrumentation for high resolution X-ray crystallography resolution can be hardly found (in Germany), the respective Max Plank Institute has been stated above. Approximately four years ago, we examined a doctoral thesis of a former biotechnology student from Berlin, Dr. Vivien Nagy, who identified a protein complex of the yeast nucleus using X-ray crystallography at Rockefeller University in New York. A short notice of this work was published in Brauerei Forum July 2010. Doubtless, it remains nebulous why somebody checks the stereochemistry of beer bitter acids, but generally it might induce a discussion on other structure assignments performed by use of indirect spectroscopic methods. To 2.) Indeed, beer does not taste different, and especially not less or more bitter just because the configuration of the beer bitter acids has been misinterpreted for decades. But definitely there are some aspects, that might be very relevant for brewers: Firstly, the stability of bitter acid isomers towards oxidative degradation and off-flavor formation varies, secondly, the biological and physiological properties might differ! Hop compounds are frequently stated to be relevant for human health, but as we described introductorily, taking carvone as an example, molecule properties strongly depend on stereochemistry! In case substances are screened towards their biological and physiological activity, it is vital to know the correct chemical and spatial structure as well as the stereochemistry! Literature D. De Keukeleire and M. Verzele: Tetrahedron 1971, 27, 4939–4945 J. Urban, C. J. Dahlberg, B. J. Carroll, and W. Kaminsky: Angewandte Chemie 2013, 125, 1593–1595

Nils Rettberg n.rettberg@vlb-berlin.org

Fig. 2: Isomerization of humulone into cis- und trans-isohumulone, the stereochemistry and configuration is according to the results published by Urban et al.. Both stereocenters (asymmetric substituted carbon atoms) of the iso-humulones are circled in red, stereochemistry is indicated by filled and doted wedges

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Research & Development  Service

VLB LaboTech: Laboratory equipment for the brewing and beverage industry The VLB LaboTech GmbH is fully committed to quality assurance. The 100 % subsidiary of the VLB Berlin has around 4500 articles on offer covering all aspects of laboratory analysis. The product spectrum comprises complete laboratory equipment for the analysis of raw materials, intermediate and end products, as well as by-products, in beverage production. The regular customers come from the brewing, malting and spirit industries as well as from distilleries and the producers of soft drinks.

Orders and requests from around the world are dealt with in the LaboTech office. In the background is Anja Heuer at work

(dp) Quality control is indispensable for the consistent production of faultfree goods. Beverage producers must therefore analyse both their raw materials and their intermediate and end products as comprehensively as possible. This is the only way to ensure that, alongside internal standards, legal requirements are also fulfilled. In view of the above and assuming that the analysis work is not outsourced, it is essential that every beverage producing company has a fully functional laboratory. ”We supply equipment for laboratories of all sizes“, said Anja Heuer, a LaboTech employee. ”Whether it‘s for a large enterprise or for a small brewpub, we have the right equipment to suit the customer. We can supply both complete laboratories as well as single consumables.“

The portfolio of LaboTech includes barley grading machines, mashing baths and moisture analyzers as well as equipment for water analysis. For the examination of intermediate and end products, apparatus and instruments are available for the determination of viscosity, pH, extract, alcohol and CO2 concentrations and colour etc. In addition there are numerous utensils for microbiological examinations. These also include, alongside culture media, Petri dishes and storage bottles with Laboratory scales swing stoppers, microscopes and autoclaves. Furthermore, LaboTech standard laboratory equipment such as flasks, pipettes, thing from one source“, explains Steffi filter paper and tubing. Maukel from LaboTech. ”As a full-range ”Our large assortment offers every- supplier we cover the whole spectrum of laboratory equipment.“ All customers can be assured that the equipment on offer for operational and quality control purposes is in accordance with the latest, international analysis procedures of the MEBAK and EBC. Individual consultancy service LaboTech receives technical advice and support from Christoph Uhde, a graduate engineer in the field of fermentation and beverage technologies. The 50 year old, who works in the VLB Research Institute for Brewing and Beverage Production, is an expert in beverage analysis. This is no surprise since he has gained his experience over decades of laboratory work: Initially as a student, later as scientific assistant in research, then in the malting and brewing industries and finally for many years now at the VLB Berlin. ”I have worked with a large range of the equipment available from LaboTech

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Research & Development myself“, said Christoph Uhde. ”Therefore, I know their strengths and weaknesses. Someone who sells laboratory equipment without having used it personally has to rely on the information provided by the manufacturers. This is often insufficient to be able to give independent advice.“ The basis for any form of cooperation is, first of all, a comprehensive dialogue. This helps to clarify what the customer‘s actual requirements for laboratory equipment are. LaboTech can then make a specific quote. Since this is tailored to the individual customer, it takes into account all relevant factors. In the process, customers have often been made aware of alternative solutions with which they could reduce their costs for laboratory materials. For large companies it can make economic sense to invest in highly automated machines. These lead to a reduction in labour costs which will result in long-term savings. Uhde assesses the overall market for laboratory equipment as extremely diverse but also as very confusingly complex. ”A customer can easily lose track of which equipment he really requires. This is especially the case for new companies such as brewpubs and microbreweries. Manufacturer-independent advice is all the more important in such cases.“

International sales Since its reestablishment in 2002, LaboTech has satisfied customers around the world. These include breweries, malthouses, distilleries, and spirit manufacturers just the same as research institutes, high schools and universities. The larger orders are mainly from other European countries but also from Russia, Asia, Africa and South America. There has been a noticeable increase in sales of laboratory materials to small and micro breweries which, in recent years, have been springing up like mushrooms all around the world. Before it comes to an order, LaboTech has already invested a lot of time and effort in advance. An individual quotation is made specifically for the customer. This includes the meticulous listing of all additional costs, e.g. for transport. Customs and bank charges are often involved for exports. In addition, there are country-specific expenses such as when conversions are required for electrical equipment. Steffi Maukel: ”You will not find dumping prices by LaboTech. However, we guarantee a fair calculation without any hidden costs or nasty surprises.“ The catalogue from LaboTech is available in German and English and the printed version will be sent on request. The online version can be downloaded as a PDF file directly from the VLB website. (www.vlb-berlin.org)

Mashing baths

Book trade Alongside the retail market for laboratory equipment, LaboTech has also been responsible, since 2003, for the dispatch of books from the VLB. This function has become increasingly more important since the VLB has published more than 20 of its own books. Annually there are more than 2000 orders which have to be dispatched nationally and internationally. This is also included in the range of activities carried out by Anja Heuer and Steffi Maukel. Contact labotech@vlb-berlin.org Anja Heuer Phone +49 (030) 450 80-221 Steffi Maukel Phone +49 (030) 450 80-220 Christoph Uhde Phone +49 (030) 450 80-260

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11 – 13 November 2014 Nuremberg, Germany hall 7, stand 602

Am Industriepark 2 – 10 21514 Büchen, Germany Tel +49 4155 49-0 Fax +49 4155 49-2770 gea-brewerysystems@gea.com www.gea.com

engineering for a better world

GEA_BS_Image_92x240mm_engl_RZ.indd Brauerei Forum – VLB1

International November 2014

06.10.14 11:05

Research & Development  Technology

VLB’s pilot brewery equipped with new water treatment technology At the beginning of September a new water treatment plant from the EUWA Company was brought into operation in the VLB’s pilot brewery. This put the supply of brewing water onto a completely new level both quantitatively and qualitatively.

(oh) Quantitatively speaking, water is the most important raw material for beer production. The water quality has a correspondingly high significance for the brewing process. „It is especially important for our pilot brewery to have brewing water with a constant and reproducible quality“, said the VLB Master Brewer Kurt Marshall. Especially for product developments, the characteristics of the water must be individually adjusted to fit the customer‘s requirements so that the results are reliably reproducible worldwide. The Berlin municipal water used at the VLB has a high degree of hardness and a high rest alkalinity. This water should therefore be processed before being used as brewing water – and even before application for cleaning purposes. The new system

from the EUWA Company, Gärtringen, replaces a rather outdated unit at the pilot brewery. The modern and fully automatically controlled water treatment plant features two reverse osmosis modules and is equipped additionally with a EUWA Erox® deaeration unit as well as a UV sterilisation device. The plant will be run with a throughput of ca. 600 litres per hour and softens the water down to a conduction value of around 10 µS. The treated water is then blended with municipal water to obtain a value of around 1.4 ° German hardness for use in the VLB pilot brewery. This value can be individually adjusted to meet special customer requirements. After deaeration, the brewing water has an oxygen content of only 8 ppb and is thus eminently suitable for the dilution

of beers produced by high gravity brewing. Furthermore, the treatment plant serves as a practical showpiece for the numerous training and further education courses for brewers taking place at the VLB Berlin. „We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Michael Eumann and his staff for the generous donation and support“, said Dr. Roland Pahl, Head of the VLB Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production. „With the new water treatment plant our pilot brewery is ideally positioned for the years ahead.“

photos: oh

The company, EUWA H. H. Eumann GmbH, has its head office in Gärtringen near Stuttgart and a subsidiary in Singapore. As specialists for water treatment technology for the brewing and beverage industries, EUWA plants are in use by renowned customers in over 80 countries worldwide. (www.euwa.com)

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

From water to beer: Master Brewer Kurt Marshall and Dr. Roland Pahl from the VLB Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production are delighted with the new water treatment plant from EUWA

Research & Development  Packaging

Tracing the origin of glass bottle breakage Dr.-Ing. Georg Wenk, Dr.-Ing. Roland Pahl, VLB Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production (FIBGP)

To determine the cause of bottle breakage after a customer complaint, the characteristic breakage pattern of broken glass bottles can be analysed to identify the point of origin for the breakage. Glass is in many ways an ideal packaging material for sensitive beverages like beer. For example, it is inert to the product, shows no migration effects and does not permit permeation of oxygen or CO2. Unfortunately the hardness of the material goes together with a brittle ness, which makes the container sensitive against impact forces and inner tension. According to STLB [1], one-way or returnable glass bottles for beer leaving the brewery must have a minimum stability of 35 ips (inches per second, tested with an AGR Impact Tester) against impact forces. These bottles show sufficient stability during everyday use. If a bottle breakage occurs after the bottle has left the brewery, the information of the breakage usually reaches the brewery through a customer complaint. At best this complaint is simply about replacing the content. However, with carbonated products the glass splinters of a breaking bottle can be accelerated in a way that they can seriously harm the customer. In either case, the beverage manufacturer has a substantial interest

Picture 1: Fracture mirror of a spontaneous breakage, parallel to the axis of the bottle (circle) with fan-shaped branching of the main breakage lines (arrows)

to know what had actually caused the breakage of the bottle. Reasons for bottle breakage When a bottle breaks after leaving the brewery there are three major reasons why its stability was exceeded at one particular area. Firstly, a spontaneous breakage is caused when the internal pressure of a carbonated beverage, depending on CO2-content and temperature, exceeds the internal pressure resistance of the bottle. The pressure resistance can be weakened by damages on the bottle surface or pre-damages, e.g. foreign body in the glass, strong differences in wall thickness or a nonsufficient thickness. A spontaneous breakage can occur, for example, when the bottle is picked up from the crate or when the bottle from a fridge warms up to room temperature. For a spontaneous breakage no impact or pressure from the outside is needed. The second major cause of breakage is through excessive impact or pressure stress on the bottle and the third is through a combination of both: an existing weak point and sufficient mechanical stress. In each case a characteristic breakage pattern is created, which allows determination of the cause of the breakage. Consequently, the glass splinters of the bottle must be collected and the bottle reassembled from the splinters. Examples for breakage patterns Picture 1 shows an example of a spontaneous breakage, created in an AGR Ramp Pressure Tester at the VLB Berlin. As one of many characteristic patterns, it shows the typical straight fracture mirror caused by hoop stress from the internal pressure. The fracture mirror starts as a straight crack parallel to the axis of the bottle and then branches out. The length of the fracture mirror is inversely proportional to the internal pressure. Low internal pressure, e.g. a mineral water bottle at room temperature, will cause a fracture mirror of several centimetres. High internal pressure, e.g. 17 bar on the bottle in picture 1, created with the Ramp Pressure Tester, will lead to a short

fracture mirror of only a few millimetres. In contrast to spontaneous breakage, the patterns of impact or pressure stress breakage creates a hole at the point of origin, which cannot be reconstructed (picture 2). Also the main breakage lines are arranged radially around the hole, interrupted by secondary breakage lines, cutting the main breakage lines at an approximately 90° angle. In the case of a combination of an existing weak point and mechanical stress, the breakage lines have to be evaluated to locate the point of origin. The break origin then has to be examined for the presence of a weak point, which could have reduced the bottle strength.

Picture 2: Impact breakage pattern with a hole at the centre of origin (circle), radial main breakage lines, interrupted by secondary breakage lines in an approx. 90° angle (dotted arrows)

Summary Once the bottle has left the brewery, some of the bottles will be destroyed by spontaneous breakage, breakage due to impact or pressure stress or a combination of both. This can result in customer complaints or even claims for damages. To evaluate if the customer complaint was justified or not, the cause of the breakage has to be identified. For this the bottles have to be reassembled and the characteristic breakage pattern has to be analysed. Footnote [1] STLB: Spezielle Technische Liefer- und Bezugsbedingungen für Bierflaschen aus Glass; Special Technical Delivery and Purchase Conditions for Glass Beer Bottles Contact Dr.-Ing. Georg Wenk wenk@vlb-berlin.org Dr.-Ing. Roland Pahl pahl@vlb-berlin.org

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Research & Development  Packaging

The influence of inverted storage on the permeation and distribution of oxygen in glass bottles Dipl.-Ing. Ruslan Hofmann, M.Eng. Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Susan Dobrick, Dipl.-Ing. Ingrid Weber, Dr.-Ing. Roland Pahl VLB Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production (FIBGP)

Oxygen permeation is an essential quality issue for the shelf-life of a bottled product. In the case of the product beer, even small quantities of oxygen ingress may lead to a faster loss of flavor and chemical stability. The VLB Berlin conducted research on how the storage of glass bottles influences the oxygen ingress. Introduction At the World Brewing Congress 2012 in Portland, Oregon, USA, a presentation by Eric Samp, Miller Coors Brewing Company, revealed the possibility of storing glass bottles inverted to reduce the measured oxygen content in beer to 0 within a short time frame. The results of the research also suggested that the permeation rate is reduced when bottles are stored inverted because the oxygen permeation through a gasliquid barrier (inverted) instead of the gas-gas barrier when stored upright. The aim of the research was to further investigate the kinetics of the oxygen ingress when bottles are stored in both ways.

Figure 1: Oxygen uptake over time for beer-filled glass bottles in the headspace (gaseous phase)

Material and methods Oxygen measurement was done using a non-destructive optical measurement method (Fibox 3; PreSens, Regensburg/ Germany). Beer, as an oxygen consuming medium, and an inert water based medium were filled into test glass bottles (500 mL; closed with standard crown corks) to monitor the influence of the liquid itself and the course of the oxygen molecules permeating inside. During the filling the oxygen atmos-

phere in the Glove box system was monitored to ensure starting oxygen values of < 0.02 mg/L in the liquid phase. Initially all bottles were shaken into equilibrium and the starting values registered. The oxygen level was evaluated dissolved in the liquid (in mg/L) as well as in the gaseous head space (in hPa). 1 h Pa partial Figure 2: Oxygen uptake over time for beer-filled oxygen pressure in the glass bottles in the liquid phase headspace (assuming a headspace volume of 20mL with filling volume of 500 mL) do not show increasing oxygen levels contributes with approx. 0.056 mg/L at all (inverted storage and upright plus to the total package oxygen (TPO). The shaking). Upright storage and no shaksamples were divided in four groups. ing shows an oxygen concentration of Stored upright (U) or inverted (D) and approx. 0.7 hPa in the headspace after shaken daily (D) and not shaken (N) be- three weeks. In the liquid phase a tenfore measurement. The aim was to in- dency towards increasing oxygen convestigate if the oxygen is well preserved centrations was seen towards the end in the head space or directly consumed of the storage period. It is possible that by the liquid within the given storage a minimal gradient of oxygen is present period. The timeframe for each test run close to the liquid surface (where the was three weeks. measurement spot was placed). Results The tests with the water samples (not shown) resulted in nearly no difference in terms of the permeation rate and its dependence on the storage position and the shaking. After three weeks the headspace accumulated between 1.0 to 1.4 hPa of oxygen (0.06 to 0.07 mg/L TPO). Over the same timeframe the dissolved oxygen concentration increased between 0.045 to 0.055 mg/L. A tendency to faster permeation into the bottle when the closure compound is not permanently moisturized (upright without shaking) may be possible. When the medium is beer, all samples where the oxygen gets transferred into the liquid

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Summary The results of the trials show that the change from gas-gas (upright) to gasliquid barrier (inverted) does have little effect on the permeation rate of oxygen. Nevertheless, all oxygen (1.0 to 1.2 mg/L TPO) was directly consumed by the medium beer when it was passing directly into the liquid or was shaken into it daily. In contrast approx. half of the permeating oxygen was still present in the headspace when the beer is stored upright without shaking. Contact Dipl.-Ing. Ruslan Hofmann hofmann@vlb-berlin.org

Training & Events  VLB International

International VLB conventions in Spain and China The international VLB conference schedule for 2014 had two major highlights on the agenda: The 5th Iberoamerican Symposium Brewing and Filling Technology in Spain in September and the 3rd International Chinese Brewing Conference in Beijing in October. Iberoamerican Brewing Symposium in Madrid The 5th Iberoamerican Symposium Brewing and Filling Technology of VLB was held from 17 to 20 September 2014 in Madrid, Spain. With a total number of 250 brewing experts from 20 countries it was again well attended. The Symposium this year was jointly organised by the VLB Berlin and the Asociación Española de Técnicos de Cerveza y Malta (AETCM). The 3-day conference programme was addressed to managers from production, filling and quality assurance of breweries. During two technical sessions, subjects such as “Brewing Raw Materials: Market and Quality”, “Sustainability in the brewing industry”, “Optimization in the filling department” and “Latest developments in brewing technology” were be discussed. In addition, technical visits to the breweries of Hijos de Rivera, Heineken, Mahou-San Miguel and to the microbrewery Sagra were offered. The VLB Symposium was followed by the General Meeting of the AETCM on Saturday, 20 September 2014. The 6th Iberoamerican Symposium of the VLB Berlin is scheduled for September 2015 in Brazil.

3rd China International Brewing Conference For the third time, following 2010 and 2012, the VLB Berlin in cooperation with the Chinese National Research Institute for Food and Fermentation Industries (CNRIFFI) hosted the China International Brewing Conference in Beijing in October 2014. Scheduled directly ahead of the “China Brew & Beverage 2014” about 250 participants attended a comprehensive two-day conference programme. This function was again actively sup-

ported by the Chinese Alcoholic Drinks Association, by the American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) and other representatives from the international brewing science. A valuable insight into the work-related issues which currently preoccupy technologists of the brewing industry in China was given in five lectures held by representatives of the brewing groups Snow, Tsingdao, Yanjing, Zhujiang and Carlsberg China. The 4th China International Brewing Conference is scheduled for October 2016.

5th Iberoamerican VLB Symposium 2014, Madrid

Photos: oh

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Training & Events

Genuine Craft Brew Experience in Vielau The two day VLB Workshop „Real Craft Brewing – Brewing like in 1900“ promised to teach brewing as it was in the olden days. This is due to become an annual event held in Vielau, a district of Reinsdorf in the western Erzgebirge near Zwickau, Saxony. The local Vielau Brewery looks like a technical museum, however, as a result of extensive renovations, it is fully operational. Thus, those who consider beer brewing to be a real craft and are not afraid of physical exertion can gain genuine brewing experience there.

Fig. 1: With the licence to brew: Reiner Gelfort, Jan Biering, Andreas Busse, Petra Lorenz with her children, Karl-Ludwig Rieck, Burghard Meyer and Hans Salisbury (from left to right) Fig. 2: Main motor with belt transmission Fig. 3: Making the transmission drive functional with the help of a rolling pin Fig. 4: Direct heating of the mash tun kettle with wood

„With grace and goodwill: Greetings from the last brewmaster and journeymen! Three brewers and brewmaster are asking for work!“ With these traditional words spoken by the travelling journeymen from Berlin, the first trial run of the VLB workshop in the Vielau Brewery was initiated. This small reminder of the traditional custom for travelling craftsmen was the perfect introduction to the two day course at the end of August and the cultural past came very much alive with the antiquated brewing technology at the Vielau Brewery. The VLB team from Berlin consisted of Jan Biering and Burghard Meyer. They were accompanied by a course participant from South Africa: Roger Hans Salisbury from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Also present were Karl-Ludwig Rieck from Weyermann Maltings, who supplied the malt, and Andreas Busse from the Einsiedler Brewery who had supported the Vielau Brewery on a voluntary basis in the past. Transmission drive system Two main tasks were on the agenda for the first day of the workshop: cleaning and inspecting the plant equipment and heating up the mashing water. Here was the first challenge that had

to be overcome. In the Vielau Brewery all pumps and equipment were run using a transmission belt drive system. Since this technology has largely fallen into oblivion, the participants had first of all to gain some experience with it. Before operation, the main drive motor (ca. 1900 vintage) has to be heated up under load. Only in this way would it run stably. The operation of the pumps also sometimes required unconventional tools in order to tighten the drive belt and they soon learnt one of the many additional uses of a rolling pin! The mashing-in water was fed into the mash tun kettle ready for the next morning. It was heated up directly with wood and coal. Previous experiences with heating stoves, campfires, portable forges and fireplaces all came in useful here. On the following day, the desired temperatures for mashing and cooking could be accurately set. Furthermore some of the malt still had to be milled. Within the framework of the course, we didn‘t want to miss out on the opportunity to use the old, belt driven, two stone-roller mill. Luckily, the malt which Karl-Ludwig Rieck brought from Weyermann was already pre-milled so that only 50 kg needed to be crushed. The optimisation of the mill is on the agenda for our next course in Vielau! After the work was

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

finished for the day, we discussed the plans for the next day whilst enjoying tasty food and beer. Success through improvisation The „brewing day“ started early the following morning at 5 a.m. with the heating up of the mash liquor to mashing-in temperature. Since today‘s malts cannot be compared to those of 1900, a short high-temperature mashing procedure was used starting at 62 °C. The grist consisted of 50 % pilsner malt and 50 % type 2 Munich malt in order to brew our „Vielauer Amber Lager“. The next challenge was to lauter with an open lauter tun (manual raking) via a lauter grant with five lauter taps. The adjustment of the pumping capacity, for the pumping back into the brew kettle, was made with the help of the rolling pin! Sparging was carried out by spraying pre-prepared hot water from a buffer tank. With kettle full, more wood was added to the fire to increase the temperature to boiling point. The hop dosage was calculated to 30 BU with an estimated yield of 20 %. Since the lauter grant pump was required to cast the wort into the coolship, the lauter tun was briefly used as a whirlpool. A dosage of aroma hops was added to the wort in the coolship

Training & Events

Specialty Malting Company Brennerstrasse 17-19 96052 Bamberg - Germany Phone: + 49 - (0)951 - 93 220-12 Fax: + 49 - (0)951 - 93 220-912 e-mail: info@weyermann.de www.weyermannmalt.com

where it cooled down from 80 °C to around 45 °C within one hour before it was cooled further on a Baudelot cooler. Improvisation talent was once again required in order to transfer the wort directly to the fermentation tank without having to use the lauter tun as buffer tank. A pragmatic solution was found by Jan Biering in which various hoses were combined with a pump so that the wort was transferred directly from the Baudelot cooler to the fermentation vessel for pitching. Due to the magnificent teamwork, the main work of the brewing day was now complete since the vessels and equipment that had been used were always cleaned immediately as soon as they were no longer required. Pitching the yeast brought the day‘s brewing to an end. The whole team of brewers and brewmaster could now

relax, tired but happy, after a long working day. The eventful day was reviewed and discussed whilst enjoying some good Vielauer beers. Our thanks go to Petra Lorenz, the owner of the brewery, for the great hospitality and wonderful family atmosphere! We look forward to the next brewing course in Vielau. With grace and goodwill, Masters, I express my sincere thanks and wish good luck and blessings for your brewery! The next VLB brew in Vielau is scheduled from 26 to 28 August 2015. Fig. 5: Detailed view of the lauter tun with manually operated machinery Contact meyer@vlb-berlin.org

BARKE MALT ® OAK SMOKED WHEAT MALT BEECH SMOKED BARLEY MALT ABBEY MALT ® SPECIAL W ® BOHEMIAN PILSNER MALT FLOOR-MALTED BOHEMIAN PILSNER MALT PILSNER MALT PALE ALE MALT VIENNA MALT MUNICH MALT MELANOIDIN MALT ACIDULATED MALT CARAMEL WHEAT MALT CHOCOLATE SPELT MALT RYE MALT: ROASTED - CARAMELIZED WHEAT MALT: PALE - DARK - ROASTED

Our brew and special malts are also available in certified organic quality! Caramelized Malt : CARAPILS® CARAHELL® CARAMUNICH® CARARYE® CARARED® CARAAROMA® CARAAMBER® CARAWHEAT® CARABOHEMIAN® CARABELGE® CARAFA® CARAFA® SPECIAL (roasted malt from dehusked barley, gives the beer a smooth taste without burnt flavor) ABBEY MALT ®, SPECIAL W ®,CARAPILS ®, CARAHELL ®, CARAMUNICH ®, CARARYE ®, CARARED ®, CARAAROMA ®, CARAAMBER ®, CARAWHEAT ®, CARABOHEMIAN®, CARABELGE®, CARAFA® and SINAMAR® are registered trademarks of the Weyermann ® Specialty Malting Company, Bamberg

Meet Sabine and Thomas Weyermann at the „BRAU Beviale“ in Nuremberg, November 11 -13, 2014 hall 1, booth # 403, and join the Weyermann® Bavarian Party in Bamberg, November 15, 2014, 4:00 p.m. !

Malt Extract: BAVARIAN PILSNER BAVARIAN HEFEWEIZEN MUNICH AMBER VIENNA RED BAVARIAN DUNKEL BAVARIAN MAIBOCK BAMBERG RAUCH MUNICH OCTOBER BEER

All-Natural Liquid Malt Color SINAMAR® and certified organic SINAMAR® 3

...gives your beer special taste and color, without burnt flavor !

Photos: Jan Biering

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Training & Events  International Training

Certified Brewmaster Course 2014 In June 2014, after six months of intensive learning, 35 students successfully completed the international Certified Brewmaster course at the VLB in Berlin. Since its inauguration in 2006 more than 300 brewers from 52 countries have passed the VLB Certified Brewmaster Course. On the 27th June, 35 students from 17 countries were finally awarded for their hard work and effort and received their diplomas as “VLB Certified Brewmaster”. This qualification is held in high regard by the international brewing industry and has often been an important stepping-stone into a successful career for many of the recipients. In January 2014, 37 students started the further education course for brewers and 35 of these gained their graduation certificates. This year the students came from five different continents and represented the following countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, India, Japan, Kenya, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, UK and the USA. This once again confirms the international orientation and acceptance of this course.

control. The latest knowledge is also conveyed during practical sessions in the laboratories where they learn methods of chemical-technical analysis and microbiological quality control. Projects are regularly carried out in the VLB’s pilot brewery and malting plants. In addition microbiological sampling techniques are learnt and hands-on experience gained in the hop garden. The program was rounded off with guest lecturers from the industry, practical experience in process controlling and lessons on business economics and logistics. Further areas of emphasis included lectures covering the running of a pub-brewery and on tapping and dispensing technologies. Throughout the course, fundamental knowledge and principles were continually updated with the latest technologies. Frequent suggestions and stimuli come from the students so that the course structure and content is in a state of continuous development and thus guarantees an up-to-date level of training. At the end of the course there was a demanding exam.

Congratulations! The graduates of the VLB Certified Brewmaster Course 2014 after receiving their certificates, together with the lecturing staff

Comprehensive syllabus At the beginning of January prospective brewers from diverse backgrounds gather together at the VLB in order to learn the essentials of beer brewing over the next six months. An ambitious program awaits them. It covers the raw materials for brewing, the individual steps in the brewing process through to packaging and quality

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Spring conference and excursions Integral components of the Certified Brewmaster Course are always the two excursions. The first highlight in March

was the attendance of the 101st VLB Brewing and Engineering Congress in Donaueschingen. The students showed genuine enthusiasm during the visits to the Fürstenberg, Rothaus and Hirsch breweries. Slightly longer was the second excursion which took place at the end of June and visited several brewing and beverage companies as well as their suppliers. During the four-day program, visits were made to the following companies: • Aspera Brauerei Riese, Mülheim a.d. Ruhr • Rhein-Ruhr Malz, Mülheim a.d. Ruhr • Warsteiner Brauerei • Licher Privatbrauerei • GEA Brewery Systems, Kitzingen • Hopfenveredlung St. Johann, Hallertau • NATECO2, Wolnzach • Oettinger Brauerei, Gotha The students were made welcome everywhere and interesting contacts and intensive discussions took place. Once again, the students experienced the very warm and generous hospitality shown by the companies. The next Certified Brewmaster Course at the VLB takes place from 12th January till 26th June 2015.

Training & Events

VLB Certified Brewmaster Course – Graduates 2014

The two best students this year were Mauricio Ellwanger (l.) from Brazil, shown here with the VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine, and Naftaly Ndungu from Kenya

Ryan Gruntz (USA)

Rodrigo Addor (Brazil)

Michael Allen (Canada)

Christopher Bergtholdt (USA)

Evandro Luiz Bertollo (Brazil)

Gabriel Braga (Brazil)

Paul Bwamiki (Uganda)

Yasmin Yulied Cala Cala (Colombia)

Bryan Cardwell (USA)

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Training & Events

VLB Certified Brewmaster Course – Graduates 2014

Cameron Dinsdale (Australia)

Joakim Eneqvist (Sweden)

Reinaldo Franco (Brazil)

Chad R. Frost (USA)

Daniel Frye (USA)

Dmitrii Gribov (Russia)

Aidan Griffiths (Great Britain)

Glauber Guimarães (Brazil)

Ulf Hansen (Norway)

Crystalla Huang Rui Qi (Singapore)

Matthew Jessop (Australia)

Burcu Kazar (Turkey)

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Training & Events

VLB Certified Brewmaster Course – Graduates 2014

Alice Kilembe (Tanzania)

Takahiro Koyama (Japan)

Pierre Lauzé (Canada)

Maria Minguito Aldea (Spain)

Fernando Miranda (Brazil)

Jaime O´Connor Moro (Spain)

Gustavo Peralta (Colombia)

Yii-Jen (James) Tien (Canada)

David Tilker (USA)

Hsiao-Wei Tsai (Taiwan)

Lutiane Vasconcelos (Brazil)

Andrew Veenhoven (USA)

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Training & Events Imprint

 VLB Berlin – Contacts

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

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

Head of Finance

Publisher Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB) e.V. Seestrasse 13, 13353 Berlin, Germany

Dr.-Ing. Josef Fontaine  + 49 (30) 450 80-292  fontaine@vlb-berlin.org

Dipl.-Kauffrau (FH) Manuela Hauffe  + 49 (30) 450 80-237  hauffe@vlb-berlin.org

Editorial Office Brauerei Forum Seestrasse 13, 13353 Berlin, Germany Phone: + 49 (30) 4 50 80-245 Fax: + 49 (30) 4 50 80-210 Email: redaktion@brauerei-forum.de Internet: www.brauerei-forum.de

Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production (FIBGP)

Research Institute for Raw Materials (FIR)

Dr.-Ing. Roland Pahl  + 49 (30) 450 80-238  pahl@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/fibgp

Prof. Dr. Frank Rath  + 49 (30) 450 80-154  rath@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/fir

Research Institute for Management and Beverage Logistics (FIM)

Research Institute for Water and Waste Water Technology (FIWAT)

Editorial Department Olaf Hendel, Editor-in-Chief (oh) hendel@vlb-berlin.org Juliane Rahl (jr) rahl@vlb-berlin.org Dieter Prokein (dp) prokein@vlb-berlin.org Brauerei Forum Advisory Board Dr.-Ing. Josef Fontaine, Wolfgang Kunze (WK), 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 10 editions a year, in German plus 2 issue in English. Day of publication: 10th of November 2014 Subscriptions Domestic 95 € incl. VAT Abroad 95 € (+ shipping) Cancelation 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-Druckerei Ahrens KG Berlin/Bonn, 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.

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

Research Institute for Special Analysis Prof. Dr. Leif-Alexander Garbe + 49 (30) 450 80-231  garbe@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/fis

Dr. rer. nat. Alfons Ahrens  + 49 (30) 450 80-294  ahrens@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/fiwat

Testing Laboratory for Packaging Dipl.-Ing. Ingrid Weber  + 49 (30) 450 80-242  weber@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/vp

Central Laboratory

Biological Laboratory

Dr. rer. nat. Diedrich Harms  + 49 (30) 450 80-233  harms@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/zl

Dr. Johannes Hinrichs  + 49 (30) 450 80-242  hinrichs@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/biolab

Research Institute for Special Microbiology

PR and Publishing Department/ Editorial Office “Brauerei Forum“

Prof. Dr. Ulf Stahl  + 49 (30) 450 80-242  Ulf.Stahl@LB.tu-berlin.de  www.vlb-berlin.org/fmibi

Dipl.-Ing. Olaf Hendel  + 49 (30) 450 80-255  hendel@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/pr

VLB LaboTech GmbH

IfGB Focus Spirits & Distilling

 + 49 (30) 450 80-220  labotech@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/labotech

Wiebke Künnemann  + 49 (30) 450 80-270  kuennemann@vlb-berlin.org  www.ifgb.de

Brauerei Brauerei Forum Forum – – VLB International November 2014

Training & Events  Trade Fairs & Conventions

VLB international activities in summer/autum 2014

The VLB team at the MBAA/ASBC Brewing Summit in Chigaco, USA, in June 2014

Inhouse training course at the East African Breweries (EABL) 2014 in Nairobi, Kenya, in August

Our team at the IBD Worldwide Distilled Spirits Conference 2014 in Glasgow, Scottland, in October (Photo: Steve Curtis, IBD)

A delegation of our new member KALS Breweries Pvt. Ltd. at our stand at the drink technology India in Mumbai in September 2014

The VLB team at the China International Brewing Conference 2014 and at the China Brew & China Beverage in Beijing in October 2014

Visit of the British Brewery History Society at the VLB and GGB Berlin in October 2014

Brauerei Forum – VLB International November 2014

Our next international edition will be published in May 2015

VLB int. Schedule 2014/2015

 Seminar ”Brewing in a Nutshell“ 28 to 29 November 2014, Berlin, Language: English  10th VLB Seminar for the Brewing and Beverage Industry in Russia / Russian MicroBrew Seminar 3-day seminar, Moscow, Russia. 25 to 27 November 2014, Language: English / Russian / German  Certified Brewmaster Course 2015 Comprehensive training course for prospective brewing professionals, 12 January to 26 June 2015, Berlin, Germany  102nd International Brewing and Engineering Conference International congress for the brewing and malting industry, 16 to 18 March 2015, Dresden Language: German / English  3rd VLB International Alumni and Members Meeting 2015 16 April 2015, Portland, OR, USA  Brewing Conference Bangkok 2015 14 to 16 June 2015, Bangkok, Thailand Language: English  VLB Summer Party 2015 3 July 2015, Berlin, Germany

 Workshop ”Real Craft Brewing“ 26 to 28 August 2015, Vielau, Germany  Craft Brewing in Practice 2015 Practical training course for pub and micro brewers, 31 August to 11 September 2015, Berlin, Germany, Language: English  6th Ibero-American Symposium Brewing and Filling Technology 14 to 16 September 2015, Campinas, SP, Brazil Language: Spanish / English  102th VLB October Convention 2015 incl. 44th International Malting Barley Seminar 5 to 6 October 2015, Berlin, Germany Language: German / English  Workshop ”Applied Microbiology“ 2 to 6 November 2015, Berlin, Language: English VLB is exhibiting at the following international congresses and trade fairs in 2015:  Craft Brewers Conference / BrewExpo 14 to 17 April 2015, Portland, OR, USA  35th Congress of the European Brewery Convention (EBC) 24 to 28 May 2015, Porto, Portugal  Brasil Brau 2015 15 to 18 July 2015, São Paulo, Brazil  Brau Beviale 2015 10 to 12 November 2015, Nuremberg, Germany



www.vlb-berlin.org/events

Subject to change

 3rd European MicroBrew Symposium 10 November 2014, Nuremberg, Germany Language: English