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Mid of March, VLB's 108th Brewing & Engineering Conference took place in Groningen. One highlight: the inauguration of Holland Malt's emissionfree malthouse in Eemshaven
Berlin has taking part in several international conferences and trade fairs – among others, the
Congress in Las Vegas or BrauBeviale in Nuremberg
The VLB Berlin is enjoying great popularity – six companies from Germany, Europe and overseas have joined the network in recent months. From now on, the new members will support the VLB with their contributions, but will also benefit from the numerous advantages that VLB membership brings.
signs, e.g. single-walled, doublewalled, made of stainless steel or copper, as a mobile or static system. In addition, FIB Beer Systems also supplies the associated tankers for beer transportation.
www.fibbeersystems.de
FIB Beer Systems (Netherlands)
FIB Beer Systems, based in Leeuwarden, specializes in the design, production, installation and maintenance of tank beer systems. The company, which is part of the Dutch Andous Group, has already supplied and installed more than 20,000 beer tanks in sizes 12–1000 l to cafés, restaurants, breweries and for special events. The systems are available in various de -
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
Holland Malt is a family-owned malting company. Based in Lieshout, the Dutch company has been producing high-quality malts for breweries and distilleries for over 100 years. From its second plant in Eemshaven in the north of the Netherlands, Holland Malt ships its products to over 50 countries worldwide. The malt goes to both small independent companies and large multinationals. The family business with around 60 employees attaches particular importance to sustainability. In March 2024, it has opened the world's first emission-free malting plant in Eemshaven. To mark this event, VLB Berlin has hold its spring conference in Groningen, the Netherlands, in March 2024.
www.hollandmalt.com
Klockemann Industrievertretungen GmbH (Germany)
For more than 30 years, Klockemann Industrievertretungen GmbH from Pattensen in Lower Saxony has been a competent partner for the brewing and beverage industry when it comes to filtration and label
adhesives. The family-run company distributes kieselguhr and stabilizers from internationally renowned manufacturers such as ColgonCarbon, PQ and cph.
www.klockemann.gmbh/
Fermentis by Lesaffre (France)
Fermentis, based in northern France, is a business unit of the Lesaffre Group, a world leader in yeast strains, dry yeasts and fermentation solutions. With a turnover of € 2.7 billion, the group has been present on all continents for 170 years and employs 11,000 people in 96 countries. Fermentis works with producers of beer, wine, spirits and other fermented beverages, supplying products and know-how. Fermentis and VLB Berlin have a long-standing and very close business partnership.
www.fermentis.com/en/
Pneumatic Scale Angelus (USA)
Pneumatic Scale Angelus is a global supplier of packaging machines for wet and dry filling, capping, labeling and centrifuging. Headquartered in Ohio, USA, the company has been setting standards for filling and capping solutions in the food, beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, household and personal care industries since 1895. Pneumatic Scale Angelus is part of a group of global suppliers of packaging systems and solutions that pool their capacities across 40 locations. The company
employs almost 700 people. Turnover is in the mid double-digit million range (US$).
www.psangelus.com
New Box Spa has specialized in the production and printing of metal packaging, tin and decorative boxes, household goods and closures in a variety of shapes and designs for around 50 years. Based in Vicenza in northern Italy, the company employs more than 200 people at three production sites. New Box serves major international customers, primarily from the food and beverage industry, and also produces individual special solutions for smaller customers. Some of its customized packaging has already won design awards.
www.new-box.com
Union Cameroon de Brasseries (UCB) became VLB member in 2023. VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine (in the middle) presented the membership certificate to the UCB delegation consisting of Olliver Kadji (2nd from left), Supply Chain Director UCB, Gaitatzis Konstantinos (2nd from right), UCB Brewmaster, and Kenfack Ludovic (right), Head of UCB Maintenance. On the left: Roberto Biurrun, VLB, arranged the membership. The „ceremony“ took place at BrauBeviale in Nuremberg in November 2023
VLB Berlin – Biological Laboratory Seestrasse 13, 13353 Berlin, Germany biolab@vlb-berlin.org + Top fermenting yeasts + Bottom fermenting yeasts
+ Yeasts for low alcohol beers and speciality beers (e.g. sour beers) + Spirits, wine and champagne yeast strains
Lactic acid bacteria for biological acidification + Cultures for alternative beverages (e.g. Kombucha, Water Kefir)
as slope culture or concentrate
Dr. Martin Hageböck has been the new head of the VLB Research Institute for Biotechnology and Water (FIBW) since the beginning of January 2024. Dipl.-Ing. Sandra Dounia was appointed as his deputy.
Contact:
m.hageboeck@ vlb-berlin.org
s.dounia@ vlb-berlin.org
(oh) Dr. Martin Hageböck, born in Zossen in 1979, first completed an apprenticeship as an industrial clerk after leaving school. He then went on to study biotechnology at the Technical University of Berlin, graduating with a degree in engineering in 2008. He gained his first professional experience at Avesta BioTherapeutics GmbH in Berlin before moving to VLB Berlin in 2009. There, Hageböck worked as a research assistant at the then VLB Research Institute for Microbiology under Prof. Dr. Ulf Stahl on various research projects. In 2013, he received his doctorate in engineering under Stahl at the TU Berlin on the topic of “Metabolization of food ingredients in the simulated digestion model”. After founding the VLB Research Institute for Biotechnology and Water (FIBW) in 2015, he took over the laboratory management of the Bioprocess Technology and Applied Microbiology department. In 2020, he was finally promoted to Deputy Head of FIBW. From 2018 to 2023, Hageböck was also jointly responsible for the entire quality management system at VLB as Deputy Quality Management Officer. Dr. Martin Hageböck has been Head of the VLB Research Institute for Biotechnology and Water (FIBW) since 15 January 2024. In this role, he replaces Dr. Martin Senz, who is now responsible for the Research Business Unit Development in VLB Research Coordination. At the same time, Dipl.-Ing. (Biotechnology) Sandra Dounia, who has been working as a research and teaching assistant at the VLB since 2010, has been appointed Deputy Head of FIBW. “I would like to thank the VLB management for their trust and look forward
to the new challenge,” says Martin Hageböck. “In addition to our expertise in the field of non-alcoholic, acid-fermented beverages, we would like to further intensify research into the use of yeast biodiversity in the brewing and beverage industry in the future. In addition to brewery yeasts, the focus will also be on the use of alternative yeasts and methods for the production of non-alcoholic beers and other products,” he explains his objectives. The Water Quality, Management and Technology department will continue to work intensively on the climate changerelated challenges in the area of water management and derive recommendations for action for the beverage industry. Last but not least, Hageböck intends to further expand FIBW's existing range of services in the areas of microbiological analysis, consulting and the provision of culture media and pure yeasts. “We are delighted that we have been able to recruit Dr. Hageböck, an experienced scientist, to manage our FIBW and wish him, Ms. Dounia and the institute every success,” says VLB Managing Director Gerhard-Andreas Schreiber. “At the same time, we would like to thank Dr. Senz for his excellent work over the past few years and look forward to developing many exciting new research projects with him.”
The declared aim of the research coordination is to strengthen the VLB's resilience in the area of thirdparty funded research in the future.
The VLB Research Institute for Biotechnology and Water currently employs 14 people. It is divided into the two departments “Water Quality, Management and Technology” and “Bioprocess Technology and
Applied Microbiology”. It operates the Biological Laboratory with its extensive collection of
and starter cultures.
Technische Universität Berlin / VLB Berlin
On December 11, 2023, Christian Schubert from the VLB Research Institute for Raw Materials and Beverage Analysis (FIRGA) successfully defended his dissertation.
(BF) “We congratulate our esteemed colleague and friend Christian Schubert on successfully defending his doctorate in engineering at the Department of Brewing and Beverage Technology at the Technical University of Berlin,” emphasized VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine. The scientific debate took place on December 11, 2023 at the VLB Berlin. Around 40 interested listeners as well as the professors and reviewers involved followed the debate.
The title of the dissertation is “Chemical and sensory changes of volatile aroma compounds in
hoppy beer styles during aging” Schubert's research focused on chemical and sensory changes in hoppy beers during storage under different conditions. He identified compounds that have a different relevance in bottom-fermented beers than in hoppy beers. It was also shown, among other things, that the choice of hops used influences the flavour stability of the beer and what influence pasteurization as a stabilization measure can have on the chemical changes.
The doctoral committee was chaired by Prof. Dr. Frank Behrendt (TU Berlin). Prof. Dr. Brian Gibson (TU Berlin) and Dr.-Ing. Nils Rettberg (VLB Berlin) were present as reviewers. “I would like to thank the examination board, my supervisors at the VLB and TU Berlin and the entire staff at the VLB Berlin for
their professional support for my dissertation. And I am very grateful for the encouragement I received from my family and friends,” said Christian Schubert after his successful defending
f.l.: Prof. Dr. Brian Gibson, Dr. Nils Rettberg, Christian Schubert, Prof. Dr. Frank Behrendt
The hop specialist BarthHaas has awarded Dr. Nils Rettberg and Florian Schrickel, scientists at the Research Institute for Raw Materials and Beverage Analysis at VLB Berlin, with its BarthHaas Grants 2023. Other winners are Guillaume Willemart and Prof. Sonia Collin, who conduct research at the Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium.
(F.) The VLB team led by Nils Rettberg and Florian Schrickel is investigating how the quality and stability of intensively hopped beers can be improved using high-pressure processes for non-thermal pasteurization. Willemart and Collin are investigating how the enzymatic activities of hops and spices, which are added to the beer during fermentation by hopping, affect the stability of the product.
BarthHaas is supporting the research work with purse of €10,000 each. The awards ceremony took place on November 29 at BrauBeviale in Nuremberg. Dr. Christina Schönberger, Head of the Brewing Solutions Team at BarthHaas, con -
gratulated the award winners on their promising research concepts.
“The projects we have supported have repeatedly produced astonishing and valuable findings for us,” Schönberger said happily. “Contact with the scientists is therefore always a benefit for BarthHaas too.”
Every year since 2007, the Barth -
Haas Grants have supported pioneering scientific projects in hop research at colleges, universities and research institutes. In many cases, they have served as start-up funding: many successful projects have attracted widespread attention and could be continued with public funding, according to the founders.
Florian Schrickel and Dr. Nils Rettberg (3rd, 4th from left), received the BarthHaas Grant in November 2023
With special support of
Around 320 visitors from all around the world took part at the 108th Brewing & Engineering Conference of the VLB Berlin in Groningen, the Netherlands, in March 2024. In addition to excellent presentations, the event offered a grand inauguration party for the world's first emission-free malthouse of Holland Malt in Eemshaven.
(oh) The VLB Brewing & Engineering Conference, which took place from March 13 to 15 at the MartiniPlaza Event Center in Groningen, NL, was held this year under the motto “Brewing Industry is moving towards Net Zero – Status and Prospects” . Over two days of presentations, the Royal Swinkels Family Brewers, Carlsberg New Technologies & Carlsberg Research, Heineken, the Technische Universität Berlin, Grolsche Bierbrouwerij, Bitburger Braugruppe, Krones, GEA, Pentair, Herco Wassertechnik, RWE and VLB Berlin presented concepts and experiences for the sustainable shaping of the future of the brewing industry for discussion. Other event highlights included the regular meeting of the VLB's Technical and Scientific Committee (TWA), the accompanying trade exhibition, the
get-together on the first evening and, of course, the grand opening of Holland Malt's emission-free malting plant in Eemshaven.
Climate
In the top-class lecture program, Carlsberg, Heineken, Grolsch, Swinkels Family Brewers and the Bitburger Brewery Group, among others, presented their concepts and ways of converting to sustainable production. It became clear that the conversion towards CO2neutral production is already in full swing: “Sustainable production is not an option – it's a must” was also a common denominator among the speakers.
The lecture program was followed by the ceremonial highlight of the conference: Holland Malt opened
1: Exciting presentations met with an interested audience
2: Jos Jennissen, CEO of Holland Malt (r.) and Johan Hamster, Deputy Minister for Climate, Energy, Water and Mobility of the Province of Groningen, turning off the gas tap in the malting plant in Eemshaven
the world's first emission-free malting plant, in Eemshaven on the North Sea coast. Holland Malt has been operating a large malting plant with four towers and an annual production capacity of around 280,000 tons of malt there for around 20 years. With the aim of drastically reducing CO2 emissions in malt production, the entire heating system for the kilns was switched from natural gas to heat pumps. Two heat pumps with outputs of 22 MW and 4 MW were installed, as well as an appropriately sized heat storage tank. A multi-stage heat recovery system provides hot water at temperatures of 67 °C and 95 °C in the kilns. The two heat pumps are operated with “green” electricity. The Eemshaven site plays a special role here: a large offshore wind farm is located off the North Sea coast. A main route for transporting electricity from Norway and Denmark to the Netherlands also runs there. Accordingly, there is direct access
to large quantities of electricity from renewable sources.
The project took around three years from conception to commissioning. The entire conversion took place during ongoing operations. Only for the final connection of the system to the malt production was a production interruption of four weeks unavoidable.
The company spared neither expense nor effort and celebrated the inauguration of its climate-neutral malting plant with an opulent party attended
by more than 400 international guests from industry and politics. Even before the ceremony, the visitors were given a tour of all areas of the malting plant in operation.
VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine commented: “Our spring conference in Groningen and Eemshaven was certainly one of the highlights of the year for our industry, which is hard to beat. We would like to thank Holland Malt and the Royal Swinkels Family Brewers for their great support!”
Ciudad de México (CDMX), México, 2 to 4 September 2024
+ Situation of the Latin American beer market
+ Raw materials: Barley, malt, adjuncts, hops
+ Brewing process: Innovations and improvements
+ Environment aspects
be
The General Meeting of the VLB Berlin e.V. took place on October 9, 2023 as part of the 107th VLB October Convention. The management reported on the fiscal year 2022 and gave an outlook for 2023. Horst Müller and Ulrich Brendel resigned from the Administrative Board and replaced by Jens Hoffmann, Haus Cramer Group. The meeting was chaired by VLB President Ulrich Rust.
(oh) The two managing directors of VLB, Dr. Josef Fontaine and Gerhard Andreas Schreiber, commented on the fiscal year 2022. After the two pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 had severely impacted the training and events business, 2022 was also a challenging year. As a result of the war in Ukraine from February 2022, VLB's business with its Russian customers collapsed completely. The inflationary trend in the prices of energy and other operating resources also had a negative impact on costs.
An increase in international consulting services could not fully compensate for the loss of revenue from analytics and the sale of goods. Event revenues increased significantly compared to 2021, but were still below 2019 levels. The approximately nine-month delay in the adoption of the 2022 German federal budget following the 2021 federal elections was problematic. Among other things, this led to significant distortions in the area of externally funded research. As a result, numerous VLB research projects that had already been approved for 2022 could only be started after a long delay or not until 2023. After a positive result in 2021, the VLB closed 2022 with a deficit.
VLB President Ulrich Rust was critical of the results: "The VLB closed the fiscal year 2022 with a deficit. This is no reason to celebrate. Even if the business environment has become more volatile, VLB cannot afford such distortions in the long term. The VLB Administrative Board has therefore instructed the management to carry out a strategy evaluation and to combine it with restructuring. With the support of my board colleague Michael Jakob
in particular, but also with the support of the entire Administrative Board, a concept has been developed to make VLB more resilient and financially stable.
According to the managing directors, 2023 was a mixed year in the first few months, but stabilized in the second half of the year, despite continued rising inflation and general cost increases. A positive result is therefore expected for the 2023 fiscal year.
Horst Müller (EFES Beer Group) and Ulrich Brendel (former Warsteiner Group) were resigned from the Administrative Board. Jens Hoffmann, Managing Director Technology and Logistics of the Haus Cramer Group, Warstein, was elected as their successor (see also BF 11-2023). As of October 9, 2023, the Administrative Board of VLB is thus composed as follows:
Chairman
Ulrich Rust (Gerolsteiner Brunnen)
Deputy Chairmen
Uwe Ebbighausen, Treasurer (CUE.X Consulting)
Dr. Stefan Kreisz (ERDINGER Weißbräu)
Other members
Jens Hoffmann (Haus Cramer Group, Warstein)
Michael Jakob (Carlsberg Supply Chain Company)
Wolfgang Janssen (Radeberger Group)
Dr. Stefan Lustig (formerly EFES Beer Group, Turkey)
Jan Steffes (Gerolsteiner Brunnen)
The next General Meeting of the VLB Berlin e.V. will take place in Berlin on October 7, 2024 – on the occasion of the VLB October Convention.
Susan Dobrick, Laboratory Manager VLB Testing Laboratory for Packaging
IngoPankoke, Head of VLB Research Institute for Management and Beverage Logistics / Testing of Packaging
The Special Technical Terms and Conditions of Delivery and Purchase (STLB) are agreements on product-specific packaging properties and requirements that are defined between representatives of the brewing industry and industry-specific representatives of the packaging industry. They are aimed at manufacturers and users alike and provide a non-binding basis for supply contracts and purchasing conditions. The STLB for bottle crates and labels have been available in a revised form since January of this year.
The STLB are to be regarded as a recommendation and can be used in full, in part or in modified form as part of supply agreements. They are available in German language as PDF documents on the homepage of the Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB) e.V. or on request from the office of the German Brewer’s Association (Deutscher Brauer-Bund e. V. DBB).
In 2023, the Special Technical Terms and Conditions of Delivery and Purchase for bottle crates made of PE-HD were revised with the participation of the specialist group for bottle crates in the pro-K Industrieverband langlebige Kunststoffprodukte und Mehrwegsysteme e.V. (Industry association for long-term and returnable plastic items) and the DBB. The update of the STLB includes the adaptation and coordination of various test conditions and the expansion of the test methods. With the newly published STLB bottle crates, the DBB and the pro-K Industrieverband provide the necessary tools for users and manufacturers with regard to suitable material properties and functionality. The DBB and the German association for printing and media (Bundesverband Druck und Medien) also renewed the specifications for paper labels in 2023. The new edition was necessary because the last STLB dated back to 1998. As
the technical and regulatory requirements have continued to increase, it was important to the parties to bring the specifications back up to date in the interests of both parties. The STLB are intended to be a guide for label buyers and processors to agree the quality and thus the functionality of wet adhesive labels with the label supplier. As a cooperation partner the VLB Testing Laboratory for Packaging is involved in the association work of the specific specialist groups and the DBB in the development and processing of the Special Technical Terms and Conditions of Delivery and Purchase for beverage packaging. Most of the test methods used in the packaging testing laboratory are based on the specifications of the STLB and are used as standard analytics and recommended in consultations. The limit values and tolerances agreed in the STLB are of particular importance for the evaluation of the test results. These are included in the packaging test reports and are very well received
by customers, as they simplify quality assessments. Thanks to decades of testing experience and the associated further development of packaging, such as reducing the thickness of crown cork metal sheets or using recycled label paper, the packaging testing laboratory can draw on extensive data that is incorporated into the revision of the STLB.
STLB for bottle crates made of PE-HD
As part of the consideration of crate inspections in 2023, a catalog for visually recognizable defects on bottle crates was compiled as an example and divided into different categories (critical defects, major defects, minor defects) and AQL (acceptable quality limit). This allows defects that occur on bottle crates to be clearly identified and declared during evaluation and acceptance or rejection limits to be recognized, e.g. during incoming goods inspections. This catalog was published separately as the "Sample specification of the German Brewers' Association for visual defect characteristics on bottle crates made of PE-HD" and can be added to the STLB inspections of bottle crates as a supplement.
Other relevant test parameters for bottle crates are the stability tests. In particular, the drop test, the stacking pressure test, the compression test, the horizontal impact resistance test (inclined plane) and the grip strength test (static & dynamic) should be mentioned here.
In the dynamic grip performance test, the test setup was reorganized as part of the STLB revision and a specification of the suspension device and the release mechanism for the free fall of the grip strip into a leather strap was created. Furthermore, the assessment criteria for any damage to the boxes after the tests were defined in more detail, e.g. when the box is no longer fit for purpose and how cracks are to be interpreted. In addition, newly designed test dummies made of aluminum are used, which are intended to represent the standard bottles of the brewing industry in terms of height, diameter and weight. These dummies are used for all stability tests, which are simulated in an even more practical way. A list of the dimensions and technical drawings can be found in the appendix of the STLB.
In addition to the previous stability tests, a new pallet impact test has been included in the crate STLB. The purpose of the pallet impact test is to test the interaction between the crates stacked under nominal load and the pallets under laboratory conditions and thus to draw safetyrelevant conclusions for practical operation.
Tests for dimensional accuracy, dimensional stability after heat storage and freedom from stress tension in the material remain anchored in the STLB requirements, as do quality tests for in-mold labels and soft-touch handles.
In order to keep the requirements and agreements of the STLB up to date, a regular review is required, which was also carried out for the STLB for paper beverage bottle labels in 2023. Obsolete test methods were replaced by more common ones and DIN ISO standards were updated. Relevant tests regarding paper quality include determining the basis weight, paper running direction, wet elongation and water absorption capacity of the paper. In addition, the wet and dry tensile strength is an important parameter for assessing the stability of the paper. Certain mechanical and technical characteristics must be present for the labels to be used smoothly. For example, special tests can be used to check the resistance to alkaline solutions and release time in alkaline solution for labels used in the reusable sector. The testing of the abrasion resistance of the printing inks, the curling of the label and the determination of the dimensional accuracy are also set out in the STLB. For this purpose, examples of different label curling tendencies (very good to poor) have been created and a tolerance catalog with different degrees of ink abrasion for paper labels and metallized labels has been integrated into the STLB document. The new STLB version also contains an AQL-specified section for optical characteristics and dimensional accuracy. This allows acceptance and rejection limits to be applied, e.g. for incoming goods inspections. A significant improvement on the previous version are the tolerance specifications that have been added for some parameters, for example the definition of the maximum of 240 seconds release
time in alkaline solution. When using recycled label papers, it should be noted that these label papers generally have a higher groundwood content in the paper, which can lead to increased discoloration of the caustic solution.
The STLB serve as a comprehensive test basis for all relevant quality characteristics for the respective packaging and can be used individually to check the specifications or for specific problems.
The new STLB are also available from VLB Berlin via packaging@vlbberlin.org Further STLBs for beer bottles from glass, crowns as well as for cans, ends and adhesives are also available.
Rating scale for the curl of the labels (1 very good, 2 good, 3 medium, 4 bad)
The compression test is a good indicator for crate stability: This "pitiful" crate deformed under a compressive load of 45,000 kN (4.5 metric tons)
The 5th VLB Research Colloquium took place as part of the 107th VLB October Convention on 10 October 2023 in Berlin. Gerhard-Andreas Schreiber, VLB's CFO and Research Coordinator, hosted the lecture session.
(oh) Gerhard Andreas Schreiber began by outlining the current developments in the German research landscape. Due to numerous other budgetary exposures, the availability of funding is currently stagnating. Many award procedures have been heavily modified with a focus on standardization and digitalization, which has led to delays in the processing of applications. He highlighted an opportunity for tax incentives for research and development via the Research Allowance Act (FZulG).
BrewFlex – How can breweries make optimum use of their load flexibilization potential in the context of the energy transition? is a current project (IGF 22949N) at the VLB, which Philipp Zeuschner from the VLB Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production presented. Even if the energy requirements of a brewery are currently largely covered by natural gas, the specific costs for electrical energy are in Germany substantially higher than for gas. In the course of the
energy transition, fluctuations in feed-in, especially from wind and solar energy, are an additional challenge. In order to compensate for these, additional flexibility options are required on the part of electricity consumers. The “BrewFlex” project shall deliver helpful tools for the brewing industry to handle these challenges and focuses thereby in particular on small and medium sized production facilities. This joint project is being carried out by the Bremen Institute for Measuring Technology, Automation and Quality Science (BIMAQ, data acquisition and processing), the Association of German Scientists (VDW, business management considerations) and VLB Berlin (brewery-specific adaptation). It involves analyzing the processes in the brewery and looking for internal options for shifting the electricity loads. In addition, it will be assessed whether and how these flexibilizations can be implemented in operational practice. A toolbox for efficiency increasing measures will be developed as well. In contrast to previous projects with similar objectives, BrewFlex focuses on the special requirements of the brewing industry. The project is still in its initial phase and will run until the end of 2024.
Marie Ludszuweit from the VLB Research Institute for Biotechnology and Water spoke about water quality and fermented beverages The aim of the project (INNO-KOM 49MF220050) is to optimize the development of novel fermented beverages from minimal media. The focus is on aspects of quality, economy and sustainability. Water quality is of crucial
importance in the production of kombucha or water kefir. As only a few ingredients and nutrients are provided during the fermentation of these mixed cultures, e.g. in green or black tea, even slight fluctuations in the composition have a significant impact on the end product.
The next important parameter is the selection of microorganisms. As part of the project, systematic tests were carried out with various water parameters, including different mineralization and microorganisms. These were accompanied by analytical and sensory tests. Modified LC and GC methods were developed with which primary metabolites, polyphenols or sulphur-containing and flavoring fermentation by-products in the beverage matrix can be reliably determined analytically. The project will run until January 2025.
Benjamin Palmer from the VLB Research Institute for Beverage Anal-
ysis and Raw Materials spoke about the oxidative breakdown of hop thiols – influencing factors and countermeasures for stabilizing the flavour of hoppy beers (INNO-KOM 49MF200054). Thiols are among the volatile aroma-active sulphur components in beer. They can influence the flavor profile both positively and negatively. Thiols mainly enter beer via hops. One of the main representatives of this group is 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one (4MMP). This compound is characterized by a cassis aroma, which disappears over time. 4MMP is very reactive and is only present in beer in extremely low concentrations (nanogram per litre range). The analysis is therefore challenging and required the establishment of a suitable GC-MS/MS method. In the further course of the project, investigations were carried out into the long-term stability of 4MMP. To this end, commercially available beers were spiked with 4MMP and monitored analytically
and flavour stability
over a period of six months. As expected, increased storage time and temperature led to increased thiol degradation. Transition metals, CuSO4 and to a lesser extent Fe(III), also influence thiol degradation. Glutathione (GSH) as an antioxidant seems to stabilize volatile
thiols. It was also observed that the concentration of free thiols decreases, while the concentration of disulfide-bound thiols increases. The project was completed at the beginning of 2023. As an outlook, investigations into the use of hop by-products (e.g. residues from hop processing) to stabilize thiols are to follow.
The next VLB research colloquium is planned for 7/8 October 2024 in Berlin.
Saccharide in beer is formed mainly through the saccharification of starch contained in malt and other raw materials, and one of the factors that determine the flavor of beer. An Evaporative Light Scattering Detector (ELSD) is suitable for the detection of non-UV/VIS absorbing compounds such as saccharides. ELSD is also applicable to gradient elution, allowing simultaneous analysis of multiple compounds. In this application, the simultaneous analysis of monosaccharides and oligosaccharides in beer is introduced. The integrated high-performance liquid chromatograph i-Series LC-2050C with an ELSD-LT III was employed for this study. Hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC), which is often used in saccharide analysis, enabled gradient elution using water and acetonitrile.
Three mixed standard solutions of fructose/sucrose, maltooligosaccharides (M1-M10), and isomaltooligosaccharides (I2-I5) were analyzed individually to confirm the separation of each compound. For the analysis of maltooligosaccharides, a kit containing mixed solutions of ten compounds from Senshu Kagaku (P/N: BC-GM, concentration not disclosed) was used. For the analysis of fructose/ sucrose and isomaltooligosaccharides, mixed solutions were used, individually prepared with a mixture of water and acetonitrile (3:7) to make concentration of 50 mg/L for each. Fig. 1 shows the overlaid chromatograms of respective mixed standard solutions, and Table 1 shows the analytical conditions. All the target compounds were analyzed within 50 minutes.
System: i-Series LC-20250C
Column: Shodex HILICpakVG-50 4E, (250 mm×4.6 mm I.D., 5 μm)
Mobile Phase: A) Water B) Acetonitrile Flow rate: 1.0
Program:
Mixer: 40 μL
Column Temperature: 45 °C
Injection Volume: 20 μL
Vial: SHIMADZU LabTotalTM for LC 1.5 mL, Glass*1
Detector (ELSD): ELSD-LT III
Gain: Wide Filter: 4 sec.
Drift Tube Temp: 40 °C
Nebilizer Gas: N2
Gas Pressure: 350 kPa
Maltooligosaccharides and isomaltooligosaccharides were successfully separated.
Standard solutions of 5, 10, 50, 100, and 200 mg/L were prepared for all the compounds of fructose/sucrose, maltooligosaccharides (M1 to M7), and isomaltooligosaccharides (I2 to I5). Calibration curves for all compounds prepared from the results of these analyses have been generated. Note that ELSD response is exponential to logarithm of the concentration, so the calibration curve is generally plotted using both logarithmic axes. The coefficients of determination were greater than 0.997 for all the target compounds.
The repeatability was evaluated by five consecutive analyses of three
mixed standard solutions of 50 mg/L each, which were used to generate calibration curves. Table 2 shows the average of retention time and relative standard deviation (%RSD). Satisfactory repeatabilities for the retention time were obtained for all the target compounds.
Ten types of commercial beer (beer A-G, alcohol-free beer H, low-malt beer I, and sugar-free beer J) were prepared as samples. The ten samples were decarboxylated, diluted 20-fold with a water/acetonitrile = 1/1 mixture, filtered through a 0.2 μm membrane filter, and injected to HPLC. Fig. 2 shows the chromatograms of 4 selected beer samples A, E, G (craft beer) and J (sugar-free beer). Peak identifications are indicated for compounds detected at concentrations above the lowest point of the calibration curve (5 mg/L). The ELSD-LT III's dynamic
range extension function, which automatically optimizes sensitivity parameters, allowed simultaneous analyses of beer samples with large differences in concentration of contained target compounds. Comparing the chromatograms of beer A, B, and C, the types and concentrations of contained saccharides were similar. On the other hand, dark colored beer D and craft beer E, F, and G tended to have higher concentrations of certain compounds compared to those in beer A-C. In sugar-free beer J, all the target compounds were present in trace amounts and were virtually undetectable. In addition, sample I, low-malt beer, had a chromatogram similar to that of the beers A-C, whereas the alcohol-free beer H contained more monosaccharides than those of beer A-C. Thus, a characterization of various types of beer was able to be conducted
by comparing resulting chromatograms of monosaccharides and oligosaccharides.
Five consecutive analyses were performed on beer A to determine monosaccharides and oligosaccharides and to evaluate the repeatability. Table 3 shows the results of quantitative determination of each compound and the repeatabilities of retention time in terms of relative standard deviation (%RSD). Satisfactory repeatabilities within 0.2% were obtained for all the target compounds.
Spike-and-recovery rate
Fructose, sucrose, and maltooligosaccharides (M1-M7) standards were added to the beer A sample to make 50 mg/L each, prepared and analyzed six times to evaluate spike-and-recovery rates. For
the compounds that were not contained virtually in beer A, the calculations were performed to consider that original concentrations in beer A were 0 mg/L. Satisfactory results of recoveries ranging from 90 to 110% were obtained for all target compounds.
Simultaneous analysis of monosaccharides and oligosaccharides in beer was performed. The use of the Shimadzu high-performance liquid chromatograph i-Series LC2050C in combination with the evaporative Light Scattering Detector ELSD-LT III enabled gradient elution of water and acetonitrile, resulting in satisfactory separation of fructose, sucrose, maltooligosaccharides, and isomaltooligosaccharides. In addition, satisfactory results were obtained for linearity, repeatabilities of both retention time and peak area, and spike-andrecovery rate.
Contact:
Uwe Oppermann, uo@shimadzu.eu Shimadzu Europa GmbH, Germany
Shimadzu integrated high-performance liquid chromatograph i-Series LC-2050C
Table 3: Concentrations of respective compounds in beer A and repeatabilities of retention time (n=5)
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. In this issue we have collected some questions about wort production that are part of the basic knowledge of a professional brewer.
1 What is in the wort kettle after lautering the main pour?
a) Casting wort
b) Last runnings
c) First wort
d) Copper wort
e) Lauter wort
2 Many processes that are important for the brewing process take place in the wort kettle during boiling. Which of the following processes does not take place during wort boiling?
a) Evaporation of water
b) Conversion of hop components
c) Sterilization of the wort
d) Precipitation of protein-tannin compounds
e) Activation of fermentation enzymes
3 Evaporation of the water during wort boiling not only changes the extract content, but also volatile flavor substances are evaporated. Which of the following substances is not evaporated in the brewing kettle?
a) 2-Methylbutanal
b) Furfural
c) Dimethylsulphide
d) Acetaldehyde
e) Methional
4 Which of the following statements is correct?
a) During wort boiling, all iso-alpha acids present are converted to alpha acids.
b) During the cooking process, proteases cause the protein to precipitate.
c) The alcohol is produced during the cooking process.
d) The pH value of the wort has no influence on the further brewing process.
e) One of the most important trace elements in wort is zinc.
5 Carbohydrates are divided into monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides. Which category does starch belong to?
a) none
b) Monosaccharides
c) Disaccharides
d) Polysaccharides
e) Oligosaccharides
6 Glucose is formed in plants by photosynthesis. Which of the following statements describes the reaction principle?
a) Long starch chains are converted to glucose molecules by light energy.
b) Water and carbon dioxide are converted to glucose and oxygen by light energy.
c) Hydrogen and oxygen are synthesized into glucose molecules by light energy.
d) Nitrogen and carbon dioxide are converted to glucose and oxygen by light energy.
7 During the mashing process, it is determined, among other things, whether the beer will be "lean" or "full-bodied". Which carbohydrate contributes to the palatefulness of a beer?
a) Glucose
b) Maltose
c) Dextrins
d) Starch
e) Cellulose
8 Starch is broken down into various sugars during mashing. What is the name of the enzyme group that breaks down starch?
a) Lipases
b) Amylases
c) Maltases
d) Proteases
e) Peptidases
9 How does the extract concentration value change during the outflow of the first wort?
a) It is significantly higher at the beginning than at the end
b) It is significantly lower at the beginning at the end
c) It hardly changes at all
d) It is highest in the middle of the first wort run
e) It is lowest in the middle of the first wort run
10 The abbreviation DMS in brewing trechnoloy stands for:
a. Dimaltose sulfone
b. Dimethyl sulphide
c. Dimethyl siloxane
d. Document management system
e. Double maltose saccharification
1 c) First wort: The wort draining off from the spent grains is called the first wort. It must contain 4 to 6 % more extract than the beer to be produced in order to obtain the desired extract concentration. Therefore, an extract concentration of 16 to 20 % is required in the first wort to produce a 12 % beer. In the second phase of lautering the extract retained by the spent grains is washed out with hot water (sparging).
2 e) Activation of fermentation enzymes: Enzymes are large proteins that are sensitive to high temperatures. As a result, the enzymes in the wort are destroyed during wort boiling.
3 d) Acetaldehyde is usually not present in the wort and occurs as a normal intermediate product in alcoholic fermentation. It is excreted into the young beer by yeast during the first three days of fermentation. It is responsible for the ‘green’ young beer flavor that is also referred to as a cellar or musty aroma. The concentration of acetaldehyde decreases in the further course of (a regular) fermentation.
4 e) Zinc is a trace element of great physiological importance for protein synthesis, yeast cell growth and fermentation. At zinc levels below 0.10-0.15 mg/l, fermentation is slow, yeast proliferation is retarded and diacetyl reduction is incomplete. It is therefore advantageous to transfer as much of the zinc from the malt to the wort.
5 d) Starch is a polysaccharide that consists of many glucose molecules (monosaccharides). About 20 % of the starch from malt consists of amylose (unbranched molecular chains) and about 80 % of amylopectin (branched molecular chains). A disaccharide consists of two sugar molecules (e.g. maltose = 2 x glucose). Oligosaccharides are multiple sugars consisting of 3 to 10 individual units.
6 b) Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants, algae, and some bacteria use chlorophyll to convert light energy into chemical energy. It combines carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose and oxygen as a by-product. The resulting glucose is stored in the plant in the form of starch, and the oxygen is released into the atmosphere.
7 c) Dextrines: Palatefulness is the impression of beer ‘content’ at first taste. It is mainly determined by the original gravity content. The higher the original gravity of the beer, the more full-bodied it tastes. This is due to the alcohol content and the residual extract content. The non-fermentable extract (e.g. dextrines) is made up of 75-80 % carbohydrates.
8 b) Amylases are enzymes responsible for the degradation of starch during the mashing process. α-amylase breaks the chains of amylose and amylopectin into shorter chains. β-amylase cleaves maltose from the non-reducing ends of the chains, but also produces glucose and maltotriose. While most α-amylase is formed in barley during germination, β-amylase is present in large amounts in ungerminated barley.
9 c) It hardly changes at all. After the mash has been pumped from the mash kettle to the lauter tun, the first wort is drawn off. At this step, no more water is added, so the concentration of the first wort remains nearly constant. After the first wort is drawn off completely, water is added by sparging, so the concentration of the wort decreases continuously.
10 b) Dimethyl sulfide (DMS), is a volatile sulfur compound that gives beer a "cabbage" or "cooked vegetable" odor. It is formed in malt during germination from its precursor, Smethylmethionine (DMS-P). DMS is unstable when heated and breaks down into volatile DMS. Therefore, most of the DMS is driven off during a sufficient wort boiling.
End of November 2023 VLB Berlin had a stand at BrauBeviale in Nuremberg which was, as every year, very well attended
Burghard Meyer, Patrícia Diniz Fischer, Roberto Biurrun and Jan Biering represented VLB Berlin at the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) and at the World Beer Cup in Las Vegas in April 2024
Savaş Öztürk, new Supply Chain Director EFES Beer Group (first row, l.), Dr. Stefan Lustig, Supply Chain Advisor EFES Beer Group (second row, l.), visited VLB Berlin on 1 December 2023
As part of CBC 2024 in Las Vegas, a VLB Alumni Gathering took place at Hudl Brewing Co.
The Tyskie Browary Książęce in Tychy belongs to Asahi and has a capacity of approx. 5 million hl
Poland, with a population of around 37.8 million, is a traditional beer country. Around 38 million hl of beer were produced in our eastern neighbor in 2022 (although the figures vary). Annual per capita consumption is estimated at around 92 liters. This puts Poland in third place in Europe behind the Czech Republic and Austria and roughly on a par with Germany.
(oh) The Polish beer market is dominated by the large international brewing groups that have been firmly established here since the 1990s. The biggest player is Kompania Piwowarska The company was formed in 1995/96 through a merger of the Tyskie Browary Książęce brewery (founded in 1629) and Lech Browary Wielkopolski in Poznan, which were taken over by South African Breweries (SAB) at the time. In 2003, the Dojlidy brewery in Bialystok was added. In 2009, SABMiller (formerly SAB) finally took over the entire brewery group. As part of the merger between SABMiller and ABInbev, all of the South African brewery holdings in Central Europe (including Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Italy), including Kompania Piwowarska, were sold to the Japanese Asahi Group in 2017. The
latter operates its breweries under the umbrella of Asahi Europe & International with its administrative headquarters in England. In 2022, Kompania Piwowarska produced a total of 12.6 million hl of beer and beer-based mixed drinks in its three breweries, giving it a market share of more than 30 %. Number 2 in Poland is Grupa Żywiec , which belongs to Heineken and has five breweries in Żywiec, Warka, Leżajsk, Elbląg and Namysłów. Originally just a Heineken holding, the Dutch took over the group completely in 2023 and delisted it from the stock exchange. With Żywiec as the largest beer brand in Poland and Desperados as the clear number 1 in the category flavored beers, which are very popular in Poland, the group has two market leaders in its portfolio. Heineken and numerous regional beer brands are also produced. Grupa Żywiec has forecast a total output of 11 million hl for 2021. The third large player is the Danish Carlsberg Group, which entered Poland in 1996 with the acquisition of the Okocim brewery. Carlsberg Polska currently operates three breweries: Okocim in Brzesko, Kasztelan in Sierpc and Bosman in Szczecin. Together, these have a market share of around 20 %. In addition to numerous beer brands, two of the three most popular mixed drinks, Somersby (mixed beer drinks with fruit juices) and Garage (Alcopos), are also produced under the direction of the Danes.
Lager beer dominates the market, deposit system looms
In total, the three large brewing groups serve more than 80 % of the Polish beer market. The most popular type of beer by far is pale lager. Strong beers, on the other hand, have lost ground significantly
in recent years. Around 90 % of beers are sold through retailers. The proportion of beers sold in the catering trade halved from 15 % to around 8 % during the coronavirus period, but is rising again slightly. At the equivalent of € 23.90 per hectolitre, excise duties on beer in Poland are significantly higher than in many other European countries. According to Nielsen, a liter of beer costs around 6–7 Zloty (approx. € 1.35–1.60) in stores. Cans have a market share of around 40 %, while disposable and returnable bottles are used for glass containers. The current Polish draft law on the new deposit system, which must be implemented from 2025, is currently causing headaches for Polish brewers. According to the Polish Brewers Association, Browary Polski, this would mean that the approximately 700 million returnable glass bottles used today could no longer be used. In addition, a closed-loop system for beverage cans, which are widely used on the market, must be completely redesigned and set up.
While the beer market in Poland has stagnated or even declined over the past five years, alcoholfree beers are a real growth market, especially among younger consumers. Output in this product category rose from 1.1 million hl (2017) to 1.8 million hl (2022) – and the trend remains positive.
Imported beers totaled 1.2 million hl in Poland in 2022, of which 450,000 hl came from the Czech Republic, 270,000 hl from Germany and 120,000 hl from Mexico. Around 4 million hl were exported, mainly to the Netherlands, Italy and Germany. In addition to the established large breweries, a lively craft beer scene has also developed in Poland over the past 15 years. This is reflect-
ed, among other things, in the fact that the number of active breweries has tripled from 86 in 2008 to around 350 in 2021. Even though the pandemic has slowed down this development, pub breweries, craft beer bars and beer festivals have become firmly established in both cities and rural areas.
On a beer excursion in Poland
An excursion by the BerlinBrandenburg section of the German Brewmaster and Maltmaster Association (DBMB) in October 2023 included a visit to one of the large breweries (Lech Browary) and a small pub brewery (Browar Jedlinka) as well as a large maltings (Soufflet).
The Soufflet Polska maltings are located in the west of Poland on the outskirts of Poznan, right next to the Lech brewery. The combination of maltings and brewery was established there in the early 1980s. In 1998, the maltings were taken over by Malteries Soufflet. Since 2021, Soufflet has been part of the French agricultural company InVivo Group. Due to further acquisitions, InVivo is now one of the two largest malting companies in the world
The Poznan site produces around 110,000 tons of malt per year. Most of the barley processed is Polish malting barley, with winter barley accounting for 30 %. The largest customer is the neighboring Lech brewery, but the malt also goes to customers in Germany, Europe and overseas. The malting process takes place in 3 steeps and 8 stainless steel Saladin kilns. The kilns are heated with natural gas. The quality of the raw materials, the process and the malt are analyzed in a modern laboratory. There are 42 employees at the Poznan site. The directly neighboring Piwowaria Lech is the largest brewery in Poland and, as part of Kompania Piwowarska, has belonged to the Japanese Asahi Group since 2017. The brewery shares the site with Soufflet Polska and the premises are directly adjacent to each other. The brewing capacity in Poznan is around 8 million hl, with around 6.4 million hl currently being produced. The brewery has two brewing lines with 580 hl and 680 hl of casting wort. For fermentation and maturation, the brewery has 102 CCTs, most of which have a
capacity of 4000 hl. Conventional filtration is carried out using kieselguhr, followed by PVPP stabilization. The filling of the 16 types of beer and mixed beer beverages takes place on four lines for glass bottles (non-returnable/returnable), two canning lines and one kegging line. The brewery is geared towards efficiency and the factory premises on the outskirts of the city are generously proportioned. The third stop on the DBMB excursion was Browar Jedlinka in the south-west of Poland, not far from the border with the Czech Republic. The company was founded nine years ago and, in addition to a hostel and a restaurant, is part of an old renovated estate. The pub brewery has a 3 hl brewing system from Joh. Albrecht, with which around 1000 hl are brewed annually. The malt comes from Ireks, the hops from HVG, the yeast from Weihenstephan and one of the brewers, Jakub Leda, is has been finishing his degree as a brewmaster in Freising. So it comes as no surprise to visitors that the main types brewed here are pilsner, Märzen, Munich dark and wheat beer. However, the range also includes typical craft beers and the brewery is experimenting with wooden barrel ageing. Idyllically situated in the Owl Mountains, part of the Sudeten Mountains, JB – as the brewery is known for short – thrives on excursionists and tourists who love the area for hiking and cycling. Business is going so well that both the brewery is to be expanded to a 10 hl facility and the hostel is to be extended further.
Poland is an interesting country in terms of its brewing industry. Even though the majority of beer connoisseurs prefer the lean pale lager, creative mixed drinks, specialty and craft beers are very popular. In addition, alcohol-free beers are on the rise. The current widespread problems such as inflation, increasing excise duties and stricter legal requirements for the distribution of alcoholic beverages are hampering growth. For this reason, the medium-term prospects for the Polish beer market, which is comparatively large in Europe, are therefore rather cautiously positive.
Friday, 5 July 2024, Berlin
The ehem. VLBer / Brewers of Berlin and the VLB Berlin invite you to the popular summer party in the courtyard and on the roof terrace of our institute at Seestraße 13 in Berlin-Wedding on Friday, 5 July 2024, from 4 p.m. to midnight (last admission 10 p.m.).
### Pre-registration required! ###
www.vlb-berlin.org/sommerfest2024
VLB Alumni Association for graduates of the Institut für Gärungsgewerbe und Biotechnologie zu Berlin
Professional brewing education in Berlin has a 140-year history. The first „VLB Summer Course“ started in 1888, followed in 1903 by a „Brewing Engineer“ course in cooperation with the Royal Agricultural University of Berlin. In 1925, the first of nearly 100 brewmaster courses was held at the VLB Brewing School. This educational tradition has continued seamlessly to the present day, interrupted only by the war years. Today, with the active support of the VLB, the Technical University of Berlin offers the Bachelor/Master of Science in Brewing and Beverage Technology and the Bachelor of Engineering in Brewing. In addition, the VLB offers numerous training and continuing education programs in the brewing, spirits and beverage industries - both nationally and internationally.
In total, it is estimated that more than 6000 brewers have completed the various training courses in Berlin over the past 140 years, and a large number of other professionals have attended our training seminars.
From the very beginning, there were numerous initiatives to bring together both current and former students of the VLB. These culminated in 1951 in the founding of the Vereinigung ehem. VLBer e.V. (VLB alumni association) as an association of former students under the umbrella of the Institut für Gärungsgewerbe und Biotechnologie zu Berlin (IfGB) in Berlin. Initially based in Dortmund, the ehem. VLBer have been located at the VLB in Berlin since 1975.
In order to better address our international graduates, the name of the association was changed to „Vereinigung ehem. VLBer / Brewers of Berlin“ in 2023.
The purpose of the association is to promote the closer union of all VLB alumni and all other graduates of the brewing and biotechnology-oriented studies in Berlin. In our statutes these goals are defined:
1. the maintenance of relations with the Institute
2. the exchange of experiences and the cultivation of fellowship and social networking
3. the professional networking
4. the promotion of young academics and science
Our members maintain regular contact with each other. District groups organize trips to breweries and lectures. For our international alumni, we organize meetings at international brewing conventions or trade shows around the world. As an annual meeting place for all our members, we support the VLB Summer Party, which attracts hundreds of guests to Seestraße 13 every year in June/July. This is also where our annual General Assembly is usually held.
Since the summer of 2023, our District Group/Chapter Berlin, which emerged from the former Berlin Brewers Guild, has also been in charge of the Guild House on the VLB campus, which has become a popular meeting place for students, friends and alumni of the VLB in recent years.
As we do not publish a separate newsletter, international members receive two copies of the English edition of our journal „Brauerei Forum“ free of charge.
Last but not least, ehem. VLBer also support their alma mater with the purchase of equipment or the modernization of laboratories or lecture halls. In this way, we make an active and continuous contribution to improving the educational conditions at Seestraße 13.
us
Membership does not cost the earth for the individual - but in the aggregate it has a great effect! Our organization is very lean and our board is volunteer.
This means that the income we save through membership fees is almost entirely available for the goals of our association.
Therefore, we ask for your support – become a member!
You will find an application form on the back of this information sheet or at www.vlb-berlin.org/ehemvlber.
We look forward to receiving your application!
Either by filling in the form on the back or online: https://www.vlb-berlin.org/en/ehemvlber/membership
The Chairmen of the Administrative Board Klaus Niemsch and Jan Biering
Vereinigung ehem. VLBer e.V., Seestrasse 13, 13353 Berlin, Germany FON +49 (030) 45080-237 ehemvlber@vlb-berlin.org www.vlb-berlin.org/en/vlb/VLBalumni
Our courses meet the requirements of the German Accreditation and Admission Ordinance (AZAV)
Reg. No. 004007 AZAV
Since its foundation in 1883, VLB has also been a brewing school. VLB supports the regular study programs for brewers at Technische Universität Berlin. Furthermore, it provides continuous training in the field of beer brewing and beverage technology – in German and English. On top, Brewing in a Nutshell is on offer as an on-demand online course.
The VLB’s flagship training course for prospective brewers contains a six-month full-time program providing in-depth understanding of brewing technology with its related major fields of engineering, filling and packaging and quality control. The Certified Brewmaster Course 2025 will be held as a complete classroom event. This means, that the theoretical and practical work will alternate over the six months of the training. The Berlin brewmaster education is focused on a comprehensive, practice-oriented knowledge transfer, on an open dialog with the lecturers and on networking on an international basis.
To receive the VLB Brewmaster Certificate, the graduates have to finish the course and all exams successfully. In addition, they have to prove a minimum of 3 months practical work in a brewery before coming to the VLB. A reasonable group size for practical work guarantees an intensive and individual teaching.
This is a ten-day full-time training course providing up-to-date knowledge in the field of pub and micro brewing. It covers the basics of beer brewing. The lectures will approach topics such as raw materials (water, malt, hops, and yeast), the brewing process, yeast management, fermentation, hygiene, sensory evaluation, basics of quality control as well as economic and legal aspects for starting a pub brewery. The course will be held as an on-site class at VLB Berlin.
Location: Berlin, Germany
Next date:
9 – 20 September 2024
More information: www.vlb-berlin.org/en/ craftbrewing2024
All our trainings take place in our pilot brewery and the highly specialized laboratories
Location: Berlin, Germany
Next date: 6 January – 27 June 2025
More information: www.vlb-berlin.org/en/cbc2025
The 8-day full-time hands-on course provides up-to-date knowledge in the field of malting. It covers the basics of malting technology in theory and practice. The lectures will approach topics such as malting barley and other relevant cereals (botanics, quality, varieties, enzymes a.o.), malting technology (steeping, germination, kilning, special aspects of small-scale malting, equipment) and practical laboratory work (barley and malt analysis, interpretation and assessment of different quality parameters). In addition, the participants will conduct and accompany a complete malting batch in our pilot malting.
Location: Berlin, Germany
Next date: 13 – 20 November 2024
More information: www.vlb-berlin.org/en/ micromalting2024
Applied Microbiology is a oneweek full-time training course providing up-to-date knowledge in the field of practical microbiology with relevance for the brewing and beverage industry. It covers the basics of microbiology, laboratory techniques as well as microbial sampling in theory and practice. The course is conducted in the VLB’s microbiological training laboratory and in our pilot brewery.
Location: Berlin, Germany
Next date: 18 – 22 November 2024
More information: www.vlb-berlin.org/en/ microbiology2024
This on-demand online course covers the basics of beer brewing. It approaches the general principals of the brewing and malting processes, the raw materials as well as filling and packaging in theory. The participant will receive a Certificate of Attendance.
Location: Online on-demand
Next date:
Anytime throughout the year More information: www.vlb-berlin.org/en/bianso
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)
Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Heyer
+ 49 (30) 450 80-139
heyer@ vlb-berlin.org
Dipl.-Ing. Ingo Pankoke
+ 49 (30) 450 80-192
pankoke @ vlb-berlin.org
Dipl.-Ing. Alexander Scharlach
+ 49 (30) 450 80-239
scharlach @ vlb-berlin.org
Logistics
Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Heyer
Returnable Systems and Packaging
Dipl.-Ing. Ingo Pankoke
Truck Database
Dipl.-Ing. Alexander Scharlach
Further Education
Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Heyer
Event Management
Dipl.-Ing. Alexander Scharlach
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
Research Institute for Biotechnology and Water (FIBW)
Dr. Martin Hageböck
+ 49 (30) 450 80-157
m.hageboeck@ 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
Research Institute for Raw Materials and Beverage Analysis (FIRGA)
Dr.-Ing. Nils Rettberg
+ 49 (30) 450 80-106
n.rettberg@vlb-berlin.org
Beverage Analysis
Ludmilla Linke
+ 49 (30) 450 80-100
linke@vlb-berlin.org
Special Analysis and Research
Dr. Sarah Thörner
+ 49 (30) 450 80-250
s.thoerner@ vlb-berlin.org
Spirits Analysis
Christian Schubert
+ 49 (30) 450 80-299
c.schubert@ vlb-berlin.org
Sensory
Patrícia Diniz Fischer
+ 49 (30) 450 80-149
diniz.fischer@ 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
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
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Our next German edition will be released on 5 July 2024
The next international edition will be released on 25 November 2024
Bangkok Brewing Conference 2024 9 to 11 June 2024, Bangkok, Thailand
VLB-Summer Party 2024 5 July 2024, Berlin
General Assembly ehem. VLBer – Brewers of Berlin 5 July 2024, Berlin
14th Iberoamerican VLB Symposium Brewing & Filling Technology 2 to 4 September 2024 Mexico City, Mexico
Workshop "Craft Brewing in Practice" 9 to 20 September 2024, Berlin
VLB October Convention 2024 7/8 October 2024, Berlin
General Assembly VLB Berlin 7 October 2024, Berlin
Workshop „Micro Malting in Practice“ 13 to 20 November 2024, VLB Berlin
Training Applied Microbiology 2024 18 to 22 November 2024, Berlin
Certified Brewmaster Course 2025 6 January to 27 June 2025, Berlin
109 th VLB Brewing & Engineering Conference 2025 25 to 27 March 2025, Kulmbach, Germany
VLB will be exhibiting at upcoming international conventions and trade shows in 2024:
EBC Congress & The Brewers Forum 2024 26 to 30 May 2024, Lille, France
Brasil Brau 2024 11 to 13 June 2024, São Paulo, Brazil
BrauBeviale 2024 26 to 29 November 2024, Nuremberg, Germany
Check
www.vlb-berlin.org/en/events for regular updates