BRAUWELT International | Knowledge for the beverage industry

Market

Fear for beer: The brewing industry in an era of moderation

Fear for beer | A new era of attitudes toward alcohol consumption is clearly on the horizon, with potentially huge implications for the brewing industry.
Raw materials

Implications of low raw protein content in barleys and malts

Statistical considerations | The Chair of Brewing and Beverage Technology at the Technical University of Munich answers the questions that arise from the statistical data of early malting. What are the effects of a low crude protein content in barley and malt?
Fermentation/Maturation

Microbial dynamics and beer flavour evolution in wood-matured beer

Decoding barrel ageing | Fermented beers aged in barrels develop complex flavors. To improve consistency, a lab-scale system was developed to study microbial communities and beer chemistry during ageing.

Raw materials

Intensive hop aroma – a master achievement with many variables

Hop constituents | Modern beers, especially juicy and hazy IPAs, are distinguished by their intensive aroma of hops. Reproducing these so that they are consistent in taste and quality is a feat of achievement as regards brewing technology that requires immense effort, skill and expertise. Not only must the equipment configuration and choice of hop varieties and products be considered here but also diverse hopping parameters, such as timing, temperature, contact duration and circulation.

Raw materials

Dry hopping and turbidity

Quantity and timing | There are many different categories of beer on today’s global beer market, and consumers have certain expectations when they choose a particular type. Most dry-hopped beers are top-fermented e.g. (New England) India Pale Ales, and a certain turbidity is an essential part of these beers’ character. To investigate how haze is affected by dry hopping, a study was conducted to evaluate the influence of pellet quantity and the time of dosage in the cold side of the brewing process.

Fermentation/Maturation

Influence of storage on hop-accentuated, top-fermented beers (Part 2)

Raising long-term stability | Part 1 of this two-part series of articles (BRAUWELT International no. 2 2025, pp. 82–86) compared stability of top-fermented, hop accentuated beers and a Pilsener beer. Part 1 also underlined the vital role of esters influenced by hops. Product development, selection of raw materials or production techniques (selection of hop variety, variety mixes, hopping technology etc.) can be a first step towards product stability. This second part of the contribution provides an outlook on which type of stabilisation can be used to reduce any negative changes prior to consumption as far as possible.

The Americas

Fever-Tree and Molson Coors to split cost of US tariffs

USA | Tonic maker Fever-Tree Drinks said on 5 June it would equally split costs of the 10 percent tariff to be imposed on UK imports to the US with brewer Molson Coors. This shall mitigate the short-term impact.

Europe/Russia

Western firms’ direct losses in Russia estimated at over USD 167 billion

Russia | Prior to the Ukraine war, Russia was a key market for many multinational firms. Due to sanctions, ethical concerns, and operational challenges, more than 1300 companies have reduced or ceased their operations. By March 2025, 475 companies had fully exited.

Current issue

BRAUWELT International 3

Editorial
Table of contents

placeholder img 01 — Image galleries
EBC Symposium 2025

BRAUWELT on tour

drinktec

15 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

People and Positions

Petr Košin new chairman of EBC Brewing Science Group

Brussels | At the recent 14th Technical Meeting of the EBC Brewing Science Group, held 20–22 May in Budapest, members were asked to approve the successor to Gert De Rouck, the director of the brewing pilot plants at KU Leuven (Technologiecampus Gent). Gert De Rouck had become the chairman in 2019 and the end of his term of office necessitated the search for a replacement chair. This was forthcoming in the person of Petr Košin, the production director at Budweiser Budvar, based at České Budějovice, Czech Republic, a national brewery run and supported by the Czech state.

Previews

drinktec 2025 - Close to the customer

Munich | A press conference at the Lindenkeller in Freising on June 3, 2025, almost exactly 100 days before the opening of this year's drinktec, marked the end of the roadshow organized by trade fair organizer Yontex to promote the trade fair highlight of the year worldwide. The drinktec Roadshow is a tried-and-tested format for discussing the current market situation with multipliers from the global markets.

Company news

Proof of sustainability

Companies increasingly have a responsibility to operate sustainably. They are disclosing their carbon footprint and showing how they intend to specifically reduce their emissions. Ziemann Holvrieka is now using a tool to record environmentally relevant data. Plant operators in breweries can use it to document the carbon footprint of their new tanks.

People and Positions

Management change at VLB

Berlin | The Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB) e.V. is initiating a significant generational change: After more than two decades of dedicated service as VLB Managing Director, Dr. Josef Fontaine will hand over the position in October 2025. His successor will be Dr. Björn Klotzbücher, who will take up his position at the VLB on 1 July 1 2025.

Previews

Keg Champion Awards 2025

Toasting sustainability | The Steel Keg Association is once again toasting sustainability with its annual Keg Champion Awards. As part of drinktec 2025, the Keg Champions 2025 will be honoured - for the second time in Europe. We talked with Alexander Brand, Chairman of the Steel Keg Association, about the awards, the impact of returnable steel kegs, and how you can help celebrate those who are making a difference – one keg at a time.

Packaging

KHS and Husky develop very light PET bottle for still beverages

New benchmark | Under the working title of Factor 101, KHS, in close cooperation with Canadian-based injection molding technology equipment and services provider Husky Technologies, has produced a container that uses just 5.89 grams of material to hold 591 milliliters of product. This is equivalent to the 20-ounce size common in the United States.

News from institutes and associations

Christian Weber elected president of the Brewers of Europe

Warsaw | On Tuesday, 13 May 2025, the Brewers of Europe’s General Assembly elected Mr Christian Weber, CEO of the Karlsberg brewery and current president of the German Brewers’ Association (Deutscher Brauer-Bund), as its new president.

Raw materials

Spring barley report 2025: Good sowing conditions; area almost unchanged

Europe | The sowing conditions for spring barley in Europe have generally been described as very good this year. Due to the dry conditions, sowing could also be carried out relatively early. Rainfall is now lacking in most regions, which jeopardizes further good growth.