BFBi No & Low Beverage Seminar 2026 – Full programme announced

United Kingdom | BFBi has announced the full programme for its No & Production Seminar 2026, taking place on 14–15 October at Holywell Park Conference Centre, Loughborough. The event will focus on the practical production challenges behind successful low- and no-alcohol product development, from alcohol control and trace measurement through to flavour retention, fermentation management, dealcoholisation, functional ingredients, process engineering and hygiene.

The programme begins with an informal networking dinner on 14 October, followed by a full day of technical presentations, discussion and supplier networking on 15 October. Diversey has been confirmed as headline sponsor, and BFBi has also partnered with the Chartered Institute of Brewers and Distillers (CIBD), strengthening the event's connection with professional brewing, distilling and allied drinks networks.

The conference will open with a cross-sector panel, "No & Low Across the Drinks Sector: Trends, Challenges and Market Momentum", setting the scene for a day focused on the technical and commercial realities of producing high-quality no and low beverages.

The full technical programme includes the following contributions:

• Lallemand – Andrew Paterson: “Low alcohol by biological methods”, exploring how yeast selection, fermentation design, process control and flavour management influence biological low-alcohol beer production;
• Murphy & Son – Tom Evans: “All the Flavour, None of the Buzz: Enzymes Rewriting NoLo Beer Design”, looking at how enzymes can support body, flavour and quality in no and low beer development.
• Krones – Julius Langosch: “Poseidon – dynamic fermentation for No- and low-alcoholic Beer”, examining production approaches for 0.0% and low-alcohol beer and the importance of process design.
• Briggs of Burton – Andrew Mieleniewski: “Things can only get better - Producing Lo-No alcohol beers using RO”, covering reverse osmosis and the development of improved dealcoholisation outcomes.
• Charles Faram – Flo Vialan: “No/Low Beer & Functional Innovation”, exploring how no and low beer is moving from niche to mainstream through hop, flavour and functional ingredient innovation.
• BarthHaas – Josh McMillan: “Rethinking NA Brewing: Using Advanced Hop Solutions to Create Better-Tasting Non-Alcoholic Beer”, focusing on how advanced hop solutions can help address flavour and aroma challenges in non-alcoholic beer.
• BBT Consultancy – Dr Daniel Kerruish: “Replicating Non-Alcoholic Versions of Established Alcoholic Mother Brands”, considering the sensory, formulation and production challenges involved in creating no and low versions of existing brands.
• Anton Paar – Steve Vincent: “Reliable Methods for Alcohol Determination at Trace Levels”, addressing the analytical demands created by the rapid growth of the low- and no-alcohol beverage sector.
• Diversey – headline sponsor session on CIP and hygiene considerations for no and low beverage production.

Technical topics for the wider drinks industry

Although several sessions will draw on beer and brewing case studies, the technical themes are relevant across the wider drinks industry. Alcohol control, sensory quality, flavour recovery, fermentation management, process validation, equipment selection, hygiene and quality assurance are shared challenges for brewers, winemakers, cider makers, distillers and producers developing alcohol-free or reduced-alcohol drinks.

BFBi said: "No and low is no longer a single-category conversation. Brewers, winemakers, cider makers and distillers are all having to understand the same core issues: alcohol control, flavour retention, process choice, hygiene, quality assurance and commercial scalability. This conference has been designed to bring those conversations together in one practical, production-led forum."

The event will also provide networking opportunities for manufacturers, suppliers, technical specialists and service providers involved in no and low beverage development.

Early bird tickets are available until 31 July.

Further information and booking details are available via the BFBi event page at www.bfbi.org.uk/myevents/bfbi-no-low-beverage-conference-2026.