Still open | The call for abstracts for both poster and oral presentations for the 38th EBC congress (to be held 29 May to 2 June 2022, at IFEMA / Madrid) will remain open until 24 October 2021.

End of registration | A total of 2395 beers are competing in the European Beer Star 2021, one of the most important beer competitions worldwide. The number of beers entered is 17% higher than in 2020 and mirrors the upward trend of the brewing industry. An international jury of experts will judge the submitted beers in a blind tasting at the beginning of November. Only one award each in gold, silver and bronze will be presented in a total of 71 categories. The winning beers of the European Beer Star will receive their awards on November 9 in Nuremberg.

Online only | Finally, and after weighing the situation of the pandemic and mobility limitations, especially in Latin America, VLB Berlin has decided to hold the 11th Ibero-American Symposium in digital format.

International competition | Registration is now open for the 2021 edition of The Brussels Beer Challenge. The Brussels Beer Challenge is an annual international beer competition and a platform for international brewers to network and actively promote their product. In addition, the competition aims at supporting international beer culture.

Anniversary | It has been 20 years since Siebel Institute and Doemens Academy began their collaboration with the vision to offer students a unique international educational experience.

The future of malting | It can be hard to keep up with the speed of change in the beverage industry: satisfying the ever-more discerning tastes of consumers while also meeting sustainability requirements. To bring customers up-to-date on the industry developments and innovations, multinational plant equipment manufacturer Bühler is hosting its very first online only Future of Malting Symposium on 15 September 2021.

Every crisis also contains an opportunity - With this statement, the VLB has implemented their online events over the past year. Due to current circumstances related to the pandemic, VLB has taken this opportunity and is launching, among other events, the 2nd Africa Brewing Conference (ABC), where participants from all over the world, but especially from the African continent, will attend at the virtual Campus of the VLB Berlin from 24 to 26 August 2021.

Round tables | When in February the news that drinktec was to be postponed until 2022 hit home, the industry’s first reaction was “And what about BrauBeviale?” We speak to Andrea Kalrait, executive director of BrauBeviale, about this difficult situation and find out which solution she and her BrauBeviale team are working on together with exhibitors.

International family gathering | European Beer Star awards have been presented for 17 years now – time to look back to the very beginning. How has the beer competition changed since 2004? What has stayed constant at European Beer Star? And where is it heading?
When you take a look at the pictures from the very first European Beer Star competition in 2004, it’s like looking at baby photos.

In the spring of 1996, the Brewers Association (then the Association of Brewers) staged an unprecedented international beer competition. Twenty-five judges from five countries evaluated 600 beers at a standalone event in Vail, Colo. Winners of the first World Beer Cup were announced in 60 beer style categories and the pioneering international competition was on its way.