Hop research | In December 2023, the latest Hop Special was published in the BrewingScience Newsletter, this time sponsored by BarthHaas. The scientific online-journal BrewingScience features peer-reviewed scientific papers with impact on the brewing industry. The brief article abstracts below provide a good initial overview of the content.

Long-term partners | In December 2023, Carlsberg and Liverpool FC have extended their existing long-term partnership for another ten years. The inking of this agreement will bring the partnership to an incredible 42 years, and reiterates its standing as the longest partnership in Premier League and club history.

Bühler AG | Bühler’s Energy Recovery Center (ERC), built in partnership with Belgium company Vyncke, is fully operational and ready for customer trials. Officially opened on 20 November 2023, the facility provides heating for Bühler offices in Uzwil by using biomass generated at its application and training centers. Moreover, the Energy Recovery Center, the world’s only application center of this kind and size, works as a platform for customers to explore the potential of using side streams through energy recovery, which can lead to the reduction of their carbon footprint, waste, and energy costs.

Sponsorship | BarthHaas, the international hop specialist, has awarded one of the 2023 BarthHaas Grants for scientific advancement to Dr. Nils Rettberg and Florian Schrickel of the Research Institute for Raw Materials and Beverage Analytics at the Research and Teaching Institute for Brewing in Berlin (VLB). This year’s other grant recipients are Guillaume Willemart and Prof. Sonia Collin who are both research scientists at the Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST) of the Catholic University of Louvain in the Belgian city of Louvain-la-Neuve.

Krones AG, Neutraubling | The Krones Group has chosen to cease its activities in the field of digital container decoration by the end of this year. Although the group’s subsidiary Dekron GmbH has machines successfully up and running at various customers, this decision is the result of a careful review of the business strategy and the current market situation.

Training for customers | Swiss technology group Bühler unveils its new food innovation hub in Uzwil, Switzerland, bringing together a diverse range of capabilities into a single location and setting a new stage for product and process development.

Winner's podium | The 21st World Beverage Innovation Awards were held at BrauBeviale in Nuremberg this week, celebrating the best innovations in the beverage industry.

Graz | International technology group Andritz opened a new test and research center for the food and feed industry in Waddinxveen, The Netherlands. The Food Innovation Xperience center will be the development and technology hub where customers and Andritz experts team up to turn visions into reality.

Krones AG | After a successful first half of the year, the third quarter of 2023 also went well for Krones. Although the overall economic outlook has clouded over, the company’s international customers in the food and beverage industry continue to show high levels of market activity and willingness to invest. This reflects the fact that demand for packaged beverages is robust to economic cycles and continues to grow at a steady rate.