BRAUWELT International 2-2025

You know, dear readers, it would certainly be nice if every once in a while we could get together over a pint or two. To paraphrase the Bard: Good company, good beer, good welcome can make good people. We would probably be discussing the latest in the brewing and beverage industry. Among the topics we might mull over would be current events and trends as well as market novelties and technical innovations, perhaps even some of the intermittent unpleasantries that may have popped up in our day-to-day professional lives.

Maturation – Well, it’s too bad it doesn’t often happen that we have the opportunity to gather around a table with our readership just to talk over a few beers. This very thing, in fact, was the topic of conversation on a hot summer’s day in 2024, to be precise, in the beer garden at the Weihenstephan. I happened to be at the table with Nancy and Christopher McGreger, and after some thought and discussion, we decided then and there that it’d be worth pursuing just such an idea. So, in this issue, a new column will be launched. In our print and online editions, the two of them will address current trends and explore a range of practice-oriented themes. Even better: You will be able to actively participate! Read more about it on p. 75.

What will we discuss at the Magpie & Marten? – One topic would certainly be the consequences of climate change on our raw materials, a keyword being the rising gelatinization temperatures in barley. At TU München, researchers have been looking for a rapid method to identify individual lots of malt with gelatinization temperatures at critical levels. Read more about what they have accomplished on p. 71.

We would, of course, chat about current trends – Over the past few decades, the food and beverage markets have undergone significant transformation, with consumers increasingly prioritizing product quality, transparency, and health benefits. Alcohol consumption has declined. At the same time, products made using natural ingredients, free of synthetic additives (known as clean-label items), are now highly sought after. Kombucha, a fermented beverage made with tea, illustrates this shift. While the production process is straightforward, consistently achieving the same flavor and quality remains a challenge. An article on p. 99 deals with this topic.

But let’s stick to beer! – One method for satisfying the thirst for non-alcoholic beer is to employ alternative yeasts. The primary objective of a project at the Research Center Weihenstephan has been to produce Weissbier with a characteristic Bavarian wheat beer aroma but without the typical sensory shortcomings of a non-alcoholic beer. The results can be found on p. 90.

There is still so much to talk about! – You will find some of it in this issue of BRAUWELT International. Why not visit us at the end of April in Indianapolis at the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America? We will be at stand #4122. A titillating foretaste of the excitement awaiting you at this year’s CBC can be found on p. 94.

Authors

• Lydia Junkersfeld