“What is different now?”

Achieving growth in a saturated market – this is a lofty ambition all companies hold, not only those in Germany but also those in the international beer and beverage sector. Companies looking for support in this endeavor will find it in a small but exclusive consulting firm, founded in 2009 by two managers from the industry. The fact that brewing and beverage companies often do not typically seek such management consulting services should not be seen as a deterrent, but rather as an opportunity. After all, it is clear that the need exists…

Celebrating diversity

“Celebrating Diversity of Beers and Beer Styles” was the motto which attracted many attendees to the International Malting and Brewing Symposium ‘12th Trends in Brewing’ in Ghent, Belgium. The symposium, held from April 3rd to 7th 2016, was jointly organized by the KU Leuven, the TU Berlin and the University of Nottingham. The explicit goal of the Trends in Brewing is to bring brewing scientists and brewers together, and this concept has long proven successful. With fifty percent of the attendees hailing from 23 different countries, the conference has become a well-established event on the calendar of the international brewing industry.

500 years of Beer Purity Law

On 23 April 2016 the 500th anniversary of the proclamation of what has become known the world over as the Purity Law Decree was celebrated. When brewing beer in accordance with the German Purity Law, only barley malt, water, hops and yeast may be used. On the penultimate weekend in April, this was the occasion of a large celebration in Ingolstadt, Upper Bavaria, where the Purity Law Decree was first proclaimed. Almost 900 master brewers came from all parts of Germany and even from Europe and beyond.

Service as the primary focus

“Novel conditions lead to adaptations in one’s own structures.” This was the conclusion of an interview held at the BrauBeviale in mid-November 2015 in Nuremberg with Joachim Gehde and Pascal Piroué, the managing directors of Simon H. Steiner Hopfen, which is based in Mainburg. The new investments in Spain and France were the primary topic of conversation.

“The 'regulars' call and everyone comes”

In keeping with tradition, Gerhard Ilgenfritz, President of the Association of Private Breweries in Bavaria (Private Brauereien Bayern [EV]), opened the BrauBeviale on the first day of the trade fair, November 10th 2015 in Nuremberg. Members of the public, including numerous honorary guests from the arenas of politics, culture and trade, listened to his welcome speech describing the challenges of 2015, the ongoing craft beer boom and a preliminary look at the upcoming celebrations for the 500th anniversary of the Reinheitsgebot.

Everybody starts small

In 2012, the VLB Berlin launched the European MicroBrew Symposium at the BrauBeviale in Nuremberg, and it has been held there every year since. The first time the event was held it might have still been considered a small get-together with 70 in attendance, but not anymore. ‘Micro’ would now be a poor term for describing the event itself, though it does involve topics concerning microbreweries.

Sunshine in Florida

The 2015 Annual Meeting of the MBAA took place in Jacksonville, Florida, from 8-10 October 2015. In addition to numerous scientific presentations and contributions from the industry, the program included various workshops and a well-attended trade exhibition. New engineering developments and scientific research results as well as new insights into raw materials were also presented. The opening speech about health effects of beer reflected an important aspect in times of rising importance of nutritional awareness.

The business of malting: traditional, yet modern

Bestmalz® AG, a family business based in Heidelberg, believes in preserving malting traditions and at the same time openly embraces current trends in the global beer market. The growing market share for specialty beers, fueled by the consumer desire for diversity and the willingness to pay for quality, offers a myriad of opportunities. Dr. Axel Goehler-Broistedt provided deeper insight into this phenomenon in his conversation with BRAUWELT International.

Trends in Brewing targets practical relevance

1990 marked the inception of Trends in Brewing, and from April 3rd to 7th 2016, the symposium will take place in the Belgian city of Ghent for the 12th time. Since 1990, a lot has changed. In 2010 at the 9th Trends in Brewing, one of the most visible signs of change occurred, namely, the international focus of the symposium. This is partly due to the initiative of Prof. Guido Aerts, who will host the three-day symposium in 2016 for the last time as Chairman. BRAUWELT International spoke with Prof. Guido Aerts, Dr. Jessika De Clippeleer and Dr. Luc De Cooman from the Organizing Committee about the upcoming ‘Trends’.

Believers in better beer

Is this real? By posting photos of her outfits and attracting over 4 million followers, Chiara Ferragni, the 27-year-old Italian fashion and lifestyle blogger behind TheBlondeSalad.com, by the end of 2015 will have pulled in upwards of USD 9 million in revenue. In contrast, beer bloggers are self-exploiting paupers. Only a few have found a way to make money from their online activities. But if brewers think that bloggers are irrelevant to their business, they should think again.

The sixth Ibero-American VLB Symposium

One can really get around in the world following VLB Berlin to their respective seminars and symposia. In the spring they were in Dresden, the metropolis on the Elbe, and then Bangkok in June. After that, from September 21st to 23rd, VLB was off to Campinas, Brazil, about an hour’s drive from São Paulo. Despite the venue being somewhat off the beaten path, the sixth Ibero-American Symposium VLB was again very well attended. The number of participants attending the conference totaled 225. The Berliners were supported by Ambev, Brasil Kirin, Heineken and Grupo Petropolis, whose production sites in the region were open to visitors during the session.