Brauerei Forum International 5/2020

BRAUEREI

FORUM

Technical Periodical for Breweries, Malt Houses, the Beverage Industry and Partners

No 5 – International VLB Edition I/2020 | 29 May 2020 | ISSN 0179-2466

 Pure yeast and starter cultures for

different types of beer

 Assessment of brewing cereals and

beverage recipes on a small-scale basis

 Japanese beer history – part 1  Research at VLB – an overview

www.brauerei-forum.de Information Service of Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin – Germany

BarthHaas Campus Place of inspiration for your beer stories

Y R E EV ER BE

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L L E T TORY AS Find hops, knowlegde and boost for your new flavor creations! www.barthhaas.com

VLB LABOTECH – YOUR EXPERT FOR LABORATORY EQUIPMENT Laboratory equipment to analyse raw materials, intermediate and finished products

Symposium for craft and as well as by-products formicro brewers from Germany & European countries 7 November 2016, Nuremberg, Germany + the brewing and malting

industry

+ producers of soft drinks + distillers

+ the spirits industry VLB LaboTech GmbH, Seestrasse 13, 13353 Berlin – Germany Phone: +49 30 450 80-220, Fax: +49 30 453 55 17 labotech@vlb-berlin.org

www.vlb-berlin.org/labotech

CONTENT

 VLB BERLIN INSIDE 4 VLB Berlin – an international competence center for the brewing, malting and beverage industry 6 The VLB in the COVID-19 crisis – a status report 8 Demolition of the old VLB university brewery completed

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9 Intermalt from Vietnam became new VLB member

One of the smallest fully automated brewing plants is situated in the Wilfried Rinke Technical Center at VLB. Related to this "nano brewery", VLB offers special services for its customers

 RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 10 Assessment of brewing cereals and beverage recipes on a small-scale basis 13 Pure yeast and starter cultures for different types of beer 14 VLB October Convention: “Ongoing research” – an information session turns into the VLB science slam 17 VLB Textbooks 2020

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 MARKETS 18 History: Japan – a beer-loving nation, part one: From the opening of the country in 1860 to the trends of the 1980s 21 Interview with Shintaro Hamachi: “Back in Japan I will brew Pilsner beer”

Not many people think of Japan as a beerculture nation. But the truth is: Beer has always played a major role in this East Asian country. And above all, the Japanese craft beer scene is gaining in importance

 TRAINING & EVENTS 22 Check your expert knowledge!

24 37 students of the Certified Brewmaster Course defy Corona

WE BREW FOR THE BEERS OF THE WORLD

26 VLB course offerings 2020

 OTHER Roasted Malt Beers Malt Extracts Beer Concentrate

27 Imprint / VLB institutes and departments – Contacts 28 VLB international events 2020/2021

editor@brauerei-forum.de

Brewing Syrups C a r a m e l Liquid Sugar ASPERA BRAUEREI RIESE GMBH 45478 Muelheim-Ruhr, Germany Phone +49 208 58 89 80 / aspera@aspera-riese.de www.aspera.de

Cover: Agar slants / photo: ew

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

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VLB INSIDE

VLB Berlin – an international competence center for the brewing, malting and beverage industry Based in Germany, the VLB Berlin is one of the internationally leading independent competence centers for application-oriented research, training and services for the brewing and beverage industry since 1883.

OUR ORGANISATION Members Voting Members a) Breweries/brewing groups and beverages manufactures b) Maltings

Nonvoting Members (“Supporting Members”) all natural and legal persons and entities of the economy, the state and science

annually

Genereal Meeting Business Management Committee Chairman: Gerhard Theis

President: Ulrich Rust

elects

elects (every 4 years)

Technical Scientific Committee Chairman: Dr. Stefan Kreisz

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Further education certified according to AZAV

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Lectureship Beuth Hochschule für Technik Berlin

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Accredited fields according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025

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Lectureship Technische Universität Berlin

Administrative Board appoints (up to 5 years)

Managing Directors Dr.-Ing. Josef Fontaine (CEO) Gerhard Andreas Schreiber (CFO)

Office / Member Support

Quality Management Jens Strohmeyer Dr. Martin Hageböck

Marion Preißler

Accounting / Human Resources / Research Coordination / Transfer

Facility Management Information Technology

Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production (FIBGP) 4

Research Institute for Biotechnology and Water (FIBW) 2, 4

Research Institute for Instrumental Beer and Beverage Analysis (FIBGA) 4

Research Institute for Raw Materials (FIR)

Research Institute for Management and Beverage Logistics (FIM)

Dr.-Ing. Roland Pahl

Dr.-Ing. Katrin Schreiber

Dr.-Ing. Nils Rettberg

Henrike Vorwerk

Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Heyer

FIELDS OF WORK

FIELDS OF WORK

FIELDS OF WORK

FIELDS OF WORK

FIELDS OF WORK

• Production Technology

• Analytical Laboratory (incl. sampling) 3

• Central Laboratory 3

• Service Plant Breeder • Analytical Laboratory 3

• Beverage Logistics, Load Safety

• Biological Laboratory and Microbiology 3

• Special Analysis 3 • Analysis of Spirits 3

• Pilot Malting 3

• Water Quality, Management and Technology

• Sensory Analysis³

• Variety Identification 3

• Research RFID, Supply Chain Sensor Check

• Education and Training1

• Residue Analysis 3

• Truck FIN Database

• Bioprocess Technology and Applied Microbiology

• Service Plant Breeder

• Education and Training1

• Education and Training1

• Special Analysis

• Brewing Technology • Pilot Brewery • Filling and Packaging • Technology • Beverage Technology • Testing Laboratory for Packaging 3

• DNA Technology

• Education and Training1

• Education and Training1

DEPARTMENTS

4

PR and Publishing Department

Further Education1/ Event Management

Dipl.-Ing. Olaf Hendel

Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Heyer

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

VLB Labo Tech GmbH

Axel Simon Library Michaela Knör

Event Management Spirits (IfGB)1 Wiebke Künnemann

SafSour LP 652 TM

and training programs. VLB provides up-to-date analysis, customer-oriented services, competent consulting and practice-oriented further education. The high standards of education are insured by the utilization of modern technical equipment as well as a highly motivated and well qualified staff. VLB supports a continuous knowledge transfer from its research and consultancy into education and training courses. As organizer of national and international conventions, VLB provides a Photo: oh

(BF) The Versuchs- und Lehr­ anstalt fßr Brauerei in Berlin VLB (Research and Teaching Institute for Brewing in Berlin) is a private institute that was founded in 1883. Originally the institute focused on the brewing and malting industry, today the VLB also works in the fields of non-alcoholic beverages, water, spirits and applied biotechnology. Around 135 persons work in the fields of research, teaching, service and information.

The mission of the VLB is to promote science and educa-

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The new building of the VLB in Berlin-Wedding tion in the fields of biotechnology, brewing and the beverage industry. Close partnerships with its members, the exchange of current information in its Technical Scientific and Business Management Committees as well as the proximity to its customers guarantee that all services are anchored in practical experience.

As a "Registered Association" VLB is an independent institute, which cooperates with Berlin University of Technology in the field of brewing science and has a very close network with the national and international brewing and related industry. Currently, VLB is supported by 370 members worldwide. In Asia companies like Boon Rawd (Thailand), Lao Brewery (PR Lao), Kals (India), SABECO (Vietnam), or Intermalt (Vietnam) take advantage of VLB's services

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platform for an interdisciplinary, cross-company exchange of information.

VLB works along the complete supply chain of beer and beverage production, starting from the raw materials, production processes, filling/packaging, quality assurance up to the logistics. Application-oriented research is conducted in 5 specialised research institutes which cover brewing technology, raw materials, engineering, water and waste water, packaging, flavour research, microbiology, genetics, analysis, logistics, applied biotechnology and more.

At the interface of research, teaching and industrial practice VLB is continually developing its expertise, so as to cater to needs of its international clientele and the ever changing brewing and beverage industry worldwide.

SafBrew LA-01 TM

Two new fermentation solutions for your Sour and low-alcoholic beers.

Discover more on www.fermentis.com

VLB INSIDE

 VLB NEWS

The VLB in the COVID-19 crisis – a status report While the COVID-19 crisis has so far not been as severe in Germany as it has been in other European countries, the pandemic also has had a significant impact on the VLB. It has been possible to maintain business operations with some restrictions so as to comply with all legal requirements and precautionary measures. While laboratory operations, sales of yeast, laboratory equipment and books have not been affected so far, the national and international conference business of VLB in particular has come to a complete standstill since the beginning of March.

A solitary classroom?

No, the course participants are connected to the lecture via video conference system

(oh) “Our primary goal is to keep the effects of the pandemic manageable by taking appropriate measures and to ensure that the VLB remains secure and stable in the future. Under the given circumstances, however, it remains a real challenge,” says Gerhard Andreas Schreiber, Chief Financial Officer of VLB Berlin. A large number of employees have been requested to work from home to insure smooth operation of the VLB's core areas of business.

Appropriate hygiene guidelines have been issued for the workforce on-site, business trips have

been cancelled, public business inside the VLB building has been restricted and a pandemic crisis team has been set up. In addition, application for financial support was submitted to the Berlin Senate. The official classification of the VLB laboratories and testing facilities as part of the critical infrastructure (KRITIS) was applied for.

Laboratory operations continue VLB’s contract laboratories for analysis of cereals, hops, beer, beverages, intermediates, water and spirits as well as testing of

packaging continue to function – of course in accordance with the official regulations and in compliance with all necessary precautionary measures for employees and customers. “We try to reduce personal contacts and thus keep the infection risk for the staff as low as possible,” says Dr. Nils Rettberg, head of the VLB Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Analysis. “The demand on our analytical services has been affected just slightly by the pandemic so far,” he adds.

Shipping laboratory items, books, yeasts and consultancy Orders for pure yeast cultures from the VLB strain collections and microbiological nutrient media are being processed and delivered.

The subsidiary VLB Labo Tech also processes all incoming orders for laboratory articles and textbooks.

The Wilfried Rinke Brewing Center is also in operation and prepared for conducting project work. In addition, ongoing research projects will continue.

Due to the restrictions on national and international business trips, technological consultancy and on-site training courses are only possible by phone or video conference until further notice.

Numerous VLB conferences cancelled or postponed While the analytics and sales activities of VLB were less affected, the crisis had a significant impact

Photo: oh

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Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

on the conference business. The preparations for the 107th Brewing and Engineering Conference, which was originally scheduled from March 9 to 11 in Leipzig, Germany, were largely completed, an attractive lecture and by-program awaited the more than 300 registered participants and 25 exhibitors. In February the first major trade fairs were cancelled in Germany due to the spread of the Corona virus. In this environment, an intensive discussion ensued at the VLB, to determine how to cope with the crisis. VLB's management and the Administrative Board agreed that the top priority was to protect conference participants and member companies from infection and quarantine risks. As a consequence, the VLB Brewing and Engineering Conference in March was cancelled and postponed to October 26 to 28, 2020.

In the further course of March and April, the situation worsened very quickly: Due to massive local and global travelling and contact restrictions, almost all national and international conferences organ-

ized by VLB had to be cancelled.

This included, among others, the VLB Logistics Congress, the 6th BioProScale Symposium and the brewing symposia in Spain and Mozambique.

“The Covid-19 pandemic had a serious impact on our conferences this year. We had already put a lot of work into the projects and looked forward to interesting events. In order to adjust this area of business, we are currently working on concepts to supplement our on-site events with online offers in the future,” says VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine.

Switching to online training Due to official regulations, VLB had to shut down all teaching activities on-site in mid of March. This affected especially the international Certified Brewmaster Course, which started in January with 37 participants from 23 countries as an on-site training course in Berlin.

In order to bridge the downtime, all lectures for this course were switched to a video conferencing system to prevent the participants

from losing time due to contact restrictions. At the end of April the official regulations for Berlin were eased, however online teaching continued: “We have converted the timetable of the Certified Brewmaster Course at short notice.

All lectures will be held online in the coming weeks. The practical work in our laboratories and in our brewery technical center will follow in June and July,” explains course instructor Burghard Meyer.

“By quickly switching to online learning, we want to enable our participants to continue the course,” says VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine. “In addition, we are currently in the process of moving some of our seminars and events to an online platform and we will permanently be expanding this segment.”

As a first result, the workshop “Micro Malting in Practice” was converted into an online course and conducted successfully in May. Other courses, e.g. “Craft Brewing Online”, will follow.

Check www.vlb-berlin.org/en for regular updates.

Peter Johannes Richard Barth *22 Febr uar y 1936 – †18 April 2020

BarthHaas® and the BARTH-HAAS GROUP mourn the loss of Peter Barth who has died in Röthenbach-Rockenbrunn at the age of 84.

Peter Barth lived for hops and for Joh. Barth & Sohn. With the death of Peter Barth, our companies have lost a creative, far-sighted and persevering entrepreneur with a profound knowledge of the hop market and the needs of brewers and hop growers alike.

Peter Barth was a driving force for change, always in search of innovations and improvements that would be of use not only to the company but also to the hop industry.

In this, his exceptional instinct for the market and for people stood him in good stead.

BarthHaas®, the companies in the BarthHaas® Group and their employees owe Peter Barth a great deal and will always remember him fondly.

Nuremberg, April 2020 BarthHaas® GmbH & Co. KG BarthHaas® Gruppe The management and employees

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

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VLB INSIDE

Demolition of the old VLB university brewery completed In January, the demolition of the old cellar building of the former Hochschul Brauerei (university brewery) of VLB Berlin was completed. After four months of work, this more than 8000 sqm section of the site is waiting for further construction work on behalf of TU Berlin and Charité.

(oh) As already reported in Brauerei Forum International (BF 11/2019, p.

23), a piece of Berlin's brewery history has come to an end. From the former university brewery of VLB Berlin (active from 1891 to 1981), only the old brew­house and parts of the malthouse are still standing.

The neighbouring German Heart Center extensively renovated the brewhouse building in 1999 and has been using in it ever since. The old malthouse, recently renamed the "Ulf Stahl Center for Biotechnology", houses not only some VLB departments but also the „Preussische Spirituosen Manufaktur“ (Prussian Spirits Manufacture). In the course of the reorganization of the use of the premises at Seestrasse 13, the north-eastern area of the property had been transferred to the use of Charité and TU Berlin (refer to Brauerei Forum BF 3/2019, p. 6). With the demolition of the cellar building, the construction site is now ready

Photos: oh

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The view from the balcony of the new VLB building to the construction site

for the two research buildings, that have already been approved and planned, namely "Berlin Centre for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT)" of Charité as well as "Simulated Man", which is a joint project of Charité and TU Berlin. Both buildings are scheduled to be completed in 2023.

The new VLB institute building (l.), the old brewhouse is situated in the middle

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

The old cellar building was built around 1890 and extended in 1908. The three-storey building with cellar vaults housed the fermentation and storage cellar as well as the bottle and barrel filling of the VLB university brewery at Seestrasse 13 in Berlin-Wedding. Badly damaged in bombing raids in 1943, the building was rebuilt in the mid1950s and was also home to the student brewery, which was used jointly by VLB and TU Berlin for many years until 2017.

Intermalt from Vietnam became new VLB member The Vietnamese malting company Intermalt, based at the Port of Cai Mep in Ba Ria in the southern province of Vung Tau, became member of the international network of VLB Berlin in October 2019. The successful young company was founded in 2017 and has a production capacity of currently around 100 000 t of malt per year. (ew) The VLB network in Vietnam is growing: Sabeco started in 2013 – back then, the country’s biggest brewery became VLB member. And after the Saigon-Kien Giang Brewery (brand name KGB) from Vietnam entered the VLB family in January 2019, the Vietnamese company Intermalt followed in October 2019.

No surprisingly, since the country has around 96 million inhabitants and is meanwhile an economic growth driver in the Southeast Asian region. Beer is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in Vietnam with an outstanding number of local brands. Thus, it is not surprising that the brewing and malting industry plays an important role, resulting in a close connection between the VLB and the Vietnamese brewers and maltsters over the past years.

Largest facility in Southeast Asia Intermalt Vietnam (IMV), which belongs to the Interflour Group based in Singapore, opened its facility in July 2017 alongside the Cai Mep Port, about 80 km outside Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The 15.1 m deep harbor location gives Intermalt‘s supply chain control when importing barley from a variety of internatinal origins, such as the EU, Australia and Argentina. Equipped with modern technology, it is the largest malting facility of its type in Southeast Asia and offers customers just in time deliveries via bulk, tanker and bags. The plant has a capacity of around 100 000 t per year and supplies around 20 % of the Vietnamese market. It sends around 10 % of the production to nearby markets in Southeast Asia.

From the very beginning, Intermalt was aware that malt quality was a priority and thus purchased the latest equipment. Furthermore, they trained young and enthusiastic employees unter the watchful eye of master maltster Matthias Benz, who has been active in the indus-

try for over 25 years. Matthias Benz listed factors that led to the choice of Vietnam for the construction of the first malt factory within the Interflour Group. “Vietnam is a stable country where you can invest and do business. The Vietnamese beer market has a long history of solid growth and the brewers were keen to embrace the superior supply chain efficiencies provided by a local supplier.“ “Long term relationship” On the occasion of the membership, VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine and Markus Wildegans, Head of Customer Service at the VLB Research Institute for Raw Materials, awarded the VLB membership certificate to Hoang Trong Nghia and Matthias Benz at BrauBeviale in Nuremberg in November 2019.

Josef Fontaine was happy about the new member in Vietnam: “It is an honor for us to welcome Intermalt within the VLB family. I am pleased that our network in Asia is growing.”

Hoang Trong Nghia, Manager at Intermalt, appreciates the support of VLB: “Especially related to HACCP, training, advisory, QC and the good personal relationship, I hope our cooperation will be for long term.”

Photo: oh

from left: Markus Wildegans, VLB, Matthias Benz and Hoang Trong Nghia, Intermalt, Dr. Josef Fontaine, Managing Director VLB VLB Berlin was involved in setting up the Intermalt laboratory in October 2016. Since then, a close cooperation between the two companies has been established, mainly in the fields of training and analysis. Training in this partnership means theoretical and practical implementation of malt analysis, especially in compliance with EBC and MEBAK standards. Technological advice relates to analytics and new methods.

The Intermalt factory site at the Port of Cai Mep

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

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Photo: Intermalt

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

VLB SERVICE

Assessment of brewing cereals and beverage recipes on a small-scale basis Dipl.-Braumeister Michel Werner, B.Sc. Florian Mischke, Dr. Ing. Roland Pahl, VLB Berlin, Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production

The "nano brewery" has been situated in the Wilfried Rinke Technical Center at VLB Berlin since 2017. Roland Pahl and Werner Michel introduced the plant at the October Convention 2017 as one of the smallest fully automated brewing plants, which was acquired in 2014/2015 as part of a publicly funded research project. VLB now also offers a service related to the "nano brewery". Customers can have raw materials assessed on a 5-liter scale.

Photos: ew

The processing properties of the brewery raw materials are subject to certain fluctuations. Influencing factors such as annual crop, provenance as well as growth and

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production conditions are relevant for almost all parameters in malting and brewing. The compositions of all brewery raw materials can be analyzed to a large extent. However, processing difficulties and undesired influences on wort and beer quality can usually only be demon­ strated to an insufficient extent.

For example, difficulties can occur during lautering, beer filtration, or gushing may arise, even though the analysis results were inconclusive.

Although it is possible to judge the general processability of a raw material, it is not possible to predict process difficulties or adapt the process on the basis of the corresponding raw material.

Small quantities An investigation on a very small scale can provide insight on important information such as the behaviour of of raw materials on an industrial scale if sample material is supplied in advance for analysis.

In such a case, the economic expenditure is much lower. Processing on a very small scale is therefore the optimal tool for evaluating new raw materials, raw material mixtures, processes and recipes. Test equipment has a decisive influence.

It must be able to reproduce processing on an industrial scale in a reproducible and reliable manner.

In light of the enormous potential of such plants, VLB Berlin has been dealing with the issue of down-scaling in the malting and brewing process for a long time. Consequently,

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

2 the institute has the know-how and plants designed for 4 l unfiltered beer. The entire process of malt and beer production from grain to bottle can be examined.

Individual components, such as the micro malting plant (600–700 g malt) and the modified EBC fermentation test tubes (fermentation of 4 l wort) have been established for long time and are widely accepted in the brewing and malting industry [1]. With the development of the miniature brewhouse [2], the gap between malting and fermentation could be closed in 2017 [3]. Once all process steps required for beer production have been miniaturized, small quantities of malt, wort, and beer can be produced much more easily, flexibly, and economically.

3 automatic lowering of the wort kettle increases the pressure difference that is formed above and below the spent grains, which serves to maintain the required lautering

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High reproducibility At VLB Berlin, a practical method was developed with which the raw material-related lautering behaviour of malt can be assessed on a 5-l scale with only 720 g of malt. As the fermentation of the produced wort is possible, both the wort and beer can be evaluated analytically. At the very beginning of the method, the malt is ground by a conventional 2-roller mill and mashed in within 6 minutes at 62 °C. The pH value of the mash is measured and adjusted to 5.5 if necessary. Then the mash is resting for 45 minutes at 62 °C and for 30 minutes at 72 °C before being mashed off at 76 °C. After the mash has been transferred to the lauter tun, a lautering rest of 10 minutes is taking place before the first wort is gained within 20 minutes at 60 ml per minute. Afterwards, it is sparged twice. The hops are added at the beginning of boiling. With an α acid content of 9.2 %, the hop addition is 5 g. After the 60 minutes boiling time, the wort

Fig. 1: Comparison of pressure differences of two malts with very good and bad lau­terability concentration is adjusted to 11.3 °P. The wort is then transferred to the whirlpool. After a 15 minutes whirlpool rest, the wort can either be filled uncooled into sampling bottles for analysis purposes or cooled into 5 l glass bottles for subsequent fermentation in the modified EBC test tubes. The brewing plant works automatically to eliminate all operator influences, which ensures a high reproducibility.

Lautering ability A special feature of the miniature brewery is the fact that the wort kettle position is variable in height [4]. The lauter tun and the wort kettle are connected vessels. The

speed. The course of the pressure difference allows conclusions about the condition and changes in the spent grains cake. As the course of the pressure difference is different for each malt, the lautering behaviour of the respective raw material can be assessed. A malt that is responsible for lautering problems causes a much greater increase of the pressure difference than a malt with very good lautering properties. This behaviour is shown as an example in Fig. 1. For an objective evaluation of the lautering behaviour, the curve is described mathematically. A calculation of the areas under the curves has proven to be useful for this purpose and is Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

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RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

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performed using the process data recorded by the process control system (Braumat ®, Siemens). The example in Fig. 1 shows clear differences between the two malt batches investigated. For the malt that causes a very small increase in pressure difference (refer to the grey curve), an area under the curve of 25 700mm ∙ sec is calculated and is classified as malt with very good lautering ability. The other malt (black curve), with an area under the curve of 186 000mm ∙ sec, was classified as having poor lautering ability.

Photos: 1 – The 5-l brewhouse, fully automated 2 – Malting drums in the VLB malt house 3 – Lauter tun of "nano brewery" 4 – Fermentation and storage cellar 5 – Fermentation tubes

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ditions. It is also possible to divide the wort of a 2 or 5 hl brew on up to 18 fermentation columns in order to test different yeast strains, enzymes or wort qualities. Due to the limitation of the preparation volume to up to 4 l, the quantity is also sufficient for various analytical tests and a sensory evaluation with 10 tasters. The economic advantage is particularly obvious when a large number of samples are processed.

This advantage plays a major role,

Sample quantities The plant can also be used to investigate the influence of different malts, water qualities or hop varieties on beer taste, gushing behaviour or product development in general. The plant has enormous scope, since a large number of parameters can be varied. For example, the energy input during wort boiling can be adjusted by adjusting the temperature of the heating medium, or the turbidity at the whirlpool outlet can be recorded.

In the modified EBC fermentation test tubes, the wort can be fermented under standardized conBrauerei Forum International – May 2020

especially in the development of beverages. Due to the low use of raw materials, different recipes can be processed and analyzed against each other at low cost. Newer pro­ ducts such as hard seltzer and coldbrews deserve special mention here.

The application possibilities of the miniature brewery and its individual components are extremely versatile. Working on a very small scale is particularly useful when very little sample material is available or when a broad screening is to be carried out. Although the plant volume is very small, sufficient sample quantities can be obtained to carry out appropriate analysis and even tastings are possible. During the development of the individual components, the reproducibility of the results was always a priority, so that investigations on this scale have been used for research and services for years.

Contact: m.werner@vlb-berlin.org

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[1] Tyrell, T., Exner, R., Folz, R., (2011), Further development of EBC Fermentation Test-tubes, Poster of 33rd EBC Congress, Glasgow [2] Innokom MF140002 [3] Werner, M., Biering, J., Pahl, R., (2017): VLB Berlin forscht mit Miniaturbrauerei, Brauerei Forum (8/2017), p. 8–9 [4] Under licence of JBT GmbH, German patent DE102014202768B3

VLB SERVICE

Pure yeast and starter cultures for different types of beer During beer production the yeast ferments the sugar of the wort to alcohol and CO2. In this process, a large number of by-products are produced by the yeast that give the beer its characteristic flavor.

Traditionally, strains of the genus Saccharomyces are used in the beer industry. The main differentiation is between the bottom fermenting, e.g. for Pilsner type beer, Lager and Export, and the top fermenting yeast, e.g. for Porter, Wheat Beer, Alt and Kölsch.

(BF) The collection of pure culture yeasts and their characterisation for the use in breweries, distilleries and diverse fields of beverage production at the Institute for Fermentation and Biotechnology (IfGB) in Berlin looks back on more than 100 years of tradition.

After the large-scale destruction of the institute buildings in World War II, it was Prof. Dr. Siegfried Windisch (1913–2000), who restarted collecting different yeast strains for the brewing industry.

Today, various microorganisms are collected at VLB Berlin and preserved by the Biological Laboratory of the VLB Research Institute

The yeast bank is part of VLB's Biological Laboratory

for Biotechnology and Water. They provide a wide choice of pure cultures for the development and production of a broad spectrum of alcoholic and non-alcoholic fermented beverages based on different raw materials like wort (distinct beer types including Sour beer and Berliner Weiße), tea (e.g.

Kombucha), or different sweetened bases (e.g. Water Kefir, Hard Seltzer, Kwaas): Our services The strain collection of the VLB Biological Laboratory offers more than 100 different yeast strains and other functional microorganisms for their use in brewing, spirits and beverage industries. These mainly include: • Bottom fermenting yeasts for breweries, e.g. Lager beers, Pils and Bock beers • Top fermenting yeasts for breweries, e.g. Ales, Wheat beers, Alt and Kölsch • Spirits, wine and champagne yeast strains • Pure culture yeast strains for specific products, such as low alcohol beers or specialty beers e.g. Berliner Weiße • Lactic acid bacteria for acidification of mash and wort • Microorganisms for the production of non-alcoholic fermented beverages, e.g. Kombucha and Water Kefir VLB provides comprehensive services regarding yeast cultures and starters as well as the development of special products offering professional advices:

Photos: ew

• Isolation, identification and characterization of microorganisms • Third party storage – exclusive storage and management of individual strains • Purity check or purification, respectively, of your brewery yeast • Lyophilization of cultures • Customized screenings and implementation of test fermentations including accompanying analysis • Product development

VLB's yeast bank offers more than 100 different yeast strains and other functional microorganisms for beer production

Yeast distribution worldwide The pure yeast cultures are delivered as liquid concentrate in aluminium bottles, as agar slant or as dry yeast on filter paper.

Contact: Dr. Martin Hageböck biolab@vlb-berlin.org +49 030 450 80-157 www.vlb-berlin.org/en/yeast

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

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RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

 VLB OCTOBER CONVENTION

“Ongoing research” – an information session turns into the VLB science slam

by Burghard Meyer, Christian Schubert, Laura Knoke, Philipp Zeuschner, Maximilian Schmacht and Stefanie Malchow

“The Future in Brief” was the theme as VLB dedicated an entire block of lectures to internal research projects at its October conference 2019. The short presentations shone a spotlight on the individual projects and gave the experts and representatives of VLB member companies in attendance an overview of the range of scientific topics currently being researched at the VLB. Photos: ew

The panel for the lecture block "Ongoing Research – News from VLB Research Projects", which was on the agenda of the 106th October Convention in autumn 2019

Burghard Meyer

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Gerhard Andreas Schreiber welcomed the participants and gave a general overview of the VLB’s research activities. The VLB Chief Financial Officer and Research Coordinator explained why the Ongoing research – news from VLB research projects (Forschung aktuell – Neues aus VLBForschungsprojekten) session formed a separate thematic block in the program for the first time. Schreiber quoted from the VLB’s bylaws, according to which one of the purposes of the association is to promote science and vocational training in the brewing, beverage, and biotechnology industries.

The purpose as laid down in the bylaws is served in particular

through research projects that are made accessible to the general public, for example at scientific events.

Plus, transferring results is also part of the overall process of a research project.

At present, about 80 researchers are conducting research at five specialized research institutes, which is complemented by a close cooperation with departments at the TU Berlin and other universities and colleges. Financing is provided by national and international funding agencies and by industrial partners – these are inspired not least by public presentations on potential project partnerships.

Burghard Meyer from the Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production (FIBGP) kicked things off with his lecture on Continuous fermentation by means of membrane technology (Kontinuierliche Gärung mittels Membrantechnologie). Continuous fermentation processes have been the subject

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

of brewing science research for a long time. The use of continuous primary fermentation is designed to produce a beer that constantly meets the quality requirements of conventional batch fermentation.

An important aspect is the influence that the system used has on the quality parameters of the beer.

Different types of reactors can be used and various carrier materials and systems are available. This results in a variety of possible options for carrying out continuous fermentation. In terms of the system used, its influence on parameters that determine quality, such as the physiological state of the yeast, nutrient transport to the cell, nutrient availability, nutrient conversion, or oxygen supply must be factored in.

There is a change in the quantities of different fermentation by-products throughout the fermentation process in the continuous system, especially in the content of vicinal diketones, higher alcohols, and es-

ters. The aim of the project was to develop a continuous and immobilized fermentation process using modern crossflow filtration technology. A crossflow fermentation module “immobilizes” the yeast in the system by retaining the yeast used for fermentation in the fermentation area. In this first research project – for which a new reactor concept was developed – it was possible to implement a continuous primary fermentation in principle. (Funding program: INNO-KOM, funding code: 49MF190085) In his lecture Top-fermented, hoppy beers – the market situation and state of research focusing on flavor stability (Obergärige hopfenbetonte Biere – Marktsituation und Forschungsstand mit Schwerpunkt Geschmacksstabilität), Christian Schubert from the Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Analytics (FIBGA) first described the aim of the research project. The aim is to create an understanding of the chemical processes and reactions relevant to quality during the aging of top-fermented, hoppy beers. The focus here is on the processes that influence the flavor stability such as the influence of heat during storage or strong UV exposure.

An initial project phase saw 11 beers selected that represented a cross-section of the beers available on the market, including pale ale, India pale ale, brown ale, double India pale ale, and an alcohol-free IPA. Various analyses were carried out over 6 months. Results regarding carbonyl compounds, hop aroma, and beer bitterness showed that the beers investigated initially showed high carbonyl values that increased strongly over the storage time without any sensory abnormalities such as an oxidized flavor. With regard to hop aroma, it was shown that components such as myrcene or 2-methylbutyl isobutyrate, among others, which degraded during storage, did not correlate with the “hop aroma” attribute.

It should also be noted that the analytical bitterness units are not necessarily associated with the sensory attribute of “bitter.” “The bitter composition in these beers is extremely complex and therefore requires new analytical methods,” Schubert concluded. (Funding program: INNOKOM, funding code: 49VF170007)

Laura Knoke from the Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Analytics (FIBGA) emphasized in her lecture The measurement of beer – high-resolution mass spectrometry as a versatile research tool (Die Vermessung des Bieres – hochauflösende Massenspektrometrie als vielseitiges Forschungswerkzeug) that the explanation of sensory impressions at a chemical level is anything but trivial. “Sensory analysis is a holistic view of a sample, whereas quantitative analy­sis is an immense simplification,” explained Knoke. However, a combination of sensory impression and analyte is useful in solving brewery-related problems, for example, an off-flavor that has occurred suddenly. Sensory impressions are also essential for the characterization of new products.

The aim of the research project presented was to analyze as many of the non-volatile substances in beer as possible. Subsequent bioinformatic and statistical analysis can determine the differences between sensory and non-sensory samples.

These may also be substances that were previously unknown to be contained in beer, which can be included in the quantitative analysis if they are relevant. However, by comparing it with known beer ingredients, specific quantitative analyses can also be carried out, if these are found to be the cause of the differences between the samples that are to be compared. (Funding program: INNO-KOM, funding code: 49MF180110) With Quantification of the gentle delivery characteristics of rotary pumps (Quantifizierung der Schonfördereigenschaften von Kreiselpumpen), Philipp Zeuschner from the Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production (FIBGP) presented a research project that is taking a look at the development of a methodology for the objective assessment of the frequently praised gentle delivery characteristics of rotary pumps. This project makes use of the known effect that barley β-glucans subjected to the influence of shear forces are capable of forming a hydrogel via intermolecular cross-linking, which can be quantified under relatively simple conditions in the laboratory. The research project is the continua-

tion of a preliminary research project that was started in 2013 and in which the general functionality of the approach was already confirmed.

Disturbance variables such as temperature changes or the molecular size distribution of the β-glucans in the test fluid, which were already identified during the initial research, could be minimized and standardized in a new pump test section with an adapted test fluid. This was also funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

The results presented show that this method is now capable of determining significant differences in the gentle delivery characteristics between different rotary pumps.

This will be offered in VLB’s service portfolio in future. (Funding program: INNO-KOM, funding code: 49MF170021) In his lecture Increasing productivity efficiently – new approaches for high-gravity brewing (Produktivität effizient erhöhen – neue Ansätze für High Gravity Brewing), Maximilian Schmacht from the Research Institute for Biotechnology and Water (FIBW) dealt with the latest results from the “High-Gravity FedBatch” project. The aim of the research project, which began in September 2018 and will run through to February 2021, is to realize an alternative brewing process in the form of a fedbatch under highgravity conditions.

The miniaturized fermentation platform BioLector ® Pro is being used since it is suitable for carrying out feeding experiments on an ml scale and thus providing a large amount of data quickly.

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

Christian Schubert

Laura Knoke

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RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Fed-batch means fermentation is started in a certain medium and fresh growth medium is fed in. In this case, a standard wort can be used as a starting point and sugar can be added gradually. This avoids negative effects on the yeast, which would have a high sugar concentration right from the start. A mechanistic mathematical model is being developed in parallel with the process. This model can be used to make predictions about promising process parameters. The model that was initially developed for batch operation could easily be adapted to experimental data on a scale with a volume of a few milliliters or liters.

In addition, screening experiments were conducted to identify suitable strains for the high-gravity brewing process. The later phases of the project will investigate to what extent the efficiency of the brewing process can be increased by feeding highly concentrated wort in contrast to traditional high-gravity brewing. (Funding program: INNOKOM, funding code: 49VF180009) Stefanie Malchow, also from the Research Institute for Biotechnology and Water (FIBW), rounded off proceedings with her lecture Sour-fermented alcohol-free beverages – setting new standards (Sauer fermentierte alkoholfreie Getränke – neue Standards setzen). The product category of sour-fermented beverages is predominantly home to traditional

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beverages that differ greatly in terms of the ingredients they contain and their properties due to their regional origin.

Using undefined cultures and a large number of organisms of unknown quantity to start the fermentation process, however, is common practice. Increasing demand from consumers has led to producers’ interest in sour-fermented beverages growing as well. However, the lack of application-oriented research in this area makes it difficult to transition from the traditional, undefined process to a controllable and reproducible, industrial manufacturing process.

That’s why VLB is devoting this current research project to the development of a standardized fermentation strategy for the production of kombucha and water kefir.

Using this strategy as a basis, investigations will then be carried out to look into the influence of the microbiology used on the final product properties and to identify critical process parameters such as temperature or oxygen supply. In addition, physical and thermal treatment methods to increase product stability will be evaluated, which will also factor in sensory characteristics. To be able to evaluate the influence of the individual parameters, it is first necessary to have robust analytics that show hardly any fluctuations and are specially adapted to the products that are to be investigated.

That’s why additional analytical methods to determine microbiological and chemical composition as well as storage stability are being developed and tested within the project.

Malchow concluded her lecture by looking to the future: “However, I think that by the official end of the project in the middle of next year, we will be a huge step further than we are at the moment, especially in terms of the applied initial research into the production of kombucha and water kefir using defined cultures.” (Funding program: INNO-KOM, funding code: 49MF190041)

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

The two-hour session was a success, so it’s safe to say that this won’t be the last time that we see this format – if the topic fits, “News from VLB Research Projects” will also be presented in the future, Schreiber emphasized. After all, there are countless research activities at VLB, including in the fields of brewery raw materials, plant engineering, water/wastewater technology, microbiology, product and process development, and logistics – just to name a few... left: Philipp Zeuschner below: Maximilian Schmacht, Stefanie Malchow

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VLB Textbooks 2020

 verlag@vlb-berlin.org

www.vlb-berlin.org/books

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 HISTORY

Japan – a beer-loving nation, part one: From the opening of the country in 1860 to the trends of the 1980s Michaela Knör (Axel Simon Library, VLB Berlin)

Since the late 1890s, the German master brewer Wilhelm Coblitz had been responsible for production in the Yebisu brewery

Beer is an important beverage in Central Europe – both as a foodstuff and as a luxury. It has been brewed and drunk in the Czech Republic, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Germany for centuries. The quality of the beer hailing from these countries is well-known far beyond their borders – people now appreciate the moreish drink all around the world as it triumphantly marches from the heart of our continent to every corner of the globe. But over the past century or two, this “substance” – a prominent feature of social life in Germany – has also established itself in countries where the drinking and living cultures were originally shaped by alcoholic beverages of a very different nature. Take Japan, for example.

Sake or beer Sake has always been the traditional alcoholic beverage in the Land of the Rising Sun. It’s worth mentioning, however, that there is a lot to be said for the relationship between sake and beer.

Although sake is misleadingly referred to as rice wine in Western usage, the way it is produced is more similar to that of beer than to that of wine.

This is because, as with beer, the starch

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must first be broken down. However, this is not done by malting the rice, but through a multi-stage process. The fact that the first written mention of “biiru” (beer) is found in texts dating back to 1800 describing it as “migusake” (barley sake) also points towards the connection between the two.

But Japan’s contact with beer in the European sense was minimal until the 1860s – it was only brought into the country by Dutch traders and scholars. It took Japan ending its isolationist foreign policy and the opening of the island kingdom, which sealed itself off from the world and severely restricted trade until the middle of the 19th century, to kickstart its development into a beer nation. The window to the outside world only opened with the signing of the friendship treaty between the United States and Japan, the Convention of Kanagawa (Nichibei Washin Jōyaku). Thanks to this contractual agreement, a number of European traders settled in the port area of Yokohama in the following years. The merchants who lived there in something akin to a colony also imported the beers from their respective homes, as well as other goods, thus introducing mainly English and German beers to the nation and gradually making them better known among the local population.

Development into an industrial nation The Meiji Restoration (1868–1912) heralded a phase of renewal in which Japan developed from a

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

Photos (2): GGB e.V.

If you ask about the most important beer-culture countries, the Czech Republic, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Germany are often the names mentioned. Nobody thinks of Japan – but people should.

Because beer has always played a major role in this East Asian country.

strictly isolated, agriculturally dominated feudal state to a Western-oriented industrial nation. This “take-off” climate saw a lively cultural exchange begin with some Western countries. Products from the United States and Europe became fashionable among the locals.

In many places, breweries were established that brewed beer in the English or German styles.

Towards the end of the 19th century, there were more than 150 breweries scattered across the country.

However, many of these establishments only had a rather short life span. Insufficient financial resources, the difficulty in procuring the raw materials, a lack of expertise, and practically non-existent sales structures all took their toll. The beer tax introduced in 1901, which the government used to finance the

establishment of the military, among other things, meant the end for many of these small breweries in particular.

Ultimately, only three of the breweries from this period of rapid industrial expansion survived the consolidation phase.

Another company joined this trio in the 1960s to form the quartet of major players that dominate the Japanese beer market today.

Kirin The Kirin Brewery, the predecessor of which was founded in around 1870 by William Copeland (1832–1902), has the longest tradition to look back on. Copeland, an American with Norwegian roots and an education in German brewing techniques, established the Spring Valley Brewery in Yokohama’s “foreigner district,” where he produced mainly lager beer, Bavarian beer, and bock beer. However, arguments with his German-born business partner and the resulting economic difficulties resulted in him having to close it by 1885.

The new owner was a consortium of British, German, and Japanese investors (Japan Beer Limited), which fitted the brewery with the latest German technology and assigned the production management to a brewmaster from Germany. In 1888, Japan Beer Limited launched Kirin beer on the market under the leadership of brewmaster Moritz Hermann Eckert. It’s not only the beer that has borne the Kirin moniker since 1899, but the brewery, too – the name refers to a mythical creature that is thought to be a symbol of luck. Beer production remained in German hands until 1914, when the outbreak of the First World War made enemies of Japan and Germany. One of the people to take up this position was Erwin F. Eichelberg, who held it for 15 years from 1899.

He graduated from the VLB Berlin brewing school in 1898.

Sapporo, Yebisu, Asahi Breweries were also established in other places, with one of them being on Hokkaido. The northernmost island of Japan has been developed by order of the government since the beginning of the Meiji period, since official estimates claimed the

Japan, he first headed the laboratory of the brewery before later becoming brewery director.

The 140 others he studied alongside on the winter course in 1903/1904 hailed from all over the world. including Russia, France, Denmark, Sweden, as well as every corner of the German Reich, but there was also a fellow countryman on the course. Shigetaka Miyake had gained the practical experience necessary for his studies at the Suita Brewery in Osaka. This brewery was founded in 1889 as Osaka Bīru Kaisha. Among others, a samurai and the head of a sake brewery were involved in its foundation. And just like the other brewing companies, Osaka Bīru Kaisha (later Asahi) also relied on technology and staff from Germany.

Dainippon At the beginning of the 20 th century, Japan’s leading breweries all employed German brewmasters and relied on technical equipment from Germany. Bavarian beer or lager beer was the most popular beer in Japan, just like it was in Germany. At that time, the government repeatedly raised the tax on beer to continue financing the military, such as operations in the Russian-Japanese War of 1904/1905. That led to the three breweries mentioned above uni t ing under the leadership of Kyohei Makoshi to form the Dainippon Beer Brewery in 1906. But the death blow for small breweries (and the home brewers) came in 1908, when the government set a minimum production quantity of 1800 hl.

Four years after the end of the Second World War in 1949, Dainippon was split into two companies, Asahi Beer (Asahi Bīru Kabushiki-gaisha – Asahi Breweries, Ltd.) and Nihon Beer, which was later renamed Sapporo Bīru kabushiki kaisha (Sapporo Breweries Limited). Including Kirin, this meant that the beer market in

Kojiro Makoshi was trained in Germany around 1900 and prepared for his position as director of the Yebisu brewery

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

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island’s climatic conditions made it seem particularly suitable for growing hops. As such, construction on the state-run Kaitakushi Beer Brewery began in the city of Sapporo in the spring of 1876. The first kegs rolled off the production line at the end of that same year. Nakagawa Seibei was the brewmaster – a local who had studied at the Tivoli Brewery in Berlin and Fürstenwalde and received his master craftsman’s diploma in the 1870s. Under his supervision, bottom-fermented lager beer was produced on Hokkaido using malt and hops from Germany, which was marketed as Sapporo beer and sold well.

In Tokyo, bank director Kyohei Makoshi founded the Yebisu Brewery together with business partners in 1889. This new brewery also opted for German technology and expertize in terms of equipment and personnel – probably with the successful Kirin and Sapporo breweries in mind. Wilhelm Coblitz was the man holding the reins as brewmaster; a position he had held since the late 1890s. Coblitz, also a graduate of the VLB Berlin brewery school (winter semester 1897), trained Kojiro Makoshi, the son of the company founder, Kyohei Makoshi, there between 1900 and 1901. He then traveled to Germany and, after his practical training at the Vereinsbrauerei Apolda and the Städtische Dampfbrauerei Jena, attended the winter course at VLB Berlin in October 1903. Following his return to

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eries from entering the market or setting up new ones.

Japan was shared between three major breweries at the beginning of the 1950s. In order to further increase the revenue from the alcohol tax, the minimum production volume was increased to 20 000 hl, meaning the government had definitively prevented smaller brew-

Suntory Despite this hurdle, another player took to the stage in 1963 in the form of Suntory, which up until that point had made its money in whisky production. Suntory had experience with Western beverages and, like its already established competitors, initially focused on the production of lager beers. To differentiate itself from the competition and to gain a market advantage, Suntory launched an unpasteurized beer, which was preserved by microfiltration, in 1976. This beer, known as Nama (raw), impressed consumers with its freshness and was well received

by Japanese consumers. Reason enough for the other breweries to follow suit.

Museum of Yebisu Beer in Tokyo Today, the Museum of Yebisu Beer is located on the site of the former Yebisu Brewery. It was opened in 2010 to celebrate 120 years of the beer. The importance that the brewery had for the development of the district in the heart of Tokyo is palpable. The name of the brewery has changed to the district, which is now called Ebisu.

Exhibits from the history of the brewery and its products are on display across approximately

500 m2 of exhibition space. The photos and advertising media are particularly interesting. They bear witness to how beer as a beverage has found its way into Japanese eating and drinking culture.

The types of beer that the Yebisu brand currently produces can also be tasted in the restaurant area of the museum. Entry is free. However, tours are subject to a fee, although they are currently only offered in Japanese.

New trends In 1971, the Sapporo Brewery was able to gain a market share through the relaunch of the Yebisu brand – a beer brewed strictly according to the German Reinheitsgebot (the German Purity Law) and sold as a premium drink for special occasions. The Yebisu-Sama (god of luck), who has been depicted on the labels since the brewery’s founding days, may have had something to do with this. The Kirin Brewery, which was actually the smallest brewing group following the break-up of Dainippon, focused its efforts on tapping into the trend of drinking beer at home. Kirin sold its top product, Kirin Lager, mainly through the food trade, enabling it to grab a market share of over 60 %. Asahi also battled for a good market position. In 1986, the company gave itself a new corporate identity and launched a beer that, according to a consumer survey carried out in 1987, set the standard: Asahi Super Dry. The light lager beer quickly became the most popular beer in Japan – and is still number one today.

Orion For the sake of completeness, a fifth brewery group, Orion Breweries, Ltd., which has found at least one niche in the Japanese beer market, also deserves a mention. Orion was founded in 1957 during the U.S. occupation and has its headquarters on the island Okinawa in the very south of the country. The brewery’s American-style beer was able to secure it a market share of about 60 % – at least in the prefecture of Okinawa with its approximately 150 islands. The company has been cooperating with Asahi Breweries since 2002 to open markets outside of the archipelago.

Contact: knoer@vlb-berlin.org

Part two will be published in Brauerei Forum, issue 11 (release date: 9 November 2020), and will look at the development of the Japanese beer market from the mid-1980s through to today. As in other countries, the craft beer sector plays a major role in this.

Photo: Michaela Knör

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Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

The visitor center in the Museum of Yebisu Beer

 INTERVIEW

"Back in Japan I will brew Pilsner beer"

Welcome, Shintaro Hamachi! My first question is: Why did your company, which has been a traditional sake brewery since 1870, start brewing beer in 1996?

The main reason was the new law which reduced the minimum annual beer production from 20 000 hl to 600 hl. For that reason, many sake breweries, that had knowledge of fermentation and some brewing techniques, were able to enter this business.

How much beer do you produce per year right now?

About 1000 hl beer and 700 hl sake.

Was it difficult to enter the beer market as traditional sake brewer?

I had the impression, that the people living around our brewery were curious about the new beer, which was produced in their neighbourhood. Up to that time, they had only known the beer of the big companies Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory.

In which containers do you sell your beer?

We sell it in bottles and 30-l kegs.

We do not sell cans, as we do not distribute our beer extensively.

Only for some special events we do distribute to other regions. We also have a restaurant outside our brewery with a taproom.

Which type of beer do you produce?

Our standard beers are Amber-Ale, Pale Ale and Stout. And we brew three seasonal beers, at the moment Weizen, Bock and Alt Beer.

Do you also produce beer with special Japanese ingredients?

Sometimes we do. For example, we brew an orange beer for which we use oranges from local farmers.

What is the most popular beer of your brewery?

Amber Ale with its rich malty taste seems to pair well with the local food and also meets the taste of people in the Fukuoka area best.

Photo: ew

In July 2019, Michaela Knör, Axel Simon Library, VLB Berlin, interviewed Shintaro Hamachi from Suginoya Beer and Sake Brewery in Fukuoka, Japan. The Suginoya Brewery was established in 1870 as a sake brewery, they began brewing beer in 1996 and have won several awards. Within a bunch of international students, including two from the big Japanese brewing companies, Shintaro Hamachi completed the Certified Brewmaster Course at VLB Berlin in 2019 as first Japanese craft brewer ever.

What are the special features of the Japanese craft beer market?

In these early days of craft beer in Japan there were only very few people who were able to brew. These few trained brewers helped the others – and this spirit of assistance is still alive. No brewery is hiding its recipes. Working together is fundamental for the Japanese craft beer scene.

Why did you decide to become a brewmaster? And why did you choose the Certified Brewmaster Course at VLB Berlin.

We are a family business and we produce quality products. Hence, my father and I decided that I should pursue studies in brewing.

The decision to do this in Germany was very easy, because in Japan we consider Germany as the home country of beer. The Certified Brewmaster Course at VLB Berlin was perfect for this.

What did you discover about beer during your time here?

I think beer in Germany (and this is especially true for Bavaria) is stronger than in Japan, which might go along better with the German climate. In Japan we have a high humidity and high temperatures so we cannot drink these kinds of beers.

Where do you get your raw materials like malt and hops from?

We are importing our malt from Weyermann in Germany and are mainly using traditional hops from Europe.

VLB Certified Brew­master Shintaro Hamachi, Suginoya Beer and Sake Brewery, is convinced that Germany is the home country of beer

Is there any hop growing in Japan?

Yes, there is some hop growing at the island of Hokkaido. Sapporo Brewery had originated a breeding from that origin which is called Sorachi. There is also hop growing in the North of Honshu at Yamagata, but it is a quite small area. We also have planted some hops outside of our brewery. It did grow plants, but they did not get cones.

How is beer taxed in Japan?

There are three different categories of beers differently taxed: beer, happoshu and the so-called third beers. The tax rate depends on the malt content. For the beer it is ¥ 220 000 (ca. 1900 €) per 10 hl, happoshu with less than 25 % of malt it is ¥ 134 250 per 10 hl (ca. 1153 €) and for the third category it is ¥ 80 000 per 10 hl (ca. 687 €). For sake, by the way, it is ¥ 120 000 per 10 hl (ca. 1031 €).

When you go back to Japan is there a special beer which you want to brew?

I want to brew a Pilsner.

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

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TRAINING & EVENTS

Check your expert knowledge!

How good is your expert knowledge when it comes to beer brewing? Whether craftsmanship or extensive expertise in the field of microbiology and food chemistry: A brewer needs the knowledge and overview of the manufacturing process. Therefore, the questions cover a broad range of facts which a professional brewer should be familiar with.

1. One result of the following water analysis disqualifies this water for brewing pale beers: a) Nitrate: 22 mg/l b) pH-value: 7.0 c) p-value: 0.3 d) Residual alkalinity: < 2 odH 2. Besides ethanol, a lot of so-called by-products are formed during fermentation. Which of the following substances are no fermentation by-product formed by yeast? a) Ketone b) Ester c) Acetic acid d) Higher alcohols 3. Which factors have a significant influence on the CO2 binding capacity of beer? a) Bunging pressure b) Beer colour c) Storage temperature d) Yeast strain 4. The Thiobarbituric Acid Index (TBI) indicates a) the thermal load of the wort b) the shear stress intake during mash stirring c) how much dimethyl sulphide (DMS) has been released during wort boiling d) the yield of bitter substances 5. The latin term for the top-fermenting brewery yeast is a) Saccharomyces cerevisiae b) Saccharomyces carlsbergensis c) Saccharomycodes ludwigii d) Saccharomyces diastaticus 6. What is the correct chemical formula for carbonic acid? a) H2CO b) H2CO2 c) H2CO3 d) H2CO4 7. Which ingredients are mainly removed from the beer by stabilisation with PVPP? a) Yeast cells only b) Proteins c) Tannins d) Ethanol 8. What is the meaning of „gushing“? a) Gushing is a special type of high gravity brewing

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Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

Photo: ew

b) Gushing is a quality problem which is described by spontaneous overfoaming of bottled beer immediately after opening c) Gushing is a disinfection procedure by foam which is used with bottling lines d) Gushing is a special brewing process with accelerated fermentation 9. Which raw materials/additives are not allowed for brewing according to the German Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot)? a) Pre-isomerised hop products b) Hop extract c) Kieselguhr (diatomaceous earth) d) Saccharomyces cerevisiae 10. Which of the following measures is appropriate to lower the oxygen content in the final beer? a) Stop the aereation of wort before pitching b) Mixing the kieselguhr dosage with beer c) Using sterile air as counterpressure gas d) Pumping the mash into the lauter tun from the bottom 11. The oxygen content of the wort before pitching should be a) 7 to 10 g O2/l b) 7 to 10 µg O2/l c) 7 to 10 g O2/hl d) 7 to 10 mg O2/l 12. Which option is inappropriate to increase the CO2 content of a beer? a) To extend the storage time for 4 weeks b) To carbonise the beer in the storage tank c) To blend it with beers with a higher CO2 content d) To carbonise the beer after filtration

Answers 1. a) Nitrate is toxic for the yeast cells and causes a low cell multiplication and a weak fermentation. Concentrations of more than 20 mg/l nitrate in the finished wort should be avoided.

2. c) Acetic acid is usually not formed during the alcoholic fermentation. If acetic acid is present in beer in significant amounts, it is usually caused by microbiological contamination or oxidative effects.

3. a, c) Under normal conditions the solubility

of gas in a liquid is a pure physical

process which is described by Henry’s

law. The solubility of carbondioxide

(CO2) in beer increases with decreasing

temperature and increasing pressure.

4. a) The Thiobarbituric Acid Index (TBI) is a dimensionless index for the thermal load of malt and wort. An increasing TBI indicates usually a lower flavour stability of the finished beer.

5. a) Top-fermenting brewery yeasts belong to the variety Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Saccharomyces carlsbergensis is an (older) name for bottom-fermenting brewery yeast. Saccharomyces diastaticus is similar to S. Cerevisiae but as a so-called „wild yeast“ not wanted in the brewery.

Saccharomycodes Ludwigii is a special yeast for bottom-fermenting beer with low alcohol content.

6. c) Carbonic acid is the reaction product of CO2 (the gas) and water: CO2+H2O ↔ H2CO3.

7. c) Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) is a proteine-like polymer which removes phenol-containing substances from the beer e.g. Tannins, which is a high-molecular polyphenol. These polyphenols can form complexes with proteins which result in hazes in the final beer.

8. b) The phenomenon gushing is not totally clarified. The reason for this spontaneous effect is mainly seen in the barley and malt qualities. In general it is a quality fault which results in customer complaints.

9. a) According to the Reinheitsgebot pre isomerised hop products are not allowed for beer production in Germany, while the use of hop extract and hop pellets are allowed.

10. b) If the kieselguhr dosage is mixed with water it has to be degassed in order to avoid an unwanted oxygene uptake.

Mixing kieselguhr with beer avoids this.

11. d) At the beginning of the fermentation process the yeast needs oxygen for growth.

So the wort needs to be aerated before pitching. An oxygen level of 7 to 10 mg O2/l is desired. Too less aeration leads to a weak fermentation, too much aeration leads to other negative effects.

12. a) The storage time has no direct influence on the CO2 content. Blending and carbonising are appropriate measures.

ANALYTICAL SERVICES RELATED TO HOPS, HOP PRODUCTS AND HOPPY BEER + Hop bitter acid analysis by conduc­to­m­etry, spectroscopy or HPLC + Determination of hop oil content and analysis of aroma compounds (terpenes, terpenoids, esters, acids, thiols etc.) + Analysis of hop polyphenols, xanthohumol, nitrate, and heavy metals + Analysis of hop derived compounds in wort and beer VLB Berlin e.V. Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Analysis Seestrasse 13, 13353 Berlin – Germany, zentrallabor@vlb-berlin.org

www.vlb-berlin.org

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

23

TRAINING & EVENTS

 VLB NEWS

37 students of the Certified Brewmaster Course defy Corona On January 13, this year's VLB Berlin Certified Brewmaster Course started. 37 participants from 23 nations embarked on a six-month, intensive learning program. But the biggest challenge this year was less the extensive curriculum than the start of the Corona pandemic in Germany in March.

problem for the prospective brewers from 23 different countries. The Berlin Senate issued an order stating that institutions offering vocational training were not allowed to conduct face-to-face courses till April 19 (which was then further extended to April 26). Due to this official restrictions, 13 participants returned to their home countries as a result of being immediately being ordered back by their employers or leaving voluntarily.

Photo: oh

Plan B due to Corona: The lectures were now held via video conference and the students learned from home

(ew) Heike Flohr, coordinator of the Certified Brewmaster Course, and Burghard Meyer, head of the international brewery courses, welcomed the group on January 13 in the Singha room of the VLB's training and further education center.

More than 20 teachers from all VLB research institutes were ready to teach students in all areas relevant to the brewery in a mix of theory and practice. Flohr once again made it clear in her welcoming speech that successful completion was not a matter of course. At the time, however, no one suspected that the

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Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

2020 course in the wake of the Corona crisis would not only have to overcome the hurdle of an extensive curriculum.

Violent cuts end of February The course started well. The participants settled in and got used to the winter weather in Germany.

On February 27, the VLB postponed its 107th Brewing and Engineering Conference to the end of October – it was originally scheduled to take place in Leipzig from March 9 to 11.

By March 14 the cancellation of the spring conference was the smallest

Lectures via video conference Plan B had to be drawn up in a very short time – course manager Burghard Meyer and the team of lecturers reacted quickly: not only individual business areas of the VLB were relocated to the home office, the students of the Certified Brewmaster Course also learned from home. The lectures were now held via video conference. The theoretical part has been bundled and designed for the period up to the end of May in order to then hold all practical exercises in June and July. “We changed the timetable at short notice and brought the lectures forward. We then want to postpone the internships in our laboratories and in our Wilfried Rinke Technical Center as a compact presence module,” explains course manager Burghard Meyer.

The exams take place at the end of the respective module hoping that the certificates can be handed over on July 10. The students were happy that the events continued, albeit in a different form: "Initially, I decided to come to VLB Berlin,

Photos: ew (2)

The Certified Brewmaster Course 2020 started on January 13, 37 students were looking forward to six exciting months because I wanted to share the culture of beer with the people in Germany," said Eduardo Mirabal, a student from Venezuela. "And I have to confess that the experience being in the institute is better than having online classes. But Corona virus surprised everybody in the world. So VLB's decision to continue online was great. Because we could go on studying and in the end become certified brewmasters."

Course 2021 with a modified concept In order to react to the currently unclear development of the Covid-19 pandemic, the upcoming Certified Brewmaster Course starts with a modified concept. The plan for the

participants is to complete a theory module online from mid-January to the end of May and then travel to Germany for the practical part in June and July. With the modified concept, the VLB is conviced that the course can take place even if the wave of illnesses has not completely subsided by the end of the year. Another division in two part has the advantage that the participants, who now had to leave in March, can do the practical exercises at the latest in the summer 2021.

Certified Brewmaster Course in the future In the long term, however, everyone involved agrees that the Certified Brew-

master Course should not be an event with an online focus. Rather, one is convinced that the success of the format is also due to the fact that theory and practice go hand in hand. In addition, the personal contact between participants from all over the world is an important element of the training. For the 2021 course, however, the decision was made to maintain the concept that had been tried and tested during the pandemic, so that interested parties can complete an English-language master brewer training regardless of the crisis. "By quickly switching to online learning, we enabled our participants to continue the course," said VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine. "We are currently in the process of relocating this course offering to the online area for the coming year to ensure planning security for lecturers and students."

Due to COVID-19 pandemic the Certified Brewmaster Course 2021 exceptionally takes place with a special concept. The course will be offered in 2 blocks: 1st theory, 2nd practice. The 1st part will be a hybrid event, i.e. all theory lectures from January 11 to approx. MidMay will be held via video conference – but students who want to attend lectures at VLB Berlin, may do so.

Extensive practical work in our laboratories will start Mid-May as a 2nd blockevent – now, the students have to come to Berlin.

Location: Part I (Theory): Online at home or on-site at VLB Berlin Part II (Practice): On-site at VLB Berlin, Germany Next date: 11 January – 25 July 2021

Burghard Meyer and the students of the Certified Brewmaster Course were able to hang up the wires in the hop garden of VLB Berlin just in time before public life came to a standstill in the wake of the corona pandemic

Information/Registration: www.vlb-berlin.org/en/ cbc2021

MALT MATTERS Experience the authentic WEYERMANN® floor-malted, terroir and heirloom malts specialty malts for classic beer styles.

ALL-NATURAL LIQUID MALT COLOR SINAMAR® and certified organic SINAMAR® ...gives your beer special taste and color, without burnt flavor!

WEYERMANN ® SPECIALITY MALTS Brennerstrasse 17-19 96052 Bamberg - Germany phone +49 (0) 951 93 220-0 email: info@weyermann.de

www.weyermannmalt.com

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

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TRAINING & EVENTS

VLB course offerings 2020 Since its foundation in 1883, VLB has also been a brewing school. VLB supports the regular study programs for brewers at Technische Universität Berlin. Furthermore, it provides continuing training in the field of beer brewing and beverage technology – in German and English. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, VLB has temporarily modified some of its workshop concepts. The Certified Brewmaster Course 2021 will be a two block event. The upcoming Craft Brewing in Practice will become Craft Brewing Online.

l Certified Brewmaster Course

Our courses meet the requirements of the German Accreditation and Admission Ordinance (AZAV) Reg. No. 004007 AZAV

The VLB’s flagship training course for prospective brewers contains a six-month full-time program providing in-depth understanding of brewing technology with its related major fields of engineering, filling/ packaging and quality control.

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Certified Brewmaster Course 2021 exceptionally starts with a different concept. The course will be offered in two blocks: first theory, second practice. The first part will take place as a hybrid event, i.e. all theory lectures from January 11 to approximately Mid-May will be held via video conference – but students, who want to attend lectures personally at VLB Berlin, are welcome to do so. Extensive practical work in our laboratories will Photo: ew

start Mid-May as a second blockevent – for this block the students will have to come to Berlin. With lectures and desktop studies in the theory block, the participants will prepare themselves for the practical work in part two. Despite the Corona concept 2021, the Berlin brewmaster education is still focused on a comprehensive, practice-oriented knowledge transfer and on an open dialog with the lecturers. To receive the VLB Brewmaster Certificate, the graduates have to finish the course and all exams successfully. In addition, they have to prove a minimum of 3 months practical work in a brewery before coming to the VLB. A reasonable group size for practical work guarantees an intensive and individual teaching.

Location: Part one (Theory): Online at home or on-site at VLB Berlin Part two (Practice): On-site at VLB Berlin, Germany Next date: 11 January – 25 July 2021 More information: www.vlb-berlin.org/en/cbc2021

l Craft Brewing Online This is a ten-day full-time training course providing up-to-date know­ ledge in the field of pub and micro brewing. It covers the basics of beer brewing. The lectures will approach to­pics such as raw materials (water, malt, hops, and yeast), the brewing process, yeast management, fermentation, hygiene, sensory evaluation, basics of quality control as well as economic and legal aspects for starting a pub brewery. Due to the Corona pandemic, the Course 2020 will be conducted as a 100 % online training.

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Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

Location: Online Next date: 14 – 25 September 2020 More information: www.vlb-berlin.org/en/events/ craftbrewing2020

l Applied Microbiology Applied Microbiology is a oneweek full-time training course providing up-to-date knowledge in the field of practical microbiology with relevance for the brewing and beverage industry. It covers the basics of microbiology, laboratory techniques as well as microbial sampling in theory and practice. The course is conducted in the VLB’s microbiological training laboratory and in our pilot brewery. Applied Microbiology will be held as residential course.

Location: Berlin, Germany Next date: 2 – 6 November 2020 More information: www.vlb-berlin.org/en/events/ microbiology2020

l Brewing in a Nutshell This 2-day course covers the basics of beer brewing. It approaches the general principals of the brewing and malting processes, the raw materials as well as filling and packaging in theory. A professional beer tasting completes the program.

Location: Berlin, Germany Next date: December 2020 More information: www.vlb-berlin.rg/en/events/ nutshell2020

VLB institutes and departments VLB Berlin, Seestrasse 13, 13353 Berlin, Germany  + 49 (30) 450 80-0,  brewmaster@vlb-berlin.org ,  www.vlb-berlin.org

Managing Directors Dr.-Ing. Josef Fontaine  + 49 (30) 450 80-292  fontaine@vlb-berlin.org Gerhard Andreas Schreiber  + 49 (30) 450 80-121  g.schreiber@vlb-berlin.org

Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production (FIBGP) Dr.-Ing. Roland Pahl  + 49 (30) 450 80-238  pahl@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/fibgp

Testing Laboratory for Packaging M.Eng./Dipl.-Ing. Susan Dobrick  + 49 (30) 450 80-242  dobrick@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/vp

Research Institute for Biotechnology and Water (FIBW) Dr.-Ing. Katrin Schreiber + 49 (30) 450 80-168  k.schreiber@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/fibw

Department for Bioprocess Engineering and Applied Microbiology (BEAM) Dr.-Ing. Martin Senz  + 49 (30) 450 80-153  m.senz@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/beam

Biological Laboratory Dr. Martin Hageböck  + 49 (30) 450 80-157  m.hageboeck@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/bl

Department for Water Quality, Ma­nagement and Technology (WMT) Dr. Alfons Ahrens  + 49 (30) 450 80-294  ahrens@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/wmt

VLB LaboTech GmbH  + 49 (30) 450 80-220  labotech@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/labotech

Research Institute for Raw Materials (FIR) Henrike Vorwerk  + 49 (30) 450 80-154  vorwerk@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/fir

Research Institute for Instrumental Beer and Beverage Analysis (FIBGA) Dr.-Ing. Nils Rettberg  + 49 (30) 450 80-106  n.rettberg@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/fibga

Central Laboratory Dr.-Ing. Nils Rettberg  + 49 (30) 450 80-262  n.rettberg@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/cl

Special Analyses Dr. Sarah Thörner  + 49 (30) 450 80-250  s.thoerner@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/fis

Spirits and Sensory Analysis Johannes Fuchs  + 49 (30) 450 80-233  fuchs@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/spirits-sensory

IfGB – Events Spirits & Distilling Wiebke Künnemann  + 49 (30) 450 80-270  kuennemann@vlb-berlin.org  www.ifgb.de

Research Institute for Management and Beverage Logistics (FIM) / Event Management and Further Education Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Heyer  + 49 (30) 450 80-139  heyer@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/fim

PR and Publishing Department/ Editorial Office “Brauerei Forum” Dipl.-Ing. Olaf Hendel  + 49 (30) 450 80-255  hendel@vlb-berlin.org  www.vlb-berlin.org/en/pr

Imprint

Brauerei Forum Technical periodical for breweries, malthouses, the beverage industry and their partners Information service of VLB Berlin www.brauerei-forum.de ISSN 0179–2466 Publisher Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB) e.V. Seestrasse 13, 13353 Berlin, Germany Editorial Office Brauerei Forum Seestrasse 13, 13353 Berlin, Germany Phone: + 49 (30) 4 50 80-251 Fax: + 49 (30) 4 50 80-210 Email: redaktion@brauerei-forum.de Internet: www.brauerei-forum.de Editorial Department Olaf Hendel, Editor-in-Chief (oh) hendel@vlb-berlin.org Eva Wiesgrill (ew) e.wiesgrill@vlb-berlin.org Julia Bork (jb), j.bork@vlb-berlin.org Brauerei Forum Advisory Board Dr.-Ing. Josef Fontaine, Dr. sc. techn. Hans-J. Manger Advertising Sales VLB PR and Publishing Department Phone +49 (30) 450 80-255 media@brauerei-forum.de Publication Dates Appears with 8 editions a year, in German plus 2 issues in English. Day of publication: 29 May 2020 Subscriptions Domestic 95 € incl. VAT Abroad 95 € (+ shipping) Cancellation of the subscription in each case at the end of the year Westkreuz Verlag, Berlin Phone +49 (30) 7 45 20 47 Fax +49 (30) 745 30 66 abo@brauerei-forum.de Print and Distribution Westkreuz-Druckerei Ahrens KG Berlin/Bonn, Töpchiner Weg 198/200 12309 Berlin, Germany All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of VLB Berlin. We do not accept any liability of unsolicited sended scripts.

The editor do not assume any responsibility for contributions marked with a name or signature.

Brauerei Forum International – May 2020

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Out next international edition will be released on 9 November 2020

VLB SCHEDULE 2020/2021 VLB seminars and events in 2020/2021 (preliminary listing):

VLB is exhibiting at the following international congresses and trade fairs in 2020/2021:

 Webinar “Craft Brewing Online” 14 to 25 September 2020

 BrauBeviale 2020 10 to 12 November 2020, Nuremberg, Germany

 18. IfGB-Forum Spirituosen und Brennerei 5 to 8 October 2020, Graz, Austria  Annual Brewing Conference 2020, incl.

49th International Malting Barley Seminar and VLB General Assembly 26 to 28 October 2020, Leipzig  Training “Applied Microbiology” 2 to 6 November 2020, Berlin, Germany

 Craft Brewers Conference / BrewExpo 2021 29 March to 1 April 2021, San Diego, California, USA

 Seminar “Brewing in a Nutshell” December 2020, Berlin, Germany

 drinktec 2021 4 to 8 October 2021, Munich, Germany

 Certified Brewmaster Course 2021 11 January to 25 July 2021, hybrid course: part 1 online / part 2 on-site in Berlin, Germany  6th BioProScale Symposium 2021 29 to 31 March 2021, Berlin, Germany  Bangkok Brewing Conference 2021 13 to 15 June 2021, Bangkok, Thailand

editor@brauerei-forum.de