BREWING
The Brewers of Europe Forum
dif culty choosing could turn to the professional bartenders. You just had to tell them the tastes, colours and experiences you were seeking, and you received rst-class advice. The city of Antwerp - A good event cannot happen without a good location. Antwerp was that place: welcoming and lively, with plenty of green spaces to relax. The attendees could enjoy a great city with plenty of bars and multicultural restaurants, impressive architecture and beautiful artwork, making it the perfect host! The event concluded with a Farewell reception for the EBC Congress delegates at the Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie, followed the next days by technical tours at Brewery Haacht, Brewery Palm and at Boortmalt. Pen Brussels 2020 into your diary! The 3rd edition of The Brewers of Europe Forum will be held next year in Europe’s capital city, before it travels to another destination in Europe in 2021, together with the EBC Congress. At a time where the European Union con- tinues to evolve and where the industry is facing multiple challenges but also numerous opportunities, this will be the perfect place to have vivid discussions, exchange views and best practices and get new ideas for making the beer community blossom! Judging from the hundreds of happy faces at this year’s events, we will very much look forward to welcoming participants to the next Brewers of Europe Forum. Make sure you plan your trip and see you on the 3rd and 4th of June 2020!
South African Breweries launch new agricultural research and development facility in Caledon South African Breweries (SAB) has launched an R80 million agricultural research and development facility in Caledon in the Western Cape, which will pilot new farming techniques, technology, and crop varieties to accelerate agricultural development in the country, IOL reported. The facility, which will have a critical focus on black emerging farmers was of cially launched in conjunction with the national department of agriculture and is one of the largest privately-funded research and development facilities in South Africa. The 2019 Brewers of Europe Forum highlights: Networking Reception Antwerp City Brewery De Koninck - To end the rst day of the Forum, the impressive Antwerp City Brewery ‘De Koninck’ provided an ideal opportunity to have a drink with old friends and colleagues and to meet new people. A good Belgian beer helped conversation skills no end! Plenary keynotes - A number of speakers were invited to share their knowledge, views and re ections with the audience. Amongst them were Jean-François van Boxmeer, Cees ‘t Hart, Paolo Lanzarotti and Bob Pease (CEOs from Heineken, the Carlsberg Group, Asahi Breweries Europe Group In 3, 4 and 5 June, Antwerp was the place to be for Europe’s brewers. Over 1,100 brewers, technicians, suppliers, experts and interested parties engaged in two/three days of discussions that ranged from the (re)discovery of ancient raw materials to the most up-to-date brewing innovations. The Brewers Forum and EBC Congress discussions were extremely varied – illustrating a modern, diverse and ambitious beer value chain. Individual sessions and panels covered plans for innovative products, improved sustainability, the promotion of responsible drinking and no & low alcohol offerings that meet consumers’ strictest taste standards. This latter point is a fast-growing part of the brewing sector, with many brewers, small and large, embracing opportuni- ties to provide consumers with lower alcohol options alongside traditional brews. This goes to the heart of what beer has been about over the past decade – a story of traditional values being reinvented and revitalised for the modern era.
All research output will be made freely available on a dedicated website, along with weather data, to ensure the bene ts are spread as widely as possible to all farmers. Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mcebisi Skwatsha, noted that Agriculture and Agro- processing industries play an important role in making a contribution towards economic growth, poverty alleviation and job creation. SAB’s efforts are an important part of this. The company said with micro-brewer- ies, a malting plant and laboratory on-site to test and enhance new varieties of barley for making beer, the centre will open new opportunities for farmers to improve yield and pro tability, and for brewers to enhance avour in their beverages. The space is designed for collaboration in order to co-create innovative solutions What’s in a name? We had the tastiest evenings at Beer Lovers Bar, the hotspot for… beer lovers of course! They served craft beers from every corner of Europe on 12 rotating taps. Those who had and Brewers Association). From Austria, Josef Sigl (CEO Trumer Private Brewery) explained his vision of the future and how he is planning to ensure his fam- ily-owned company remains ready for the ever changing 21st century. Zoran Gojkovic (Carlsberg) and Florian Schüll (HVG) shared insights on how the indus- try’s main ingredients - malt and hops - are hit by climate change and how it is preparing to face and adapt to a chang- ing situation. Seminars - Many seminars were organised during The Brewers of Europe Forum and EBC Congress, so attendees could choose from a wide variety of sessions covering technical and scien- ti c topics, latest high-pro le research developments, new ideas for marketing, business and export developments, the new trends towards speci c historic or local malt varieties, and many more… The tradeshow - The event was also the occasion for brewers and their suppliers and clients to meet up in the exhibition area and develop useful busi- ness relationships in a friendly and open environment. Beer Tasting @ Beer Lovers bar -
The Egg - Brussels 3 & 4 June 2020 www.brewersforum.eu
with partners, including the Agricultural Research Council. The centre will also test new farming techniques and varieties of all cereal crops grown in the region, including oats, barley, canola, and wheat to develop new standards in agricultural best practice and improve food security. SAB director of agricultural development, Josh Hammann explained that the R&D facility would test new practices, including the impact of eliminating the use of pesticides in one eld and comparing the results with another eld sprayed with pesticides, which would be too nancially risky for a commercial farmer to try. The centre will also conduct trials for input ef ciency, irrigation, management, growth regulators and crop protectants to build a knowledge base for new and existing emerging and commercial farmers. ➤➤
10 ● BREWER AND DISTILLER INTERNATIONAL I november 2019
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