We are currently working on the conference schedule programme. Please check this page regularly for updates. The final programme will be available soon in PDF format.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly applied in food technology and brewing science as a tool for optimizing product development and technological processes. In the context of craft brewing, where innovation and experimentation with raw materials and process parameters are common, AI-based systems offer new possibilities for systematic formulation of beer recipes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of contemporary AI models in supporting the development of craft beer recipes.
The research combined a theoretical overview of artificial intelligence development and its applications in biotechnological processes with an analysis of craft beer production, including raw materials, technological steps, and the chemical compounds responsible for beer flavor and aroma. The experimental part focused on comparing American Pale Ale (APA) recipes generated by multiple AI models, including Gemini, Perplexity, Jenni AI, Copilot, DeepSeek, Claude, GPT-based models, and Grok. The generated formulations were analyzed with respect to ingredient composition, technological procedures, predicted physicochemical parameters, and compliance with BJCP style guidelines.
The results indicate that AI models can successfully generate technically viable beer recipes and propose diverse ingredient combinations and hopping strategies. However, differences among models highlight the importance of expert evaluation to ensure technological feasibility and balanced sensory profiles. Artificial intelligence therefore represents a promising supportive tool for accelerating innovation and expanding creative possibilities in craft brewing.
Professor Sasa Despotovic is an Associate Professor affiliated with the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, Institute for Food Technology and Biochemistry. He is the founder and secretary of Serbia’s Association of Food Technologists. Additionally, he is the founder and secretary of the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group section in Serbia and a founding member of the Serbian Food Technology Council. Furthermore, he is a sensory specialist leader in training professional testing panels for the food and beverage sector, with a specialist focus on alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
In brewing technology, free amino nitrogen (FAN) is most often regarded as the primary nutrient for yeast, essential for proper fermentation. However, this is a significant oversimplification. In addition to being a source of nitrogen, FAN is also an important regulator of yeast metabolism, influencing the biochemical pathways responsible for the formation of key aromatic compounds in beer. The amount and composition of FAN affect the production of higher alcohols, esters, and sulfur compounds, and may also influence biotransformation processes and the release of thiols.
The presentation will present the latest research findings on the impact of FAN on yeast metabolism.
Marcin Chmielarz is a biologist by training and a brewer by vocation. He strives to combine brewing practice with academic curiosity and an understanding of the biological processes that take place in the brewery. A lover of porters, especially Baltic porters, and the founder of Baltic Porter Day. Head brewer at Inne Beczki Brewery.
Non–starch polysaccharides are common compounds in any cereal, where they affect the texture and retrogradation enthalpy of starch molecules. Hydrocolloids naturally present in wheat are called pentosans, and they take up approx 2% of wheat flour. Arabinoxylans and β-glucan are common hemicelluloses in wheat and are mostly found in the cell wall. This paper aims to provide an overview of non–starchpolysaccharides in cereals used for brewing and to underline the influence these macromolecules have on the malting and brewing raw materials, specifically for the pasting temperature.
Kristina Mastanjević (née Habschied) was born in 1982 in Croatia and described herself as having a borderline Gen X and Millennial mentality. Graduated in 2008 at Faculty of Food Technology in Osijek, and then finished her PhD (2015) at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology.
Currently, she holds a position as the Head of the Sub–department of Bioprocess Engineering at the Faculty of Food Technology in Osijek.
She brews beer with students and for students. Member of EBC and BSG. Interested in traditional fermentations such as beer, kombucha, cider, etc. Loves cats, orchids, and German lagers. Mother of two dragons.
Metal ions, such as iron and copper catalyze oxidative reactions that accelerate beer staling, even at ppb levels. Chelation binds these metals, limiting radical formation and protecting hop aroma and flavour stability. This talk explores metal-driven oxidation, practical mitigation strategies, and case studies demonstrating how targeted chelation solutions can improve shelf-life without compromising beer quality.
Jonas Trummer is an Brewing Science – Alumni of the prestigious TUM-Weihenstephan. Additionally, he holds a PhD in Brewing Science from the Agricultural University in Krakow and the University Ghent. He has worked in breweries of all sizes in Germany, Poland and France. Since 2024, he is the Technical Sales Manager for Murphy and Son in Europe
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In this session, Jan Biering, Head of the Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production (FIBGP), will spotlight the unsung hero of every brewery: yeast. Far more than a fermentation agent, yeast is the true brewer—responsible for shaping flavor, aroma, and quality in every batch.
Drawing from scientific research and extensive consulting experience, Jan Biering will guide participants through best practices in yeast handling, harvesting, treatment, and re-pitching. Learn how to manage yeast vitality and health to ensure consistent beer quality, reduce off-flavors, and optimize fermentation performance. Whether you’re working in a craft setup or an industrial brewery, this talk will help you elevate your yeast management to master brewer level.
Jan Biering currently Head of Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production (FIBGP) and consultant.
Since 2021, he is responsible for the Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production, including
consultancy in breweries worldwide with a focus in technological issues, recipe development and
troubleshooting and microbiological issues. He is also involved in education and training for different courses at the VLB that includes the craft brewing course to the certified brewmaster course.
Earlier he was the plant manager, Schlossbrauerei Schwarzbach from 2003-2011and was responsible for beer production from raw material intake till final filled product in bottles and kegs. Responsibilities included brew house work, fermentation and filtration. His field of activity included Quality management, consumer relations and production of alcohol-free beverages.
Jan has a Dipl.-Ing Biotechnology/ Brewing science (1997-2003) which he received from the Technical University of Berlin/Germany and has also done an apprenticeship as brewer and maltster (1995- 1997) at Kulmbacher Brauereien, Kulmbach, Germany.
This presentation explores the chemical and technological aspects of tannin application in brewing. It begins with an overview of tannin sources, including considerations related to sustainable raw material sourcing, followed by their classification and key chemical properties.
Particular emphasis is placed on practical applications of tannins throughout the brewing process, including:
– metal chelation and the removal of metal ions (especially iron) from brewing water, and their impact on flavour stability and sensory profile,
– antioxidant activity of tannins and their role in limiting oxidative reactions,
– protein stabilization at the brewhouse stage, including selective removal of highly reactive proteins and reduction of losses at the whirlpool,
– stabilization during maturation,
– use of tannins during final filtration as an alternative to conventional stabilization methods (e.g. silica gels),
– stabilization of non-alcoholic beers,
– application of tannins as haze-stabilizing agents in IPA and NEIPA beer styles,
– potential use in gluten-free beer production.
The final part of the presentation will briefly address tannin applications in winemaking, as well as selected non-brewing applications, including their use as corrosion inhibitors and in feed technology.
Andrzej Turlej is a graduate of the Poznań University of Life Sciences and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium). He has over 25 years of experience in the field of specialty ingredients for the food industry, with a particular focus on enzymes and process solutions.
He combines extensive industry knowledge with practical experience in fermentation processes. Outside of his professional work, he is an enthusiast of winemaking and brewing, with a particular appreciation for dark beers as well as Belgian and Irish styles.
While hop addition during whirlpooling has long been used by brewers to impart hop flavor and aroma without contributing to bitterness, the fundamentals of solubilization, volatilization, and retention of aroma compounds during this process are not well understood. This work examines the solubilization and retention dynamics of hop-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during whirlpool. Experiments conducted at pilot scale demonstrated that the concentration of hop-derived essential oils in the wort achieved an apparent equilibrium state within four minutes, and subsequently remained stable over a ten-minute observation period, suggesting both a swift solubilization process and an unanticipated retention of these aromatic constituents. A sealed-vessel trial under the same conditions suggested that the plateau could reflect solubility limits, establishing an equilibrium between volatilization and replenishment, as volatilization losses were not observed. Supporting benchtop experiments with pure compounds in model wort demonstrated that linalool and myrcene were both lost from wort rapidly under open conditions, indicating the potential stabilizing influence of hop matrix constituents. The results support the hypothesis that hop oils exist as colloidal suspensions in wort, indicating interactions with hop components may enhance apparent solubility and diminish volatilization. Overall, this work validates that the solubilization of hop aroma compounds in hot wort occurs within minutes and suggests that the hop matrix plays a crucial role in the retention of volatile compounds. Such findings present an opportunity to optimize whirlpool hopping by decreasing the hop load or contact time without compromising the desirable aroma intensity.
Sarah Tyree is a Ph.D. researcher at Iowa State University’s Brew Lab, where she investigates how hop aroma compounds are retained during whirlpooling. Outside the lab, she enjoys homebrewing, pottery and ceramics, live music, and exploring local breweries. Her favorite beer is a Schwarzbier, though she’s never met a well-made pint she didn’t like.
The production of non-alcoholic beers requires precise control of technological parameters, including microbiological stability, sensory profile, and product shelf life. Wort acidification is one of the key tools supporting quality management in this segment.
Proper pH adjustment at an early stage of the technological process affects enzymatic activity, fermentation performance, and limits the growth of undesirable microflora. This parameter also plays a significant role in shaping flavour profile, colloidal stability, and microbiological safety of non-alcoholic beers.
The lecture will focus on wort acidification as an element of quality management in the production of low- and non-alcoholic beers, with particular emphasis on technological aspects and process control.
Dr. hab. Edyta Kordialik-Bogacka is affiliated with the Lodz University of Technology, where she conducts research and teaching in the field of fermentation technology and industrial microbiology. Her research interests include fermentation processes, microbiological quality of fermented products, and innovative technological solutions in brewing.
Wort boiling requires a substantial amount of energy due to the evaporation of water and DMS. Minimal evaporation is desirable, but DMS still needs to be removed sufficiently. Nevertheless, DMS occasionally appears in specialty beers, affecting flavour. Do we truly understand enough about the origin of DMS, and what is the role of DMSO?
Gert De Rouck is Head of the Malting and Brewing Technology Pilot Facilities at KU Leuven (Ghent) and Chairman of the Brewing Science Group of the European Brewery Convention (EBC).
He holds a PhD in Bioscience Engineering from KU Leuven and has extensive experience in both academia and brewing practice, including roles in lambic brewing, pilot brewery operations, and product development.
His research and teaching focus on wort production, flavour stability, innovative hopping techniques, mixed fermentations, and wood barrel ageing. He is actively involved in education and training in malting and brewing technology, combining scientific insight with practical industry applications.
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The Hazy IPA beer style, also known as New England IPA (NEIPA), has gained increased popularity among brewers for more than a decade worldwide. Hop-forward aromas and pronounced haziness are defining characteristics of this beer style. The aromatic complexity of this beer style is largely influenced by yeast-driven polyfunctional thiol release (e.g., 3SH, 4S4M2Pone) and biotransformation (3SHA) from non-volatile hop precursors (cysteinylated and glutathionylated forms). Haze is a critical visual aspect of this beer style, and it must remain stable to meet product quality over time. The interaction among certain proteins, carbohydrates, and polyphenols coming from the different ingredients (e.g., oats, hops) used in a typical Hazy IPA recipe are the primary source of haze. On top of this raw material influence, yeast has been observed to also play a role as an additional variable in the haze equation. In this context, this study investigated the impact of yeast on thiol release and haze stability through two consecutive phases. In the initial lab-scale screening (30L brew/2L fermentations), several yeast strains and blends were preliminarily evaluated for their ability to release polyfunctional thiols, maintain haze stability, and contribute to sensory attributes (e.g. tropical fruitiness). Among the tested strains, SafAle™ K-97 and SafAle™ S-04 demonstrated dominant performance in both thiol release and haze stability. Building on these results, the second phase was carried out at pilot scale (20hL/1hL fermentations) and expanded the scope to include a haze functional yeast derivative (Spring’Blanche™) and additional commercially available Hazy IPA yeast products. This phase focused mainly on the nephelometric monitoring of haze evolution in beers stored at 4°C and 20°C over a six-month period. The findings confirm the strains SafAle™ K-97 and SafAle™ S-04 as outstanding performers at pilot scale, exhibiting comparable or superior haze-stabilizing properties and thiol-release capabilities relative to other commercial yeast products. Furthermore, Spring’Blanche™ was confirmed as a functional ingredient enabling additional haze over time without any sensory impact.
Eduardo Liza-Diaz is a food engineer with a master’s degree in innovation and product design, specialized in brewing biotechnology – where science meets yeast and good ideas ferment best. His professional journey has been firmly rooted in fermentation, mainly in the beer industry, with a brief but delicious side quest in breadmaking. Shaped by academic and professional experiences across Latin America and Europe, Eduardo currently works as an R&D Project Manager at Fermentis, leading research and development projects focused on new strain development for the Beer and Brewing category. When he’s not working on microbes, he enjoys traveling and discovering local beer practices around the world. His favorite beer? The one that’s shared with good company.
Discovering new yeast species can be crucial for creating new types of beers. In this study, three new yeast species were investigated: Saccharomyces bayanus, Schizosaccharomyces japonicus, and Schizosaccharomyces pombe var. malidevorans, which have not previously been used in the brewing industry.
Colour, total acidity, bitterness, aroma profile, total phenolic content, flavonoid content, mineral composition, and organoleptic characteristics of beers fermented by these strains were analysed to evaluate their applicability in brewing. The strains did not significantly affect the nutritional value or colour of the beers but showed increased acidity compared to the control strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
GC-MS (Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry) analysis revealed 33 aroma compounds, some common and some unique to specific strains. S. cerevisiae and S. bayanus produced a similar number (19–20) of aroma compounds, while S. japonicus produced the fewest, including some undesirable compounds. Compounds such as isobutyl alcohol, isoamyl alcohol, acetol, dimethylpyrazine, acetic acid, 4-cyclopentene-1,3-dione, butyrolactone, 2-furanmethanol, phenylethyl alcohol, maltol, and pyranone — mostly responsible for desirable beer aromas — were found in all samples.
The new yeasts significantly increased polyphenol content and decreased flavonoid content. Based on analytical results and sensory scores, S. bayanus and S. pombe var. malidevorans may be suitable for brewing, while S. japonicus appears less suitable or appropriate mainly for mixed fermentation.
Loránd Alexa is one of the few academic brewers in Hungary and among the first in the country to obtain a PhD focused on brewing-related research. He is currently an assistant professor at the Institute of Food Science, University of Debrecen, teaching food safety and food analytics alongside his primary focus on brewing technologies and the role of alcoholic beverages in human nutrition. He has published multiple research papers in international journals and actively supports student research projects. In his spare time, he enjoys travelling, nature, and international beer tasting — with a special preference for stouts.
Hop creep remains one of the most underestimated and poorly controlled risks in modern hop-forward beer production. Late and dry hopping introduces active enzymes, primarily amyloglucosidases, that convert previously unfermentable dextrins into fermentable sugars after primary fermentation appears complete.
This secondary digestion can reactivate yeast metabolism, leading to unexpected over-attenuation, refermentation in package, elevated CO₂ levels, flavour instability, and reduced shelf life.
Traditional brewery control tools such as density, apparent extract, and alcohol measurements are fundamentally blind to this process. These methods assume that fermentable sugars are depleted once final gravity is reached and therefore fail to detect newly generated fermentables originating from dextrin breakdown.
This contribution presents fermentable sugar testing as an innovative and game-changing approach for truly monitoring and controlling hop creep. Using the Beer-o-Meter platform, fermentable sugars can be measured directly and selectively in real time, independent of non-fermentable carbohydrates.
Case examples demonstrate how fermentable sugar profiles evolve after dry hopping, even when density remains unchanged. By integrating fermentable sugar data into fermentation and packaging decisions, brewers can accurately assess refermentation risk, determine safe cold-crash and packaging windows, and significantly improve product stability and shelf-life predictability.
The results underline that fermentable sugar analysis is not merely an additional quality parameter, but the only reliable method to close the critical blind spot left by conventional measurements.
Maciej Grajewski is a Polish biotechnologist currently based in the Netherlands. He holds a PhD in microfluidics from the University of Groningen, where he specialized in developing precise and scalable analytical solutions. With a strong background in biotechnology and a passion for applying advanced diagnostics to real-world brewing challenges, he founded Beer-o-Meter to bring laboratory-grade quality control tools directly into craft breweries. His work bridges cutting-edge biotechnology and practical brewing needs, enabling scalable sugar management and improved process stability.
Mashing conducted at lower temperatures (approx. 45°C) promotes the selective activity of cytolytic enzymes, primarily β-glucanase, which plays a key role during the early stages of mashing. Its main function is the degradation of β-glucans — polysaccharides forming the cell walls of cereal grains, particularly barley.
This enzymatic activity reduces mash viscosity and significantly improves filtration performance. The study characterizes the enzymatic mechanisms occurring during low-temperature mashing and evaluates their impact on mash filtration properties, overall process efficiency, and the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the final beer.
The results demonstrate that low-temperature mashing can accelerate and improve mash filtration while maintaining foam stability and overall beer quality, offering practical optimization potential for modern breweries.
Krzysztof Kucharczyk is a Senior Specialist in Process Technology at the Archducal Brewery in Żywiec (Grupa Żywiec). He began his brewing education at the Brewing Technical School in Tychy and continued at Lodz University of Technology and the University of Agriculture in Krakow, where he obtained his PhD in food technology with a specialization in brewing fermentation and maturation processes in 2013. He also completed postgraduate studies in Production Management. He has been working at the Żywiec Brewery since 1998.
Low and non‑alcoholic beers provide fermentable carbohydrates, B‑vitamins and polyphenols with minimal ethanol exposure, but their health impact depends strongly on product composition, consumption patterns and regulation. This lecture synthesises evidence on their nutritional value and health effects together with technological and legal constraints relevant for future product development.
The Europe Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverages market is projected to grow in the next ten years, with a compound annual growth rate of about 6% during the forecast period from 2025 to 2035. For example, in Poland, over 70% of adults report non‑alcoholic beer use; motivations include the ability to drive, hydration, health‑related goals and enjoyment of beer flavour without intoxication, and around half of users report reducing or replacing alcoholic beer, while many integrate non‑alcoholic beer into existing drinking routines.
From a nutritional and metabolic perspective, low/non‑alcoholic beers deliver sugars, modest protein, minerals and polyphenols, and can modulate gut microbiota, but randomised trial data in healthy young men show that wheat and mixed non‑alcoholic beers increase fasting glucose, insulin and triglycerides, whereas pilsener‑style products resemble water in their metabolic profile, underlining the importance of sugar and energy content. Technological pathways (restricted or arrested fermentation, dealcoholisation, non‑conventional yeasts) determine residual ethanol, sugar profile, flavour volatiles, polyphenol retention and potential probiotic characteristics, thus shaping both sensory quality and nutritional value.
Finally, evolving EU rules on “alcohol‑free”, “0.0%” and “low‑alcohol” designations, together with strict limits on nutrition and health claims and on the use of protected spirit names for 0.0% products, constrain how such beers can be positioned as “health drinks”. The lecture will critically evaluate when low and non‑alcoholic beers may contribute to harm reduction and healthier drinking patterns and when their formulation, marketing and use may undermine these goals, highlighting implications for brewers, regulators and public health.
Dr. Goran Šarić, College Professor, graduated from the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, in 2002. From January 2004 to October 2014 he was employed at the Department of Food Quality Control at the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology in Zagreb. He received his PhD from the same Faculty in 2011. Since 2014 he has been working at the Department of Food Technology at Karlovac University of Applied Sciences, where he teaches courses on beer and malt science and production technology, brewing industry raw materials and by-products and sensory analysis in food industry. Recently, his main research interests have been the possibilities of processing and managing various by-products from beer and malt production and turning them into value-added products. Since 2023 he organizes the only Croatian international brewing conference called “With brewers, for brewers”.
Belgian traditional beers, such as lambic, have seen a remarkable rise in popularity in recent years, with their distinctive sour character especially appreciated abroad. Spontaneous fermentation remains essential for developing the characteristic flavor profile of these beers, formed during maturation on wooden barrels after overnight spontaneous inoculation of the wort in a coolship.
Despite the interest, the process is still largely a black box, making consistent quality control challenging. In current practice, quality variation is managed by blending lambics of different ages, rather than by controlling the spontaneous fermentation process itself.
To strengthen the scientific knowledge and thus enable better production control, we provide a look inside the microbiome black box of spontaneous beers using deep sequencing techniques. We sampled the microbiota on barrel interior surfaces immediately after emptying and continued monitoring up to 90 days after sanitizing the barrels. Our analyses reveal that key microbial community members, similar to those detected in the freshly inoculated wort, persist for months after cleaning, which suggests that they reside in the barrels as well. Remarkably, the same microbial signals can also be traced back to the walls and ceilings of the brewery complex.
We apply an innovative molecular approach to characterize the microbial community of traditionally spontaneous fermented beers and to track their distribution across the wort, wooden barrels, and the brewery environment, demonstrating that the process of spontaneous fermentation is influenced by far more than the obvious infected wort alone.
Though Sam Crauwels had his ‘wild yeast’ years during his PhD and postdoc, focusing on Brettanomyces, spontaneous fermentation, and wood-matured beer, the only ‘wild’ thing that remains is his love for Belgian Trappist beer Orval. Today, as an associate professor, he is working on an ambitious research line on the study of the assembly of microbial communities and how they are affected by biotic and abiotic factors, aiming to better understand and manage microbial processes (like beer and wine production). Lastly, ‘Nie umiem mówić po polsku’ (‘I can’t speak Polish’) is his most – or perhaps only – used Polish phrase, but it has saved him from numerous peculiar situations.
Against the background of rising CO2 concentrations and climate change, this research analyses the effects on the pH value, protein content and extract of pale barley malt, important attributes in beer production.
Based on the analysis of 20,073 malt samples over 23 years from two Bavarian malt houses, including data on sowing times and climatic conditions, the study shows a significant increase in pH and extract, while protein content decreased.
These changes illustrate the influence of climate change, in particular CO2 concentrations, temperature and precipitation, on malt quality.
Using MEBAK guidelines and statistical analyses with R and RStudio, significant correlations between climate factors and malt parameters were identified. The results emphasise the need for effective adaptation strategies in the agri-food industry to ensure food quality under changing climatic conditions. This work contributes to the understanding of climatic influences on food production and emphasises the urgency of adaptation measures to climate change.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Zarnkow is Head of the Technology and Development Division at the Research Center Weihenstephan for Brewing and Food Quality at the Technical University of Munich (Technische Universität München, TUM). His research focuses on malting and brewing technology, raw material quality control, and the development of innovative process technologies in brewing.
Prof. Zarnkow bridges scientific insight with practical industry needs, with special emphasis on the analysis of raw material quality and its impact on fermentation and brewing processes.