Past Issues
May 2009
COVER STORY:
TONY VAN
KRALINGEN
As his title suggests, SABMiller's new director of human resources and supply chain has a lot on his plate. This broad remit is no accident: Tony van Kralingen is busy globalising systems, starting with procurement. Deputy editor Rob Brown finds out more.
Features
csr reports
Following on from April's look at environmental performance, Glynn Davis reviews the Corporate Social Responsibility standards and objectives set by the world's leading multinational brewers, as evidenced in their annual reports.
wort boiling innovation
Despite its energy intensive requirements, wort boiling is perhaps the least understood part of the brewing process. But help is at hand: as UC Davis professor Charlie Bamforth discovers, there are energy-efficient systems entering the market.
consultancy
A pairing back of central services by brewers has led to an increased demand for consultants to provide not only forward-looking planning but also trouble-shooting advice. Of course, there's a burgeoning number of consultants, reports deputy editor Rob Brown.
EBC congress preview
Hamburg is arguably the most cosmopolitan city in Germany, attracting tourists from around the world seeking relaxed urban chic. It is small wonder, then, that organisers of the 32nd Congress of the European Brewery Convention chose this city - make the most of your time with our guide.
guest columnist
EBC executive officer John Brauer considers the importance of sustainability as a guiding concept for the brewing industry - and hopes that it's not just a public-relations driven flavour of the month concern.
April 2009
COVER STORY:
kasper madsen
Carlsberg Group's supply chain is on a journey, working to create the operating and management systems as well as instilling the mindset and ethos necessary to make lean manufacturing an on-going reality. It falls to senior vice-president Kasper Madsen to drive this process. Editor Larry Nelson finds out more.
Features
environmental performance
Being green is much more than just lip service amongst the world's leading multinational brewers, to judge by the aggressive targets published in the latest environmental reports. Ian Martin surveys the landscape, with just an occasional middle-aged squint hindering his research.
india: supply chain
SABMiller has built on its successful partnerships with farmers in Zambia, Uganda and South Africa, working with Indian farmers to improve what were admittedly substandard crops. The results have been impressive. Christopher Gilmore reports.
barley market report
Something akin to an historic 'normal' market is Roger Martin's surprise finding, despite some contracts being cancelled or shipments delayed from maltsters. The situation is far from perfect, with Australian crops still suffering from drought.
hops market report
A bountiful harvest at the end of 2008 has had ramifications for 2009 plantings with small reductions in acreage in the northwest United States and Germany. Deputy editor Rob Brown touches base with suppliers worldwide, and notes an increased use of hop extracts.
stats snapshot - the baltic markets
Per capita beer consumption rivals that of more mature Western European markets, with BBH in competition with smaller rivals Olvi and Royal Unibrew. Check out our stats for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
guest columnist
Why is beer so into sex when what is needed is more love and romance? It sounds like a Mills & Boon plot synopsis, but it's not. Rupert Ponsonby makes the case for treating beer with a little more respect!
March 2009
COVER STORY:
brewing in vietnam
Vietnam's rush to premium beer brands has been curbed, at least temporarily, by the global downturn. However, the South-East Asian country's market has plenty of room for growth. George W. Russell examines the recent changes in Vietnam's fragmented brewing industry in three major markets: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the southern boom town of Nha Trang.
Features
yeast surveyed
Sometimes there's only one question that needs to be asked - what's new, different, or innovative? OK, that's three questions for the price of one, but as deputy editor Rob Brown discovers on his survey of yeast's leading lights, there are many more answers.
capacity optimisation
It's the flip side of loss reduction: Ian Smith and David Quain return in this issue to outline how best to sweat one's brewing assets, ensuring optimal use of capacity.
dispense quality
Despite the twin pressures of the economic downturn and cash-strapped brewers seeking price breaks, dispense system suppliers continue to come up with eye catching innovations. Deputy editor Rob Brown reports on what's new above - and below - the bar.
internet marketing
Can you guess the connection between direct mail marketing and a brand's internet presence? Marketing editor Pete Brown argues that neither is used to its full potential.
taxing concerns
The UK's alcoholic drinks industry is on a PR offensive, elbowing its way in front of government ministers to make the case that recent excise duty increases are crippling their businesses and damaging a way of life embodied in that great British institution, the pub. Deputy editor Rob Brown reports on the debate.
February 2009
COVER STORY:
women and beer
Here's a sobering thought: half the world's population is comprised of women, and the vast majority of them don't like beer. On the bright side, the industry is slowly waking up to the potential of this untapped market and is developing female-friendly tastes. Editor Larry Nelson surveys these long overdue initiatives.
Features
on-trade expansion
Speaking of untapped markets, roughly 70% of the world's pubs, bars and restaurants sell less than 17 litres per day. That's normally not sufficient volume to make the economics viable for draught beer but, as deputy editor Rob Brown reports, new dispense systems are coming to market, enlarging the pool of on-trade possibilities.
pilot breweries
Small can be beautiful, certainly in combination with big and bigger breweries. We're speaking, of course, about the joys of pilot breweries. Once simply considered a lucky brewer's 'toy box', today pilots perform a plethora of pertinent tasks. Deputy editor Rob Brown takes the measure of the modern pilot brewery.
process loss reduction
Seemingly small marginal production improvements can considerably enhance the bottom line: a mere 1% reduction in process losses can flatter profitability by tens of thousands of pounds. Ian Smith and David Quain offer here a step-by-step look at best practice, from raw materials through to packaging processes.
australian beer market
Total consumption in the Australian beer market has been a model of top line consistency over the last decade, although there have been underlying preference shifts. Our statistics reveal all.
GUEST COLUMNIST
Making beer attractive to women doesn't have to be unduly complicated. Educating both genders that beer isn't fattening is a good starting point; stocking pubs and bars with attractive glassware is even better, argues Ros Shiel, as she decants her half pint into the nearest wine glass.December/January 2009
COVER STORy:
newsmaker of the year
It's hard to imagine a bigger story in terms of industry consolidation than the headline news of 2008, InBev's acquisition of Anheuser-Busch, creating a behemoth that brews one in four of the world's beers. For his audaciousness, A-B InBev Chief Executive Officer, Carlos Brito, is our Newsmaker of the Year. Deputy editor Rob Brown reports.
Features
sustainability
Pick an issue for 2009, the issue that defines the year, and there's a good chance that it will centre on the brewing industry's environmental performance. Pete Brown reports on the tenor of the debate on stage at the recent EBC symposium.
beer & the environment v
Here's a radical thought: could it be one day that co-products generated by the brewing process be worth more than the beer produced? UC Davis professor Charlie Bamforth concludes Beer & the Environment on a typically controversial note.
brau beviale 2008 review
There's a good chance that more than a few readers are still recovering from the ardours of the most recent edition of Brau Beviale. Here's a reminder of what was on offer, and what caught the eye of Brewers' Guardian's writers as innovative, different, or step change.
GUEST COLUMNIST
Brewers' Guardian, along with other opinion leaders, has been fighting for years to have beer matched with food, yet the concept remains far too alien at grassroots level. Pete Brown takers matters into his own hands - and gains a breakthrough insight.
November 2008
Cover Story:
Brewing in Japan
An unusual tax regime based on raw materials has spurred Japanese brewers to create alternatives. At the same time marketing efforts have been renewed around established brands such as Kirin Ichiban. Editor Larry Nelson reports from Japan.
Features
Oettinger
Germany's leading beer brand isn't sitting pretty thanks to marketing prowess - in fact, there is no advertising budget of any sort. Conrad Seidl interviews Günther Kollmar.
beer & the environment iv
Waste water is just money washed down the drain, writes Charlie Bamforth, but technological advances offer new solutions to an age-old problem.
brau beviale 2008
As the brewing industry heads to Nuremberg make the most of your time with our guide to Brau beviale's must-see events.
glassware
Innovation, more than ever, is what matters most for the vessel that joins your beer and your consumers. Kamini Dickie interviews Boston Beer founder Jim Koch.
Hop and Barley Market Reports
There's good news coming in from the key hop growing regions of average or better-than-average harvests, reports Glynn Davis. Meanwhile, a malting barley surplus is projected from European fields and the North American harvest has returned to normal levels. Roger Martin finds out more.
GUEST COLUMNIST
Brand owners wanting to survive the downturn unscathed should protect their marketing budgets, argues Pete Brown.
October 2008
COVER STORy:
ursus breweries
Ursus Breweries finds itself in a tough fight in the Romanian market - years of per capita consumption gains have given way to a more mature market, where growth will come from product and packaging innovation. It falls to Ursus CEO Stephan Weber to outmanoeuvre the opposition. Deputy editor Rob Brown reports from Romania.
Features
flavour matching
State-of-the-art technology but an absence of matching operational systems and quality control, resulting in variable product character. That was the case at Banja Luka Pivara, a brewer looking to improve its flavour consistency. Alex Barlow relates his experiences.
beer & the environment iii
UC Davis professor Charlie Bamforth turns his attention to energy reduction measures, in this the third chapter of his series on Beer and the Environment. There is a myriad of possibilities but at the heart of the matter is having everyone buy into the plan.
beer in plastics
Our annual check-up on the progress to date of the next big thing in beer packaging finds that brewers are moving ever closer to proactively choosing plastic for their brands. Deputy editor Rob Brown reports.
low alcohol beers
As lifestyles change, there's growing demand from consumers for no- and low-alcohol beers. But the rub is that a tasty low-alcohol beer is hard to achieve. Jeff Evans checks in with experienced brewers for their secrets.
GUEST COLUMNIST
Brewing heritage, it transpires, is more of a moveable feast that might have been imagined. That's a shame, argues Jeff Evans - there's much to gain from a knowledge of one's own past.
eastern europe supplement
The booming markets of the post-Communist era Eastern Europe are a little more subdued these days, as brewers turn to NPD and premium brands to sustain their positions. We report on what's happening in Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic.
September 2008
Cover story:
kristin wolfe - sabmiller
When SABMiller appointed Kristin Wolfe 18 months ago as their Head of Alcohol Policy, it signalled an increased emphasis on responding to alcohol-related issues. Alcohol, notes Wolfe, is SABMiller's number one corporate affairs risk. Editor Larry Nelson finds out more.
Features
country profile
South Africa was until recently the preserve of South African Breweries, which boasted a Stalinist-like 99% market share for beer. Things change, with Heineken building a greenfield brewery after unexpectedly regaining control of Amstel. Christopher Gilmour reports from Johannesburg on the newly competitive market.
beer & the environment ii
Could it be possible, idly wonders UC Davis professor Charlie Bamforth, if brewers might one day achieve a ratio of water usage to beer output below 1:1? Probably not, but here's the professor's run-down on how the industry is reducing and reusing an increasingly valuable resource.
enzymes
Due to a shortage of malting barley and an awareness that the current supply shock may not just be a normal cyclical downturn, brewers are turning to enzymes, to make the most of what barley that is available, but also proactively, to investigate the use of adjuncts. Deputy editor Rob Brown considers the market trends.
Guest columnist
Duvel Moortgat has grown in influence amongst specialist premium brand Belgium brewers. The acquisitive company's latest addition, troubled competitor Liefmans, promises good things for the beers based on DM's treatment of recently acquired Achouffe, writes Tim Webb.
greenfield breweries supplement
The world's thirst for beer seems to know no bounds, especially in markets such as Russia, China and India where demand is growing in double-digit leaps annually. As such, new-build breweries are often the only viable solution. Here's a look at the issues and what's being built at the moment.
July/August 2008
COVER STORY:
brewing recruitment
There's a dearth of qualified personnel available at the moment as brewers compete with each other and complementary industries for the best graduates. Deputy editor Rob Brown reports on the current state of the employment market from both sides of the interview table.
Features
wbc 2008 preview
There are at least, say, five-0 reasons why the international brewing community is gathering in Hawaii for the World Brewing Congress. Make the most of your time with our comprehensive guide.
european beer star
The Beer Star makes a welcome return, celebrating its fifth year with expected increases in both number of entries and countries participating. Kamini Dickie reports.
beer & the environment i
UC Davis professor Charlie Bamforth makes a welcome return, this year exploring the issues surrounding the brewing industry and environmental best practice. First of five features.
training & education
There are a number of debates within the international brewing community regarding the education of brewers, both beginners and veterans seeking to broaden or refresh their knowledge base. Is distance learning a sufficient alternative to hands-on instruction? Are bespoke courses for individual multinationals eliminating the cross-pollination of all-comer courses? And what qualities should a neophyte brewer possess? Brewers' Guardian posed these and other vexing questions to heads of leading brewing instituitions worldwide.
Guest columnist
One man's MSc is another's BSc - how can one tell if the qualifications are of equivalent academic value? IBD executive director Simon Jackson makes the case for standardised global brewing qualifications.
June 2008
COVER STORY:
diageo's new breweries
Diageo has unveiled its vision of brewing in Ireland, splashing out £520 million for not just a new brewhouse at venerable St james's Gate, where Guinness came to life in 1759, but for a greenfield brewery outside Dublin. Editor Larry Nelson met with Gerry O'Hagan, supply director for Guinness, Bailey's and European RTD Supply, to discover how the massive project will come together.
Features
new v. old kit
Prepared to splash out on the very best equipment available for your new brewhouse or smallpack line? Wait a moment, writes deputy editor Rob Brown: there's a case to be made for plugging in readily available used kit that can meet that need more quickly than a purpose-built plant. Here's a consideration of the pros and cons.
pos innovation
No peeking: what percentage of drinks order decisions are made at the point of sale? It's a much higher figure than you might imagine - 70% and climbing - and points up the need for further research into how to attract the attention of consumers to your beer. Deputy editor Rob Brown considers the latest dispense innovations.
flavour matching
A long standing skill for brewers, but one increasingly important as beer brands are internationlised and as consumers demand greater product consistency, is flavour-matching. Former Coors Brewers travelling brewmaster Dave Thomas reviews some key lessons based on his experience as does Adnams head brewer Dr Mike Powell-Evans.
the irish beer market
Per capita consumption for beer is still amongst the wrold's highest but in gentle decline as wine and cider gain share of throat in Ireland.We check out the stats for Ireland over the past 10 years.
Guest columnist
Point of sale marketing has been the poor relation to sexy above the line spend for, well, forever it seems. It's time to rethink priorities, writes marketing editor Pete Brown, and redefine what POS really constitutes - in short, consumer meets brand, a crucial interface.
May 2008
COVER STORY:
scottish & newcastle UK
There's a new brewer in town in Britain with Heineken now in ownership of market leader Scottish & Newcastle. But it's not all change: the Dutch brewer has retained the services of Jeremy Blood as managing director to head the organisational transformation. Deputy editor Rob Brown reports on the potentially tricky question of adding Heineken to an already burgeoning portfolio.
Features
suppliers & sales support
After-sales service in the brewing industry is no longer a matter of supplying spare parts and occasional service calls. In an age where multinationals are cutting back on in-house engineering departments, the roles being fulfilled by the suppliers are expanding. Deputy editor Rob Brown wonders where this trend will lead ultimately.
filtration
Filtration is a function often considered in isolation from the brewing process and in a piecemeal fashion, leading to delays in replacing perhaps perfectly functional yet outdated equipment. Consultants Chris Boulton and David Quain make the case for brewers to take a more holistic approach to filtration management.
interview with jim koch
Editor Larry Nelson recently met up with Jim Koch, founder and now chairman of the Boston Beer Company, at the recent Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego. Amongst many things discussed were the outcome of the hop lottery and the state of Boston as a champion of the craft brewing movement..
world beer cup
The global brewing fraternity gathered in San Diego during April for the latest staging of the biannual World Beer Cup. The event continues to increase its presence on the world stage with beers entered from a record number of countries. Editor Larry Nelson reports on this year's event.
Guest columnist
Should brewers be feeling a tad morally uncertain brewing beer in a world facing food shortages? ICBD director Paul Hughes addresses this question in light of increasing concerns over the amount of arable land devoted to bioethanol production, and comes away reassured.
April 2008
COVER STORY:
efes beer group
There's a quietly confident regional player on the global brewing stage, one entering new markets in the former Soviet republics and stepping up its game by partnering with Heineken. Editor Larry Nelson met with Efes Beer Group president Alejandro Jimenez in Istanbul to talk strategy, product innovation, and expansion ambitions.
Features
hops market report
Higher prices are, as expected, encouraging growers to replant hop bines, especially in Germany and the United States. However, most new crops are already forward contracted, leaving a tight spot market in 2008, difficult news for smaller brewers. Tom Woerndl reports.
barley market report
Hope springs eternal at the start of the growing season, especially for barley, with additional hectares being planted in Scandinavia and Canada. However, as Roger Martin reveals, while prices are starting to drop any hint of inclement weather in the growing season will likely send them rocketing again.
cleaning in place
BRI senior engineer Gary Freeman offers an overview on best practice in cleaning in place regimes, and surveys what's new in the market, all with an eye as to how the industry is responding to economic and environmental pressures to reduce water usage.
keg innovation
Hey, fleet managers: when's the last time you've seen all your kegs? Thought so, and so do suppliers who are developing lightweight plastic kegs that are intended to be recycled after a single one-way use. Tom Woerndl examines their potential for export markets.
Guest columnist
The Czech Republic consumes more beer per capita than any other country in the world and, perhaps as a consequence, seems more willing to embrace the message of beer's contribution to health. Katka Krosnar catalogues the Czech industry's attempts to promote beer and health - with a little help from the medical profession.
March 2008
COVER STORY:
carlsberg npd
New product development is increasingly important in a highly competitive drinks industry, both within the brewing industry and in competition with other long drinks. It falls to Jan Hillesland, Carlsberg Group's vice president for sales and marketing, to ensure that he and his team stay ahead of the innovation curve. Editor Larry Nelson reports on what's up and coming in Copenhagen.
Features
country report
The American beer market is buoyant at the moment, at least in the craft beer and import segments. However, the big boys are fighting back, reports Paul Brent, investing in craft beers of their own and ever-improving their efficiences.
yeast: flavour
What brewers know about the science of yeast and its contribution to flavour is surprisingly sketchy, write Chris Boulton and David Quain. However, on-going genome research may shed new light on yeast's contributions.
pasteurisation
It's not an easy decision - what works best for your brewery, tunnel or flash pasteurisation, or sterile filtration? Rod White takes the temperature of a debate that runs hot and cold, considering beer quality, costs and operational considerations.
eiken and his £200 a bottle jacobsen vintage
Jacobsen brewmaster Jens Eiken has generated headlines for producing the world's most expensive beer - a mere £200 per bottle of Jacobsen Vintage. His passion isn't for notoriety, writes Andrew Arnold, but rather for creating beers that are memorable in their own right.
Guest columnist
American craft brewing seems to have an upward-only trajectory at the moment, one that its backers say can be sustained. But craft beer sales have crashed before, back in the late 1990's. This time it's different. Julie Bradford explains all.
February 2008
COVER STORY:
NPD - fruit flavours
There's a global trend in brewing, the addition of fruit essences post-fermentation to create premium packaged lagers with a sweet flavour difference. Tom Woerndl traces the development of 'beer mixes' from their origins in Germany and asks whether it is a fad or are citrus-flavoured beers here to stay.
Features
IT: shared services
There's increasingly a case to be made for multinational brewers to standardise systems and move to cross-border shared service centres. Deloitte partners Gerry Boyle and Nigel Wixcey consider the implementation issues, including outsourcing.
packaging reduction
Pressure from government and increasing material costs are pushing brewers to cut back on the amount of packaging that they use. However, as Tom Woerndl discovers, there are gains to be made in product presentations in addition to accrual of cost-cutting savings.
S&N history
As shareholders consider the merits of the 800 pence per share agreed offer on the table for Scottish & Newcastle, Brian Glover takes a fond look back at the last remaining British multinational brewer, which always favoured brewing to retailing.
beer at home in the soul of wine
Jeff Evans reports from northern Italy on the rise of craft beers, thanks mainly to the imaginations of some wildly creative microbrewers.
Guest columnist
With tobacco out of the way, as society now turns to alcohol as the next great challenge, brewers would do well to ensure that the debate is about drinking habits and not about alcohol per se, argues Peter Haydon.
india supplement
The world's second most populous country today consumes as much beer in a year as Portugal, yet as the economy grows at an almost double digit pace an emerging middle class has disposable income to spend and a thirst for new tastes. Here's how the industry is working to meet that demand.
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