Conference
Brew Asia Conference -
2024 Programme Now Brewing
The 2023 conference programme was curated around the theme "Delivering the Future" and featured over 30 presentations, workshops and discussion groups for brewers, sales teams and business owners aimed at preparing the industry for the challenges ahead.
Whether you were looking for innovative ingredients, state of the art equipment, branding advice or a competitive business advantage, there was something for every member of your team at Brew Asia 2023.
And our 10th Anniversary edition in 2024 will be even bigger and better!
Highlights for 2023
DAY 1 KEYNOTE
Future Proof
Garrett Marrero, Co-founder/CEO, Maui Brewing Company
SESSION OUTLINE:
Founded in 2005, Maui Brewing Co. had a simple vision of making authentic, high-quality craft beer for the local Hawai’i market. As this vision matured it was clear that the world could not be “beer only” and tastes change. Garrett as Co-Founder recognized the need to shift from a “craft” focus to a “total beverage” lifestyle brand. Garrett will share his experiences developing an iconic Hawaiian including a bit of brand history, current experiences and an outlook for the future to remain “Future Proof”.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Garrett co-founded Maui Brewing Company (MBC) in 2005 and, as CEO, has grown the business from a seven-barrel brewpub with 32 employees producing 320 barrels of beer in 2005 into one of America’s most successful regional craft breweries and Hawaii’s largest independent craft brewer. In 2022 he oversaw the acquisition of Modern Times Beer & Coffee in San Diego, California, and formed Craft ‘Ohana to bring all of the organizations together and propel the group into the US’s Top 30 craft brewing companies. Maui Brewing Company’s craft now extends to Island Sodas, Maui Hard Seltzer, and Kupu Spirits.
Holding a bachelors degree in economics Garrett brings with him a wealth of business experience having led numerous legislative initiatives to change laws to better support the growing craft industry in Hawaii and successfully grow his brand into the beyond-beer category.
DAY 2 KEYNOTE
A Craft Brewery Culture of Information Sharing
Scott Janish, Co-founder, Sapwood Cellars
SESSION OUTLINE:
When writing the book “The New IPA,” Scott interviewed a number of breweries on their best practices and approaches to brewing hop-forward beers. This culture of information sharing amongst professional breweries in the United States has led to breweries producing better beer, better relationships amongst breweries, and a support system for ingredients sourcing, business questions, and equipment concerns. There is a lot to gain by being open with your breweries experience and listening to others about theirs!
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Scott is a co-founder of Sapwood Cellars, a brewery specializing in hazy hop-forward ales and barrel-aged sour beers in Maryland, USA. He is also a prominent beer researcher, blogger and author of The New IPA: Scientific Guide to Hop Aroma and Flavor - a must-have book for those that love to brew hoppy hazy beer and a scientific guide for those who want to push the limits of hop flavor and aroma!
Scott has dissected hundreds of scientific papers on hop and yeast interactions for his book and blog, so if you’re serious about your Hazy IPA’s then you’ll not want to miss him as he shares his wealth of knowledge at this year’s Brew Asia
PRESENTATION
Disrupting Brewery Automation: Re-Inventing Manual Breweries
Andrew Tierney, Founder/CEO, Onepoint Brewing Automation
SESSION OUTLINE:
By harnessing the power of open source code and affordable generic IoT devices, brewers can transform their ""it works... sometimes"" manual breweries into highly efficient and reliable operations, all without breaking the bank or taking on additional loans.
Andrew's talk deep dives into a different implementation of what brewery automation should be for small to medium sized commercial microbreweries, focussing on how to redefine your existing or new brewery and how OnePoint's non-typical solution is poised to disrupt brewers' perceptions of what a microbrewery automation solution can and should be, while ensuring brewers retain their creative freedom and the integrity of their craft.
OnePoint Brewing is spearheading this groundbreaking and disruptive revolution in brewery automation. With an intimate understanding of the day-to-day challenges and opportunities facing a microbrewery, he has developed an innovative solution that promises to redefine microbrewery brewhouses while disrupting industry perceptions of what brewing automation should be, while also handing back control to ensure that brewers remain brewers.
Attendees will discover practical strategies for integrating open source solutions and IoT devices to automate key brewing processes, streamline operations, and achieve consistent quality while maximizing cost-effectiveness.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Andrew Tierney, Founder of OnePoint Brewing Automation, is a visionary brewer and former engineer who is disrupting and reinventing brewery automation. With over 3 decades of brewing and engineering experience and a reputation for executing unique, real-world solutions within the brewhouse, Andrew brings a unique perspective on the importance of innovation by deploying, not only industry standards, but device-agnostic/open-source IoT infrastructure into the brewery.
PRESENTATION
Taste transformers: Draft Pouring Techniques and Their Impact on Flavour
Shane McNamara, Global Director, AB InBev
SESSION OUTLINE:
Join Shane as he deep dives into the sensory aspects of how beer flavour changes depending on how you dispense it. Not only the gasses in which you choose but the physical action of pouring your beer and how you can lower the perceived bitterness of beer.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Shane is a Master Cicerone and holds a Master's degree in Brewing Science from the University of Nottingham and Post Graduate Certificate in Brewing Science from Federation University Australia. He has previously worked as a brewer and was formerly the Senior Technical Officer at the Institute of Brewing & Distilling (IBD). Shane now helps drive innovation and quality for AB InBev - the world's largest brewer. With a passion for beer and food, Shane is a member of the British Guild of Beer Writers and regularly contributes to publications around the world and judging in beer competitions.
PRESENTATION
Brewing Modern Fruit Beers - Techniques, Applications, and Flavors
Bret Kollmann Baker, Chief Operating Officer, Urban Artifact & Brand Ambassador, Les vergers Boiron
SESSION OUTLINE:
This presentation explores a wide range of style applications including fermented and unfermented fruit additions and covers the range of fruit products available to brewers, their pros & cons, flavour considerations, fermentation impact, filtration, cellaring, sourcing, and handling for fruit beers.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Bret is a founder and current COO of Urban Artifact in Cincinnati, Ohio. Urban Artifact is the USA's largest fruit beer only brewery, using over 1,000,000 pounds of fruit per year. With degrees in chemical engineering and brewing science, Bret has been able to help build out a brewery dedicated to handling massive amounts of fruit puree.
In addition, Bret is the Beer Ambassador for Les Vergers Boiron, helping them reach more professional breweries with their fruit purees. In his free time, writing, hiking, and working on the Brew Skies podcast are his pursuits of passion.
PRESENTATION
Sustainable Brewing: Ways you can Save Money and the Planet
Hamish Coates, Co-founder, Rocky Ridge Brewing Co
SESSION OUTLINE:
A step by step guide to measure your impact, find easy and fast ways to reduce your energy use (and costs) and to become a more sustainable brewery. Actionable every day changes that you can make in your brewery to reduce your energy consumption, reduce your footprint and be a part of the global movement for a cleaner future.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Hamish and Rocky Ridge are driven by a simple vision; Excellence in Beer, People and Planet. In just 5.5 years, their team grew from 2 to 30, and their brewing capacity from 30,000l to 1.5M+. Awards, including Champion Large Brewery and Beer at the Perth Royal food awards, highlight their success. Recognized for promoting sustainability, Rocky Ridge earned the Telstra Best of Business award in 2022. Remarkably, they achieved it all without external investment, staying true to their vision.
Committed to sustainability, their ambitious goal is net zero by 2025, and they're on track to achieve it. Hamish and the team's unwavering dedication to supporting local, striving for excellence, and brewing top-notch beer have shaped their journey and continue to guide them forward.
PRESENTATION
Innovations and Sustainability in Brewing
Mitch Gribov, Brewerkz Brewing Co.
SESSION OUTLINE:
Want to make a lasting impact on the industry? Sustainability and continuous innovation has become the new reality for the craft brewing industry. In this session Mitch will present several cases that highlight potential ways a modern brewery can play their part in contributing to a greener planet. He’ll demonstrate how you can reduce your footprint by brewing with recycled water or launch carbon-neutral beers, how to become immortalized by designing the world’s first probiotic beer or leave a mark by starting a local circular economy.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Dmitrii 'Mitch' Gribov is an award-winning certified brewmaster with many years of global brewing experience. A passionate advocate for quality and innovation, he earned his Certified Brewmaster certification from VLB Berlin. Mitch has brewed and collaborated in the US, Germany, Russia, Finland, Sweden, China, Vietnam, and Singapore. As Head Brewer at Brewerkz Brewing Co., he's a driving force behind Singapore's iconic craft brewery. Mitch is also a BJCP Certified Beer Judge, adding a critical palate to his impressive brewing skills.
PRESENTATION
Maximizing Hop Aroma and Flavor
Scott Janish, Co-founder, Sapwood Cellars
SESSION OUTLINE:
Digging through hundreds of academic papers, Scott pieces together research that helps to get the most of hop-forward beers in combination with his brewery experience at Sapwood Cellars. Research behind cold-dry hopping, ways to improve shelf-life of hoppy beers, and understanding haze are just a few of the topics covered!
INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
Whisky Distilling for Brewers
Axel Jany, International Malting & Brewing Expert, Weyermann® Specialty Malts
SESSION OUTLINE:
More and more craft breweries look into distilling options to broaden their product portfolio.
With the brewer’s knowledge of mashing and lautering, as well as already having this equipment to prepare a whisky mash, a whisky production might be a valuable business addition.
A single malt whisky newmake or often called white dog benefits very much from quality ingredients. With the use of flavorful specialty malts a craft distillery can offer a high-quality product at a time, where other whiskys might need a few more years longer in the barrel. The workshop will describe firsthand experience distilling set ups for brewers, shows recipes and taste the results right off the still.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
As a German trained brewer and maltster with a brewmaster degree from VLB Berlin, Axel has over 36 years of professional brewing experience. The international malting & brewing expert is the technical link between Weyermann® customers around the globe and the famous malthouse in Bamberg. Axel and his team offer customer support, such as recipe development as well as giving brewing and distilling advise. As a certified Doemens beer sommelier, he also judges at international beer events. In his spare time, Axel enjoys the great outdoors with his wife, Border Terrier Islay and his classic Land Rovers.
INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
Bottle to Brand: Elevating Your Brewery Brand Strategy
Quynh Nguyen, Managing Director, The 80/20 Company
SESSION OUTLINE:
Join us for a transformative workshop where we demystify the world of branding for the brewing industry. Learn the essence of branding, its components, and how it shapes customer perceptions. Dive into the 'Brand in a Bottle' model, a practical tool to craft your unique brand strategy. Harness storytelling and design thinking for impact. Walk away with a high-level brand roadmap to bring your brand to life and impress your audience.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
A global citizen from Vietnam, Quynh brings 12 years of expertise in branding, advertising strategy, and innovative design thinking. Her experience spans FMCG, F&B, finance, automobile and more. Curious and disciplined, she loves crafting compelling brand experiences. She's worked with brands like Vespa, Techcombank, Heineken, Apple, and also her own burger restaurant, The Fat Cow.
INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
Global Passion for Hops Collab Series – Recipes Beyond Borders
Lennart Paul-Pax (accompanied by Georg Drexler), Technical Manager Brewing Solutions, Barth Haas
SESSION OUTLINE:
Why stick with the old and the established? Dry hopping your IPA with Citra and Mosaic makes it delicious and crushable at the same time, but the uniqueness is a bit faded at this point. How about a West Coast IPA hopped only with German hops? Surely not! We have teamed up with six breweries across Vietnam to create unique recipes to show you what's now possible! Join us to find out more ..
INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
Novel Malt Ingredients for Building Better Beers and 0.0%’s
Sagar Goswamy, Sales Manager, APAC, PureMalt Products Ltd
SESSION OUTLINE:
Delegates will enjoy a sensory experience including multiple tasting samples showcasing possibilities with PureMalt’s innovative range of malt-based ingredients for creating new beers and 0.0%’s
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Sagar comes with a rich experience of 14 years working with F&B manufacturers including breweries and alcoholic drinks. At PureMalt, his role is to work with channel partners and customers in APAC - delivering value propositions around colour and taste in Beer, 0.0% Beer and non-alcoholic malt drinks. A graduate in chemistry and master’s in business, Sagar has previously worked for Firmenich, Diana Food (Symrise), Doehler and Kerry before joining PureMalt as Sales Manager for Asia Pacific region in early 2023.
PRESENTATION
New Things are Brewing at Fermentis
Simon Jeanpierre, Technical Sales Support Manager, APAC, Fermentis
SESSION OUTLINE:
The global launch of an exciting new product for brewers. In this not to missed presentation our technical team will share performance, flavour, and aroma characteristics of a new product and how it will support your creativity and inventiveness to make beers your customers love to drink.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Simon supports the regional sales team with anything technical in Asia-Pacific. His role is all about sharing passion and knowledge between Fermentis R&D and the Sales team and brewers on the market.
Simon discovered beer in his family kitchen in Belgium, maybe a little early, and is completely passionate about it ever since. From homebrewing and home distilling to judging in beer competition, there are always some new experimentations to make. With over 8 years in the
industry, Simon also worked in the business development of biotechnologies and technical solutions for beverages both in Europe and Asia. He also undertook research work at SAB-Miller South Africa,
focusing on improving beer stability during ageing. Simon holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering as well as Bachelor degrees in Industrial Science & in Chemistry, and is also a certified beer judge.
PRESENTATION
Dialing for Dollars: Navigating your way through a Cap Raise
Garrett Marrero, Co-founder/CEO, Maui Brewing Company
SESSION OUTLINE:
Attracting investment in your brewery can be a wildly challenging task. Having recently completed the acquisition of Modern Times Beer & Coffee, Maui Brewing Co. CEO/Co-Founder will discuss the ins and outs of raising money to fund your next growth phase.
After presenting the basics, a discussion session will conclude the meeting.
INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats - a Deep Dive into a SWOT Analysis for your Brewery
Pulkit K. Agrawal, Founder/CEO, Beer30 by The 5th Ingredient
SESSION OUTLINE:
Lean into your Strengths, focus on your Weakness, plan for that major Opportunity, and mitigate the biggest Threats - whether internal or external every successful business needs to know where they stand in the own marketplace.
In this highly interactive session attendees will be broken out into 5 groups based on their role at the brewery: (1) owner, (2) production, (3) sales, (4) taproom, (5) marketing.
They will then be given time to brainstorm the four quadrants of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) that are present in their breweries. A full group discussion will then follow assessing possible solutions to the issues raised during the teams stage and give attendees the tools to take back to their workplace to apply to their businesses.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Pulkit K. Agrawal (PKA) is the Founder and CEO of The 5th Ingredient®, a leading brewery operations management software company dedicated to helping breweries improve beer quality and consistency. After graduating from Harvard College, PKA began working in the beer industry as a Process Engineer for Ballast Point Brewing, where he focused on packaging lines and nitrogen beer.
In January 2018, PKA launched Beer30®, a brewery data management system that offers grain-to-glass process data tracking. Beer30 focuses on real-time brewing data input, raw material inventory, cost of goods analysis, quality and sensory tracking, sales and distribution and accounting integration. Beer30 is currently in over 450 breweries globally, helping to #BrewMoreBeer and #BrewBetterBeer across the nation. In December 2022, PKA was selected into the Forbes 30 Under 30, Class of 2023, in the Food & Drink category.
INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
Save Time, Save Money and Diversify your Beers with Natural Liquid Hop Extracts
Dave Hall, Technical Sales Manager, Totally Natural Solutions
SESSION OUTLINE:
Let TNS show you how to create multiple beer styles from a single wort stream using their natural, tuneable hop oil solutions. Allowing brewers to save time with reduced development time and tank occupancy, save money by switching to liquid hop oil solutions and reducing beer losses, shipping & storage costs. With nearly 20 years’ experience in the hop industry, Dave has been with TNS for the last 9 years gaining knowledge on innovative hop products, extraction techniques and best practises for introducing these extracts into breweries. He now uses that knowledge to educate customers on the benefits of extract use and working with brewers in the application of TNS’ range of products.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
With nearly 20 years’ experience in the hop industry, Dave has been with TNS for the last 9 years gaining knowledge on innovative hop products, extraction techniques and best practises for introducing these extracts into breweries. He now uses that knowledge to educate customers on the benefits of extract use and working with brewers in the application of TNS’ range of products.
INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
Bringing Yakima to Brew Asia
Dean Monshing, Snr Vice President of Global Sales
Jack Teagle, Global Hop Extract & Non-Brewing Senior Sales Manager
Yakima Chief Hops
SESSION OUTLINE:
Join the Yakima Chief Hops Team in an interactive, hands-on hop evaluation session. Together, we will assess some of the freshest hops on Earth, straight from the fields in the Yakima Valley, as well as additional varieties from the 2023 harvest in New Zealand.
Learn about the 2023 harvest of American Hops and experience first-hand (and nose!) the fantastic aromas of some of the freshest hops on the planet.
Look forward to sticky hands and a room filled with aromatics from your favourite hops, including Citra®, Simcoe®, Mosaic®, HB5686 as well as a selection of NZ hops.
PRESENTATION
Continuous Consumer Satisfaction Through Quality Management
Francis Yuen, Technical Sales Representative, Anton Paar Singapore
SESSION OUTLINE:
The reputation and success of the craft brewer relies on the ability to consistently deliver a product that satisfies the consumer. The main challenge is producing constant quality. A good quality control process starts from raw material monitoring all the way to a nice cold beer on your table. In this workshop we will address various critical parameters influencing the beer brewing process and provide insights on how Anton Paar’s Beverage Solutions can support your beer making journey with a breeze.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Mr Yuen joined Anton Paar Singapore in 2022 as the technical sales representative for Measurement Solutions, specialising on Food & Beverage industries. He has worked with various F&B clients in the industry to streamline their workflow processes while maintaining good quality beverage produces. Prior joining Anton Paar, Mr Francis Yuen has a vast experience in both technical and analytical sales field for 17 years.
INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
Yeast Counting Workshop
Chris White, Founder/CEO, White Labs
Sylvie Van Zandycke, Dir. of Sales & Marketing Yeast/Bacteria/Nutrients,, Lallemand Brewing/Siebel Institute
SESSION OUTLINE:
Join us for an interactive tailored yeast counting exercise with industry yeast experts Chris White (White Labs) and Sylvie Van Zandycke (Lallemand Brewing and current president of the American Society of Brewing Chemists). Get expert guidance on yeast counting best practices, quantify yeast cell count of your samples as part of your regular quality control (QC) procedures and understand the rules and math of yeast counting with a hands on example.
INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
Judge Like a Judge
Richard Chamberlin, Daniel McCulloch & Robert Percival
Lallemand Brewing/Siebel Institute of Technology
SESSION OUTLINE:
This is the ideal workshop for all interested in evaluating beer more effectively; whether you are entering your beers into competitions, aspire to become a beer judge, or as part of a sales team assessing beers around the market on a regular basis. An interactive workshop that covers judging techniques, style guidelines, providing and interpreting feedback, along with a real-time judging demonstration.
DISCUSSION PANEL
Avoiding the Pitfalls: Are We Learning The Lessons From Developed Craft Markets?
Moderator:
Matt Kirkegaard, Founder/Editor, Brews News
Panelists:
Shiro Yamada, Co-founder/CEO, Far Yeast Brewing Co. (JPN)
Tom Duncan, CEO, Pasteur Street Craft Beer (VIE)
Phil Meddings, Joint-CEO, Bintani Australia (AUS)
Frederick Calope, Founder/Head Brewer, Boondocks Brewing Co. (PHI)
SESSION OUTLINE:
The US brewing industry fired global excitement for craft beer, followed by countries including Australia, New Zealand and the UK. More recently these countries have all seen organic growth slow and had to revisit their business prospects. The rapidly growing Asian Brewing industry has the benefits of learning its lessons from the trailblazers. What would they do differently as an industry?
DISCUSSION PANEL
Are Competitions and Community Engagement Shaping The Future Of The Craft Beer Industry?
Moderator:
Paul Edwards, Co-founder/CEO, Gorilla Brewing
Panelists:
Jun Flores, CEO, El Depósito Brewery (PHI)
Jung Vinn, Brewer, Brewery Eulreul (KOR)
Tim Scott, CEO, Bia Craft (VIE)
Pieter Prinsloo, Co-founder, Islands of Imagination (INA)
SESSION OUTLINE:
Can competition and community co-exist? Join us for an engaging panel discussion that delves into the transformative power of creativity, community, and competition in the craft beer industry. Hear from industry leaders and competition winners on how these elements are not only shaping the future of craft brewing but also creating a more inclusive and vibrant global community.
DISCUSSION PANEL
Stay in Your Lane! Maintaining Uniqueness in an Increasingly Busying Marketplace
Moderator:
Chad Mitchell, MixTape Drinks
Panelists:
Will Julius, Managing Director, Lion Brewery Co. (SGP)
Quynh Nguyen, Managing Director, The 80/20 Company (VIE)
Ricard Basora, Managing Director, Engkanto Brewery (PHI)
SESSION OUTLINE:
Chad Mitchell, founder of MixTape Drinks and Thirst Trap Distribution, presents a panel on deciding your beer companies’ identity. In this panel we will discuss identifying your unique offering, what sets you apart from your competitors, reinforcing branding and positioning your products based upon your values as a company. We will discuss how to avoid creating a “copycat” company and to ways to differentiate yourself in a growing sea of homogenized craft beer companies.