This fall, VLB Berlin, one of the world leaders in brewing and beverage technology, consulting, and education, holds its first brewing conference in North America. Conducted from September 15th through 17th, 2026, VLB Berlin brings its team of experts and affiliated scientists to the 1st VLB North American Brewing Conference at the Holiday Inn Toronto International Airport in Toronto, Canada.

Topics

Over the last 20 years, VLB Berlin has held technical conferences in locations around the world. For their first offering in North America, presenters will cover a wide range of topics including:

• The latest findings from VLB Berlin research projects relevant to the malting and brewing industries.
• Emerging technologies from leading industry suppliers, supported by practical examples and ROI analyses that demonstrate their benefits.
• Detailed case studies of real-world installations and processes.
• Solutions used by leading breweries and beverage producers to meet sustainability and regulatory requirements while minimizing capital expenditures, supply chain disruptions, and unintended impacts on product quality.
• An overview of VLB Berlin’s extensive capabilities in education, contract research, consulting. 

Confirmed Presenters

• Dr. Björn Ch. Klotzbücher (Managing Director VLB)
  Fields of research work, objectives & services of VLB Berlin since 1883, beyond brewer education
• Jan Biering (VLB, Head of Research Institute for Beer and Beverage Production)
  Development of a hybrid measurement system for the online monitoring of characteristic flavors during beer fermentation
• Ingo Pankoke (VLB, Research Institute for Management & Logistics, Head of Testing Laboratory of Packaging)
  Beverage packaging: Quality issues and how to prevent them
• Alexandra Musat (VLB, Researc Assiciate, Research Institute for Biotechnology and Water)
  Premature Yeast Flocculation - Background, Impact, Prevention
• Dr. Roland Pahl (Pall Corporation, Global Beer Market Manager)
  Unlocking efficiency and flexibility through final filtration, modern sheet solutions and microbiological process focus
  Brewing Beyond Filtration - Protecting Brewery Performance Through Utility and Trap Filtration
• Matt Griffin (Bench Brewing Company, Founder & President)
  The Future of Sustainability: Integrating Purpose with Profit in a Changing World
• Brian Ettkin (Numerator, Account Specialist)
  Canadian Consumer 2026: Demand reset signals for beverage alcohol

Sensory Workshop (optional)

Thursday, 17 September 2026:
Sensory Analysis for Modern Brewing: From Quality Control to Product Excellence (optional)

Changing consumer preferences and growing competition from RTDs, spirits, cannabis products, and non-alcoholic beverages are increasing the pressure on breweries to consistently deliver high-quality products. This hands-on workshop shows how sensory analysis can support quality control, product development, flavor stability, and market success. Through guided tastings, interactive exercises, and practical brewing examples, participants will explore drinkability, common and emerging flavor defects, hop-forward and non-alcoholic beers, and the renewed demand for balanced lager styles.

Designed for professionals in brewing and beverage production, quality assurance, product development, and sensory evaluation, the workshop provides practical tools for using sensory analysis as both a decision-making tool and a competitive advantage.

About Toronto

Toronto: A Canadian Jewel! The conference venue, near Toronto Pearson International Airport, is approximately a 40-minute drive from downtown Toronto and is also accessible by public transit. Attendees are encouraged to explore Canada’s largest city, which offers a wide range of restaurants, stores, bars, clubs, and cultural attractions. Baseball fans may also have an opportunity to see the Toronto Blue Jays in action between September 11 and 16.

Attendance fees

• Participants from breweries
  Conference only: 1,040 USD* ≈ 1,460 CAD*
  Conference + Sensory Workshop: 1,500 USD* ≈ 2,110 CAD*
  Sensory Workshop only: 640 USD* ≈ 900 CAD*
• Participants from supplier companies (incl. maltings):
  Conference only: 1,910 USD* ≈ 2,685 CAD*
  Conference + Sensory Workshop: 2,370 USD* ≈ 3,330 CAD*
  Sensory Workshop only: 699 USD* ≈ 982 CAD*
• Students of brewing or beverage technology 
  (proof required):
  Conference only: 120 USD* ≈ 168 CAD*

*all prices plus local taxes

Invoices are issued in Euros €. The amount is converted using the current daily US Dollar/Euro exchange rate.

Discounts

• Group discount: 25% for 5 or more registrations from the same organization (please contact d.alonso@vlb-berlin.org before)
• VLB members: 10%
• VLB graduates: 25%
• International VLB brewery members: 25%