ASBC Newsletter

If you missed the World Brewing Congress 2004 meeting in San Diego, you missed a wonderful event and a great success! The expectations were high following the results of the first World Brewing Congress, held in 2000 in Orlando, Florida. The concept of the WBC will continue at least through 2008, when the next one is planned, and hopefully well into the future. This quadrennial international event showcases the work of the world’s foremost brewing scientists in a single setting, as well as the cooperative alliance of many of the world’s finest brewing technology groups, including the ASBC, MBAA, EBC, IGB, and BCOJ.

So much credit has to go to the co-chairs of the Joint Planning Committee, Rob Maruyama from the ASBC and Kathy Kinton of the MBAA. Thank you both for coordinating a superb program! And what a venue—San Diego and the Manchester Grand Hyatt gave us a wonderful experience and you couldn’t beat the climate! Not since the ASBC annual meeting in Victoria, British Columbia, a few years back were the temperatures cool enough to require additional outerwear for the summer evenings.

Over 1,100 participants were registered for WBC 2004, approximately the same number as for the previous World Brewing Congress in Florida. Considering what has happened in the world of brewing and to the world in general since the year 2000, I would consider this year’s success quite an accomplishment.

Despite the success of WBC 2004, the event does cause some disruptions to the ASBC yearly programs, namely the absence of the usual business meetings and functions, including the Annual Meeting’s Recognition Luncheon. This is unfortunate because so many people should be recognized for their efforts during the past year, which contributed to the success of the WBC and to a likewise successful ASBC.

In that vein, I’d like to proclaim this President’s Column the official “ASBC Recognition Column” for 2004, dedicated to those so deserving of our thanks and appreciation.

First, I’d like to recognize our outgoing Board members for their contributions and hard work. Mary Jane Maurice was secretary for the last two years and set the bar of performance considerably higher than did her predecessor, yours truly. Xiang Yin has replaced Mary Jane as secretary, and we welcome him to the group. Also leaving is Katherine Smart, who was our international director, now replaced by Silja Home. The international director position is instrumental in the success of the Society due to the increasing scope of the ASBC beyond the realm of our home continent. Thank you, Katherine.

Also departing the Board of Directors is “Mr. ASBC” himself, Dirk Bendiak, who is leaving the position of past president. Dirk has been a continuing presence and a considerable influence on the growth and success of the Society for many moons. His contributions as a member of the Board will be sorely missed. We will, however, find some purpose for him in the future, particularly as an A.-V. troubleshooter! Many times Dirk, as the technical guru of the Program Committee, has faced potentially devastating technical-session PowerPoint crashes, and, with his cool, calm Canadian demeanor, snatched triumph from the jaws of impending doom. Sergeant Preston, indeed!

I would like to express my appreciation and the Board’s thanks to our outgoing president, Sue Thompson, for her leadership this past year. She has been my mentor, and it was a great honor to have her pass the gavel to me in the small, crowded, and not so quiet ceremony held in the President’s suite before the WBC 2004 Closing Reception. Thanks so much, Sue, and I will continue to solicit your help in the coming year.

Special kudos go to two of our busiest Board members, Mike Joyce, Publications Committee chair, and Cindy-Lou Dull, Technical Committee chair. As coordinator of the development and publication of the recently released ASBC Methods of Analysis on CD-Rom, Mike faced dreadful deadlines in getting everything together for the MOA introduction at WBC 2004. Cindy-Lou has the unenviable task of coordinating the efforts of a large and widely diverse group of brewing scientists who make up the Technical Committee and the technical subcommittees (to all of whom we also want to express our gratitude). It’s a tough assignment, and Cindy-Lou has taken the challenge and suffered only minimal mental harm!

Thanks so much to our other Board members, Greg Casey, Rebecca Newman, and John Engel, and also to ASBC Executive Officer Steve Nelson, Vice President of Operations Amy Hope, and the entire St. Paul staff.

I’m not done. Thank you, Charlie Bamforth, for your work as Editor-in-Chief for the ASBC Journal, Joan Raumschuh as ASBC Newsletter editor, and Allen Budde, our Internet editor. Great work, everyone!

A special recognition must be conveyed to the leaders of the ASBC local sections, who contribute through the outer reaches of the Society. Within these groups, the ASBC can provide additional value to segments of the brewing and allied industries in settings more conducive to their needs. Many of our local sections co-host their meetings with the district sections of the MBAA, to whom we also owe a debt of gratitude for the cooperation they provide.

And finally, thank you, members of the American Society of Brewing Chemists. It is an honor to have the opportunity to serve as your president for the coming year and to help contribute to the success of such an outstanding organization. Let’s continue to work together and make it even better.

In This Issue

Board of Directors Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
Successful ASBC of the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
President's column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2
Board of Directors' profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	6
Committee and liaison reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	9
Workshops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	23
First call for papers and posters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	30
Call for award nominations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	30
President's thank you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	33
Student travel grant winners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	33
Local section news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	34
Committees for 2004–2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	35
Industry news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	41
Member information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	43
Silent auction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	45
Annual report of the BCOJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	46
Exhibitor photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	47

In This Issue