ASBC Newsletter

Is it just me, or is the time just flying by? It seems we just had WBC2004 in San Diego, and suddenly the holidays have sailed on by and it’s already time to get geared up for the ASBC Annual Meeting in Savannah in June! I know I’m falling a bit behind, as does the Newsletter editor, Joan Raumschuh, who has to put up with my chronic procrastination in submitting my column. Thankfully the ASBC St. Paul staff and Program Chairman John Engel, as well as our other committee members and chairmen, have their responsibilities and plans on track.

Judging by the initial technical presentation submissions for the annual meeting, it looks to be shaping up as a terrific event. I encourage all of you to make plans to attend, not only to share in the joy of the ASBC experience of enlightenment and development, companionship and networking, but also to experience Savannah’s true southern hospitality and history. It’s a great city and the Hyatt Regency Hotel, which is the venue for the ASBC meeting, is right on the river in the center of the historic district, walking distance from many fine activities and events. I just hope Savannah doesn’t distract too much from our technical sessions and programs!

In regard to other ASBC activities, as you probably know, we have several cooperative agreements with other brewing technology organizations such as the European Brewing Congress (EBC), the Association of Brewers (now the Brewers Association), the Institute and Guild of Brewing (IGB), and the Brewing Convention of Japan (BCOJ). These agreements are designed to provide added value to each of our organizations and to the brewing industry through the synergy brought about by the cooperative efforts of brewing scientists around the world. All of these organizations actively participate in activities and share information and resources with the ASBC on a regular basis.

As part of the ASBC cooperative agreement with the BCOJ, I was honored to be able to attend the Annual Meeting of the Brewing Congress of Japan in Tokyo last November at the invitation of their president, Yasutsugu Kawasaki. Attending were scientists from Japan’s five main breweries (Asahi, Kirin, Orion, Sapporo, and Suntory), and many gave oral presentations that were repeats of recent papers given at various brewing technical events, including San Diego’s WBC 2004. As those of you who regularly attend our ASBC annual meetings know, the Japanese are very active with ASBC and also very active in their research, which has resulted in improving their processes and products, developing new beers and beverages, and developing a greater understanding of beer flavor and its physiological effects.

The BCOJ meeting was a two-day event. I appreciated that the presentations were given in English, as they normally are; however, the question-and-answer periods were in Japanese. Anticipating my shortcomings in Japanese fluency, the group provided me with a personal interpreter. It was a great event, and I appreciate the hospitality of the Japanese brewers and scientists. I’d like to give a special thanks to Seisuke Takaoka of Suntory for his time and efforts during my stay there.

The ASBC Board of Directors meeting scheduled for March 2005 will be held in the wine country of California, if the Golden State doesn’t wash away with its recent deluge of rain and snow. Actually, we’ll be there for a specific purpose other than our typical board meeting, and that is to participate in a joint one-day technical presentation along with a newly formed division of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), Fermented Foods and Beverages. This ASBC and IFT Brewers and Vintners Technical Meeting will target California’s members of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture (ASEV), the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) the IFT, and ASBC. Various speakers will give technical and practical presentations about fermentation science to brewery and winery technologists, along with academics and other professional society members. This is part of ASBC’s efforts to expand its reach to other groups in the fermentation industries and to incorporate them into our services and programs. You may have noticed a greater presence in regard to the distilled spirits industry in some of our workshops and seminars, and it’s our hope to expand this further with vintners and other groups. I’d like to thank the ASBC treasurer, Rebecca Newman of the Sierra Nevada Brewery, for her efforts in organizing this meeting.

Again, let me mention that the Annual Meeting in Savannah will be upon us very soon, and you should be making your plans. To those of you who submitted your abstract for an oral or poster presentation, thank you. I’d also like to thank all of our committee and board members, as well as the ASBC membership in general for your support during the year. In the meanwhile, keep a close eye on what’s going on in your ASBC local sections and visit the asbcnet.org website when you can. There’s lots of good information there in addition to what you find in the Newsletter. I hope to see you in June, if not sooner. Have a great beginning of 2005!

In This Issue

ASBCnet gets update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
President's column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2
Local sections news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	3
Final call for nominations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	6
Student Travel Grant Program Fund info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	6
Salute to corporate members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	7
Letter to the editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	13
Information about ASBC members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	16
Upcoming events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	20

In This Issue