Press Release
The American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) Announces Katherine Smart as New President
The American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC), a nonprofit professional association dedicated to scientific excellence in brewing, announces the appointment of Professor Katherine Smart PhD, DSc, as its new President, effective August 16, 2025. She is the first British woman to hold the position.
Katherine Smart is highly accomplished in the field. She brings more than thirty years of experience in brewing science and a proven track record of professional leadership and innovation. Currently serving as Diageo’s Global Technical Director and Chief Scientist, Katherine previously held senior leadership roles at SABMiller and AB InBev as well as positions in academia at the Universities of Oxford Brookes, Nottingham, and Cambridge. She also has a great deal of entrepreneurial experience as the founder of the National Brewing Library at Oxford Brookes University, the Brewing Science and Bioenergy Centre at the University of Nottingham, and a family distillery with her husband, Chris Smart.
Katherine has been a member of ASBC since 1993, serving the society in various capacities over the years on the Journal of the ASBC Editorial Board, as a Technical Subcommittee Chair, on multiple Methods of Analysis committees, and as a member of the Research Council. She held an International Director position on the Board of Directors from 2002 to 2004. In her role as ASBC president, she will steer the Board of Directors in managing the society’s strategic ambition, including the oversight of all activities, congresses, methods of analysis, and publications.
“I’m deeply honored to be chosen as the next President of the American Society of Brewing Chemists,” says Katherine. “ASBC plays a crucial role in advancing the science and innovation that underpin our industry, and it’s a privilege to contribute to its mission. I look forward to collaborating with the Board, members, and staff to build on the Society’s success in driving excellence across the brewing community.”
ASBC is a membership-based society, working to advance quality and innovation in the brewing and fermented beverage industries by providing analytical and scientific process control methods and disseminating the highest quality science and research. ASBC is headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A.
About Katherine Smart
Professor Katherine Smart is currently Global Technical Director and Chief Scientist at Diageo. Prior to her current role, she served in corporate vice president positions at SABMiller and as Global Chief Brewer at
AB InBev. Her numerous degrees include a PhD in Brewing Science from the Council of National Academic Awards, a DSc in Brewing and Distilling from the University of Nottingham, and an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Nottingham. Professor Smart also held academic positions at the Universities of Oxford Brookes, Nottingham, and Cambridge. She founded the National Brewing Library at Oxford Brookes University (2001), the Brewing Science and Bioenergy Centre at the University of Nottingham (2005), and a family distillery with her husband, Chris Smart (2017). Katherine was the second woman to hold the role of President of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (2016–2018) and is the new President of the American Society of Brewing Chemists.
About the American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC)
The American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) was founded in 1934 to improve and bring uniformity to the brewing industry on a scientific level. Today, ASBC is a nonprofit, membership-based, professional association with a global community working toward scientific excellence in brewing and fermented beverages. Society members can be found on nearly every continent and in breweries of all sizes, working in the brewing and allied industries, as well as in government and academia. The society works to ensure high quality and safety standards, provide science-based solutions to industry-wide issues, evaluate raw materials for optimum performance, and foster professional development opportunities for brewing chemists worldwide. ASBC provides a variety of scientific resources to the brewing community, including the Journal of the ASBC, ASBC Methods of Analysis, Fishbone References, and multiple events and online education offerings, among others. For the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on ASBC, visit www.asbcnet.org.