Master Brewers Eastern Technical Conference, April 30- May 3, 2009 Report

Hosted by MillerCoors - Shenandoah Brewery
Article by Greg Payne & Tony Foley

The Master Brewers Technical Conference was held starting with registration beginning April 30th and concluding May3rd with breakfast before members and guest departed. The event started on Friday May 1st with 87 people in attendance. Members and guests started out Friday morning with a tour of the MillerCoors Shenandoah Brewery. Team members from Shenandoah provided group tours of the facility which finished up around lunch. Lunch was served on site and the second half of the day's events stayed onsite at Shenandoah being held in the brewery's meeting rooms. Starting off the afternoon technical sessions was Dennis Morris MillerCoors - Shenandoah Microbiologist. Dennis presented a novel approach to yeast propagation in a 7 million barrel brewery.

Next up was Tracey Breeden Team Leader for the MillerCoors - Shenandoah Keg Line. Tracey spoke about the implementation of World Class Manufacturing on a keg line. He talked to the positive effects the implementation has had on his line and its team members along with the increase in productivity and reduction of its downtime.

Mark Larson of the Buhler Group spoke on the subject of Malt Cleaning prior to Milling. He spoke to the different types of equipment used in this process, and new technologies available today.

Chris O Brien Beer Activist submitted material on Green Beer Paper. The material talked to the positive effects of "going green" in your brewery and the negative effects of not, by using the theme How to Drink Beer and Save the World.

The day concluded with dinner at the Harrisonburg Holiday Inn followed by hospitality hour at the same site.