Every crisis also contains an opportunity - this was the conviction of VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine in an interview with Brauerei Forum last summer. Due to the pandemic, the VLB has seized an opportunity and launched the 1st VLB International Brewing Web Conference (IBWC), at which participants from all over the world were online guests in Berlin from December 1st to 3rd, 2020. For months, a small team worked with great passion to make this online event a success. A studio was set up and sophisticated technical solutions installed so that a stable conference live stream went out into the world.

230 registered participants from 33 countries were guests on the congress platform “VLB Virtual Campus” and witnessed a successful digital premiere. They listened to a total of 22 top-class lectures, which were recorded in advance by the VLB and the respective presenting companies and streamed live. After the broadcast of the lectures, the speakers were available to answer questions from the participants, either live on site or via zoom.

The lecture program was accompanied by a virtual exhibition with 22 booth. In addition, video chat rooms were available for networking to everyone at all times. Participants could contact the speakers during the breaks and after the lectures and clarify any open questions.

Encouraged by the positive response, the organizers agree: There will be more to come within the next months. VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine is satisfied with the way the event went: “My thanks go to all sponsors, media partners and participants, without whom this event would not have been possible. My thanks also go to the employees who set a milestone with the realization of this project. All together we are one VLB! "