On January 10, the starting signal was given for this year's Certified Brewmaster Course at VLB Berlin. 30 participants from 17 nations and 4 continents will complete the Certified Brewmaster training over the next six months. 9 of them have been there from the start,others are currently still participating online from home. 8 students who had to drop out in the past two years are expected to join in May.
Heike Flohr, coordinator of the Certified Brewmaster Course, Burghard Meyer, head of the international brewing courses, and Alexander Scharlach, responsible for the blended learning system, welcomed the group of 30 on the morning of the first day in the Singha Room of the VLB Training and Education Center. VLB Managing Director Dr. Josef Fontaine gave the prospective Brewmasters a warm welcome via video message. 30 participants from 17 nations will be hosted on-site or online at VLB over the next three months. For the practical part starting in May, they all have to be on-site - 8 more students who had to drop out of the training in the past two years due to the pandemic are also expected in Berlin then.
Because of the pandemic, the Certified Brewmaster Course is being held for the second time this year as a hybrid event from the beginning. Course instructor Burghard Meyer assured that he would do everything to ensure that every participant, whether on site or in front of their screens, felt part of the class from the very beginning. "I'm convinced that the blended learning platform and Zoom will make it possible to create a real classroom atmosphere." More than 20 instructors from each of the VLB research institutes are involved in the Brewmaster training and are dedicated to teaching all areas relevant to brewing. By the time of the final examinations in the summer at the latest, all participants will have to prove that they are right to return to their home countries as "Certified Brewmasters".
Course instructor Burghard Meier (top), course coordinator Heike Flohr (bottom left) and Alexander Scharlach (bottom right) warmly welcomed all participants
