The pilot brewery will focus on new technologies and processes that will enhance beer quality and shelf life, while improving the sustainability of brewing.SABMiller's Group Chief Brewer, Professor Barry Axcell, explains that it will differ significantly from other research facilities, both in its design and in its purpose: "Pilot breweries have, up until now, been places where new brands are brewed and trialled. What we are creating is a facility that can simulate a whole range of brewing conditions, allowing us to develop expertise, products and procedures that will ensure SABMiller leads the industry in brewing innovation."
SABMiller already has strong links with Nottingham University's School of Biosciences where it sponsors the Chair of Brewing Science, Professor Katherine Smart. The brewery will be run by SABMiller's research brewer, James van der Watt with additional research being carried out by PhD students from the University.
Professor Axcell continued: "It made complete sense to build the pilot brewery alongside the Nottingham University facilities. We work very closely with Professor Smart and her team and this will allow for greater synergies in our research."
The tender for the facility has been awarded to Briggs of Burton with construction due to start in March 20010 and it will take approximately 12 months to complete.
SABMiller is one of the world's largest brewers with brewing interests and distribution agreements across six continents.
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