【2018年1月25日，武漢】全球領先的啤酒釀造商百威英博集團旗下的顛覆性增長精釀事業部ZXVentures于今日舉辦武漢精釀工廠開幕儀式，并與中德啤酒學院達成戰略合作。武漢精釀工廠是百威英博集團在亞太區的首個精釀工廠，力爭打造中國最優秀的精釀，向消費者們提供種類豐富、風味多樣的新鮮精釀啤酒產品。百威英博亞太北區總裁吉祥、武漢漢陽區常務副區長李艷明、中國輕工機械協會副理事長兼秘書長王欣、湖北輕工職業技術學院院長徐兵、湖北輕工職業技術學院中德啤酒學院書記程漢生、中德啤酒學院院長杜波濤、百威英博。

ZX Ventures精釀大師Joshua Staines親自抽取“漢陽造”酒液
 

亞太北區超高端品牌市場副總裁徐嘉宏、百威英博亞太北區顛覆性增長精釀事業部負責人PedroAidar、中國酒業協會啤酒分會的代表以及眾多嘉賓、媒體、國內精釀品牌創始人共同出席了本次活動，見證這一中國精釀史上的重要時刻。

帶來引領時尚的極致精釀品味

近年來，精釀啤酒人氣持續上漲，已然成為時尚人群的消費新寵，就連前美國總統奧巴馬也一度在國際場合上，把鵝島經典產品“312都市小麥”作為“家鄉特產”贈予他國元首。精釀啤酒備受歡迎，源于其豐富多樣的口味。配方的靈感與釀酒師個人的情懷有著密不可分的聯系，可能是源于與初戀分享的那口奶油雪糕的甜美、或是童年父親買回的水果糖的芳香——這注定了精釀啤酒不僅是各種原材料風味的載體，更是體現釀酒師感情的載體，因此精釀啤酒的風格存在著無限可能。

ZX Ventures精釀大師Leon Mickelson 帶領來賓參觀武漢精釀工廠

百威英博集團作為行業領先者，一直以來為消費者提供多種類、高品質的啤酒。百威英博亞太北區總裁吉祥先生表示：“百威英博進入中國已有30余年，始終致力于為中國消費者提供優質、上佳的啤酒產品體驗，多年前便以戰略性眼光布局超高端產品的引入。在精釀啤酒風靡全球的今天，中國精釀行業仍處于萌芽階段，百威英博有責任推廣精釀文化、促進行業發展。因此，百威英博顛覆性增長事業部ZX Ventures應運而生，旨在靈活應對精釀市場的變動，優化集團產業結構，為中國消費者帶來更多高品質的精釀體驗，助力啤酒消費升級。”

以國際尖端工藝 締造完美中國本土特色精釀

武漢精釀工廠從德國引進量身設計的全自動釀造設備，運用國際先進釀造技術對關鍵生產參數實時調控。釀造過程中，專業的國際化團隊實時指導、嚴格品控，確保苦度、色度、酒精度等風味指標符合配方標準，讓每一滴精釀都讓人回味。擁有了高標準的硬件和軟件后，武漢精釀工廠能夠生產以往進口的產品，減少產品在長途運輸過程中可能產生的風味損失，在保持原汁原味的同時獲得更好的新鮮度；另外，工廠還將生產高品質的國內精釀產品，如最近達產的拳擊貓混合裝，精選四款榮獲國際大獎的精釀組成，產品口味覆蓋入門級到品鑒級，幫助消費者循序漸進地認識精釀，推動精釀啤酒在中國的普及。

百威英博ZX Ventures武漢精釀工廠將釀造拳擊貓、開巴、鵝島精釀啤酒，為消費者帶來新鮮的高品質佳釀

作為風味和品味的載體，精釀啤酒注定要融入不同地域的文化元素。ZX Ventures的釀酒師從武漢文化汲取靈感，借助武漢精釀工廠的工藝配套，創造出工廠的第一款本土精釀——“漢陽造”。“漢陽造”口味馥郁，寓意深遠，象征著武漢實干的精神和對品質的不懈追求，這正是ZX Ventures對武漢文化和城市精神的致敬，也希望它能從武漢出發，成為中國精釀的一張名片，為消費者帶來更多味覺風暴。

嘉獎為中國作出巨大貢獻的釀酒大師：Michael Jordan（左）及Leon Mickelson（右）

百威英博亞太北區顛覆性增長精釀事業部負責人Pedro Aidar介紹到：“精釀啤酒的魅力之源必然是創新。中國文化博大精深，源遠流長，毫無疑問，這就為精釀啤酒的推陳出新提供了取之不竭的靈感。除了‘漢陽造’，我們的精釀品牌鵝島還與香格里拉精釀聯合釀制了新產品‘消失的地平線’，從傳統的文化入手，探索當地的特色香料和水果，孕育出了一款驚艷卓絕的佳釀。與本土文化共生共贏，就是我們堅定不移的發展目標和方向。”

攜手中德啤酒學院 培養精釀新生代

“Brewing up the future, today!” 是ZX Ventures的愿景，而人才則是未來發展的關鍵。ZX Ventures攜手中德啤酒學院，共同啟動“精釀新生代”項目，打造高標準的精釀啤酒產學研平臺，將通過為學生提供實習崗位、定期開展大師講座或名師精選課程、設置工廠開放日等方式培養專業人才；同時，雙方將共建精釀啤酒實驗室，聯合開發新配方，提升學生專業素養，為行業輸送新鮮血液。
 

精釀大師、拳擊貓釀酒大師Michael Jordan

業界交流是行業發展的催化劑，而國內精釀行業之間的對話溝通較少，也鮮見持續系統的行業合作，搭建一個穩定的行業交流平臺正是ZX Ventures的“小目標”。在未來，ZX Ventures將緊密聯合中德啤酒學院，運用“精釀新生代”的平臺，帶領學生們參與國際交流，讓他們既有本土積淀，又擁有國際視野。

       武漢市漢陽區常務副區長李艷明（左）與百威英博武漢工廠廠長付兆輝（右）共同發布“漢陽造”，致敬武漢文化

結合學校的教育、發展來看，此次合作更能發揮中德啤酒學院“雙元制”教學制度的優勢。在與武漢精釀工廠合作的短短數月內，校內優秀學生代表已經在精釀大師的指導下，聯合開展了“釀造未來”的課題，并開發出兩款融入了家鄉味道的小麥啤酒，邁出了結合本土創新的第一步。談及本次產學研合作，湖北輕工職業技術學院院長徐兵表示：“通過‘精釀新生代’這一高標準平臺，學生能獲得更先進、更全面的指導與實訓，相信將來必定能在國內精釀行業體現自身價值，讓中國精釀耀眼世界。”

中國輕工機械協會副理事長兼秘書長王欣女士參與啤酒知識培訓

精釀啤酒的魅力愈發增長，是選擇鐘意的口味，或是成為釀酒師、將心中的那份情懷賦予到麥汁里，都由你來決定�，F在，請將好奇心轉化為行動，讓我們共同感受這醉美的品味，釀造更美好的未來！
 

Brewing up The Future, Today!

AB InBev’s ZX Ventures Partners with BTA to Preach Craft Beer in China

January 25, 2018, Wuhan, China – ZX Ventures, the disruptive growth craft beer business under world-leading brewer AB InBev, inaugurated its Wuhan craft brewery today. It also reached a strategic partnership with China’s leading brewing school, BTA (Brewing Technologies Academy). Being AB InBev’s first craft brewery in APAC, the new Wuhan facility will be dedicated to hatching the country’s top-notch craft beers. The inauguration gathered VIPs including Jean Jereissati, President of AB InBev APAC North, Li Yanming, Executive Deputy Governor of Hanyang District, Wang Xin, Secretary General of the China Light Industry Machinery Association, Cheng Hansheng, Council Chair of Brewing Technologies Academy, HBLITI, Du Botao, Dean of Brewing Technologies Academy, HBLITI, John Xu, VP of High-End AB InBev APAC North, Pedro Aidar, Head of Specialties of ZX Ventures APAC North, as well as the representative from the China Alcoholic Drinks Association’ Beer Branch, industry guests, journalists, and founders of China’s native craft beer brands, who jointly witnessed the moment of key significance of China’s craft beer history.

Ultimate Craft Brewing Tastes That Set the Trend

The past few years have seen the rise in popularity for craft beer, which has become a trend-setter both in China and around the world. The concept of craft beer is of such unique novelty that former US President Barack Obama once presented one of Goose Island’s classic offerings, 312 Urban Wheat Ale, as his hometown specialty to heads of states at major international occasions. The diversity in tastes and styles are one of the many reasons that craft brewing has become popular. The recipes often incorporate the brew master’s personal experiences and influences leading to liquids rich in story and background. These stories ensure that all craft beers are more than a carrier of flavor that combines different ingredients and styles, but are each also masterpieces that inspire endless possibilities for the brews of the future.

Being inarguably the leader of the brewing industry, AB InBev has long been committed to providing consumers with beers of varying styles and outstanding qualities. Jean Jereissati, President of AB InBev APAC North, proudly introduced the brewers’ efforts to strive for excellence: “AB InBev has been in the China market for more than 30 years, and remains devoted to providing quality and premium beer-based experiences to Chinese consumers, and took an early step years ago to strategically introduce high-end offerings. In an era when craft beer is now sweeping the globe, China’s own craft brewing industry is still in its start-up phase. That’s why AB InBev considers it an inevitable responsibility to promote both culture and growth of the craft brewing industry in this country. These are the reasons behind the establishment of our disruptive growth business division, ZX Ventures, the creation of which is just aimed at flexibly addressing changes of the craft brewing market, optimizing our business structure, presenting Chinese consumers with more premium craft beer experiences, and aiding consumption upgrade of China’s beer industry.”

Cutting Edge Solutions to Deliver Perfect China-Style Craft Brews

Equipped with tailor-made fully-automatic brewing facilities imported from Germany, the Wuhan craft brewery will be able to take advantage of world-leading brewing technologies to ensure real-time monitoring of key production specifications. During the brewing process, a professional international team will be on standby to provide guidance and enforce strict quality control. This will ensure the bitterness, color, and alcohol content can comply with requirements of original recipes, and each drop of craft beer to be bottled can achieve its full flavor potential. Boosting both hardware and software of high standards, the Wuhan craft brewery can now proudly release previously only imported products and such localized production can help reduce the possible loss of tastes and flavors incurred during long-haul transportation to guarantee better freshness and authenticity. In addition, the brewery will also deliver high quality domestic craft beer products. They include the Boxing Cat Mixed Pack which was recently released into the sales channel, combining four internationally awarded craft beer recipes that cover entry-level to connoisseur-level tastes, to help consumers gradually understand craft brewing and drive its growing popularity in China.

As a carrier loaded with both flavor and style, craft beer is destined to integrate cultural elements of different regions. After drawing from Wuhan’s unique history and culture, ZX Ventures’ brewmasters have also utilized the craft brewery’s technical infrastructure to create its first local craft beer, Hanyang Zao. With strong fragrance and far-reaching implications, Hanyang Zao serves as a symbol of Wuhan's steadfast spirit and relentless pursuit for quality. ZX Ventures hopes that Hanyang Zao and other brews produced in the craft brewery can go beyond Wuhan’s local market and become forever embedded in China’s craft brewing industry.

Pedro Aidar, Head of Specialties of ZX Ventures APAC North, offered his introduction to the emerging craft brewing business: “The charms of craft beer lie with innovation. We all know that China has a rich culture, plus a long-running history. That has undoubtedly provided endless inspirations to help innovate the craft brewing business. Apart from Hanyang Zao, our craft beer brand Goose Island has also worked with Shangri-la Beer to co-brew a brand-new craft beer offering, the Lost Horizon, which, as a product of stunning beauty, connects to China’s traditional culture by exploring local spices and fruits. Growing and winning with local culture will be our unshakable development target and direction.”

Partnership with BTA to Nurture New Generation Craft Brewing Talents

With “Brewing up the future, today!” as its vision, ZX Ventures sees talent as the key to its future development. That’s why it has joined hands with BTA to co-launch a talent program titled “New Brewing Generation”, in a bid to build a high-standard craft beer platform that combines both the industry and academia. Zx Ventures hopes to help develop professional talents by providing internships, offering regular master lectures or select courses, and setting up brewery open days. At the same time, both sides will co-build a craft beer lab to jointly develop new recipes, raise students’ professional capabilities, and help feed the industry with new ideas.

While industrywide exchange is essential to common growth, China’s craft beer industry is still lacking in beneficial dialogues and exchanges, nor sustained systematic partnerships. So, ZX Ventures also sees creating a stable industrial exchange platform as one of its missions. In the future, ZX Ventures will work closely with BTA and take advantage of the joint talent program to provide students with rare opportunities of international exchanges that can bring both local insights and international visions.

Regarding BTA’s academic strength and development, the partnership will also better bring into play advantages of the academy’s dually-oriented education system. Within months after the kick off of the partnership with the Wuhan craft brewery, BTA’s outstanding student representatives have undertaken a research topic titled “Brewing for The Future” under the instructions of AB InBev’s brewmasters, and developed two wheat ales with strong hometown influences, a firm step towards integration of locally-based innovations. When speaking of the school-brewery partnership, Xu Bing, President of Hubei Light Industry Technology Institute, said: “Through such a high-standard platform like ‘New Brewing Generation’, our students will be able to access more advanced and more comprehensive instructions and practices. We’re confident that they will surely be able to show their values in China’s craft brewing industry, and help China’s own craft beer recipes shine around the world.”

The door is now open both for consumers to experience what craft beer can be and also for those interested in bringing their own recipes to fruition. We invite you to a world full of possibilities in flavor and innovation. Join us on this journey as we together brew for a better future.