Technical Programme
International experts have been invited to speak at the Fourth Worldwide Distilled Spirits Conference. This three-day conference will cover key areas relating to the distilled spirits' industry, and explore how scientific knowledge and research can support its sustainability.
The technical programme timetable will be continually updated as presentation topics and speakers are confirmed. Please check back on a regular basis for the current status.
To download the programme please click here
Tuesday 13th September
| Time | Programme |
| 08:00 - 09:00 |
Registration |
| 09:00 - 09.15 |
Opening of Conference |
| Session 1: Introduction - Chair: Robert Fotheringham | |
| 09:15 - 09:45 | Plenary Talk Andrew Bright, Technical Director at WSP Environment & Energy |
| Session 2: Distilling Industry Resources 1 - Chair: Paul Hughes | |
| 09:45 - 10:15 | Talk 1: Recent progress in genetics of malting barley Dr. Bill Thomas, Barley Genetic Leader, Scottish Crop Research Institute |
| 10:15 - 10:45 |
Coffee break |
| Session 2 (cont.) | |
| 10:45 - 11:15 | Talk 2: Cereal selection using modern techniques Dr. James Melichar, R&D Cereals Manager, Syngenta |
| 11:15 - 11:45 | Talk 3: The sustainability of grapes as a raw material for distilled spirits Dr. Luc Lurton, Directeur de la Station Viticole, Bureau National Interprofessionel du Cognac |
| 11:45 - 12:15 | Talk 4: The impact of peat source on the flavour of Scotch malt whisky Dr. Barry Harrison, Research Scientist, The Scotch Whisky Research Institute |
| 12:15 - 13:30 |
Lunch |
| Session 3: Distilling Industry Resources 2 - Chair: Jane Millar | |
| 13:30 - 14:00 | Talk 5: The Captain Morgan Rum Distillery: sustainable design and operation in the U.S. Virgin Islands Prashant Mehta, Process Engineer, Diageo Global Supply |
| 14:00 - 14:30 | Talk 6: The case for cork Professor Miguel Cabral, Head of Research & Development, Amorim |
| 14:30 - 15:00 | Talk 7: Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) used as a predictive tool for Canadian Whisky Ageing Don Livermore, Reseach Scientist, Pernod Ricard, Canada |
| 15:00 - 15:30 |
Coffee break |
| Session 4: Distilling Industry Resources 3 - Chair: Ian Goodall | |
| 15:30 - 16:00 | Talk 8: Reducing the need for new wood by regenerating and re-using casks Dr. John Conner, The Scotch Whisky Research Institute |
| 16:00 - 16:30 |
Talk 9: Evaluation of oakwood potential for ageing of wine & spirits: comparison of physiochemical, sensory & molecular approaches |
| 16:30 - 18:00 |
Poster Presentation Workshops - Chair: Ian Goodall |
| 18:00 - 19:00 |
Tutored Cocktail Tastings |
| Free Evening |
Wednesday 14th September
| Time | Programme |
| 08:00 - 09:00 |
Registration |
| Session 5: Fermentation - Chair: Graeme Walker | |
| 09:00 - 09:30 | Talk 10: Distiller's Yeast Genomics Dr. Derek Jamieson, Reader - School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University |
| 09:30 - 10:00 | Talk 11: Screening of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains for Ethanol Tolerance with High Gravity Wort Annie Cheung, PhD Student, Division of Food Sciences, University of Nottingham |
| 10:00 - 11:00 |
Current Challenges and Future Opportunities for Distillers Yeast |
| 11:00 - 11:30 |
Coffee break |
| Session 6: Distillation - Chair: David Littlejohn | |
| 11:30 - 12:00 | Talk 12: Modelling methanol recovery in wine batch distillations using rectification columns Dr. J.R. Perez-Correa, Associate Professor, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile |
| 12:00 - 12:30 | Talk 13: New Scotch Whisky Grain Distillery Design and Build Gary Gibson, Colorado Group, Ian Palmer, Glen Turner Distillery and Filippo Cannoni, Frilli Impianti SRL |
| 12:30 - 13:00 | Talk 14: Chinese white spirit production and styles Lin Dong, Sichuan Swellfun Co Ltd and Tao Yang, Diageo |
| 13:00 - 13:45 |
Lunch |
| Session 7: Science behind flavours - Chair: Holly Wright | |
| 13:45 - 14:15 | Talk 15: From Nature to Bottle: How to Create Authentic Flavor Profiles Stephan Haiber, Group Leader Natural Product Research, Givaudan |
| 14:15 - 14:45 | Talk 16: The Impact of Increased Wash Fatty Acid Levels on the Nutty / Cereal Aroma Volatile Composition of New Make Malt Spirit Emily Boothroyd, PhD Student, Division of Food Sciences, University of Nottingham |
| 14:45 - 15:15 | Talk 17: Understanding the Aroma of Gin: A Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry Approach Pierre Dussort, Centre des Sciences du Gout et de l'Alimentation, Université de Bourgogne |
| 15:15 - 15:45 |
Coffee Break |
| Session 8: Future Technology - Chair: Nigel Harlow | |
| 15:45 - 16:15 | Talk 18: Application of Ultrasound in the Bioconversion of Distiller's Spent Grains to Bioethanol Jason Bennett, PhD Student, School of Contemporary Sciences, University of Abertay |
| 16:15 - 16:45 | Talk 19: Recent advances in bioethanol production Mike Ingledew, Professor Emeritus at the University of Saskatchewan |
| 16:45 - 17:30 |
A Chaired Debate - Celebrating 125 years of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling |
| 19:00 - Late |
Social Event - Glasgow Science Centre |
Thursday 15th September
| Time | Programme |
| 08:00 - 09:00 |
Registration |
| Session 9: Energy Focus - Chair: Gordon Motion | |
| 09:00 - 09:30 | Talk 20: Energy potential and liquid reuse from distillery co-product streams Jon McAteer, Technical Manager, Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies |
| 09:30 - 10:00 | Talk 21: Sustainable Energy Efficient Distillation Technologies for Neutral / Potable Spirits S.P.Singh, Praj Industries Limited |
| 10:00 - 10:30 | Talk 22: Sustainability through process design Mark Phillips, Senior Process Engineer, Briggs of Burton |
| 10:30 - 11:00 |
Coffee break |
| Session 10: Energy Focus - Chair: Richard Beattie | |
| 11:00 - 11:30 | Talk 23: The real cost of sustainable: is it possible to reduce effluent and generate green energy while making a profit? Vinod Ramachandran, Consultant, Ondeo Industial Solutions |
| 11:30 - 12:00 | Talk 24: Low temperature processing of wheat for bioethanol production Professor Graham Stewart, Heriot-Watt University |
| 12:00 - 12:30 | Talk 25: A new approach to on site digestion of distillery co-products Richard Gueterbock, Clearfleau Limited |
| 12:30 - 13:15 |
Lunch |
| Session 11: Environmental Focus - Chair: Mark Kinsman | |
| 13:15 - 13:45 | Talk 26: Minimisation of Water Use in the Beverage Industry Dan Donnelly, Breakthrough Technology Manager, Guinness Ireland |
| 13:45 - 14:15 | Talk 27: Cost Effective Solution for Copper Removal in Distillery Effluent Steve Walker, B & V Water |
| 14:15 - 14:45 |
Coffee Break |
| Session 12: Consumer Perception - Chair: Tim Dolan | |
| 14:45 - 15:15 | Talk 28: Impact of swallowing on the dynamics of aroma release and perception during the consumption of alcoholic beverages Pascal Brunerie, Head of Physical & Chemical Analysis Dpt, Centre de Recherches Pernod-Ricard |
| 15:15 - 15:45 |
Talk 29: Global Counterfeiting Detection |
| 15:45 - 16:15 | Session 13: Plenary - Chair: Robert Fotheringham |
| 15:45 - 16:15 | Talk 30: Sustainable Scotch: Will Science Deliver the Industry's Sustainability Strategy or will the Strategy drive the Science? Julie Hesketh-Laird, Director of Operational & Technical Affairs, Scotch Whisky Association |
| 16:15 - 16:45 | Dr. Vijay Mallya - Chairman of The UB Group |
| 16:45 - 17:00 |
Conference Closing Remarks |
| 20:00 - Late | Social Event: Closing Dinner |
The Programme Committee reserves the right to alter the content of the technical programme
