New Beer Styles, Marketing, and Technology: What Will Be Discussed at the Beer & Craft Drink Forum 2026

On April 2–3 in Ternopil, at the Vatra Hotel, the media group “Technologies and Innovations” will hold the 16th Beer & Craft Drink Forum 2026, bringing together brewers, distillers, and beverage producers. The forum takes place amid a global wave of technological modernization in breweries. Today, modern breweries are actively moving toward automation, digitalization, and energy efficiency, focusing on production flexibility and data-driven management.

The program includes five discussion panels dedicated to the current state of the Ukrainian brewing industry, beer quality and stability, the evolution of beer styles and new beverage trends, marketing and sales in brewing, as well as next-generation drinks.

The forum will also covers presentations by technological experts, an exhibition of equipment and materials for beverage production, a charity auction in support of brewers serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a public beverage tasting, and a business tour to the Opillia Brewery and the First Podillian Steam Brewery.

Organizer: Media Group “Technologies and Innovations”

Main Information Partner: Drinks & Beer specialized journal and the website techdrinks.info

Main Organizational Partner: Association of Independent Brewers of Ukraine

Main Industry Partner: Association of Craft Distillers of Ukraine

Main Laboratory Partner of the Conference: Donau Lab Ukraine

Main Technological Partner: TM “Fermentis”

Exclusive Technological Partner: “Opillia-Engineering”

Main Partner of the Business Tour: Opillia Brewery

Main Partner of the Business Tour: First Podillian Steam Brewery (Hlibiv Brewery)

Read more about the forum program and key events below.

The organizers once again bring together the entire Ukrainian community of brewers and beverage producers to exchange experience, discuss market trends, and explore new ideas for industry development. Notably, the Brewers and Restaurateurs Forum (as the event was called for many years) was first held exactly ten years ago in Kyiv at the “Brugge” restaurant.Thus, on April 2, the program will include presentations by experts in brewing, distillate production, and technological companies, as well as discussions on craft brewing, European standards, and the full technological process of beverage production.

Five discussions about the future of brewing and the beverage industry

The program of the first day includes five discussion panels.  The first discussion panel will focus on the current state and future prospects of the Ukrainian brewing industry. Participants will discuss the results of 2025, the dynamics of beer production and consumption, as well as the current market structure and distribution channels. Special attention will be given to the development of the craft segment and the key challenges facing the industry in 2026, such as rising costs of raw materials and energy, workforce shortages, and regulatory issues.

Within the panel, participants will also exchange views on the topic: “National Standards“ (DSTU), Innovation, and European Integration: Are the Standards Ready for New Beer? The discussion will cover modern beer production standards, including those related to new styles and ingredients, the harmonization of national requirements with European regulations, and the industry’s opportunities to initiate changes to DSTU standards.

The second discussion panel, titled “Beer Sustainability and Quality: Raw Materials, Technologies, Flavor Stability, and Quality Control as the Basis of Brewery Competitiveness,” will address key aspects of beer quality. The panel will cover topics ranging from the selection of raw materials as the foundation of the product, ensuring technological stability and flavor control from brewing to the glass, to compliance with microbiological and sanitary standards, as well as quality during bottling, storage, and transportation. These factors and their impact on brand reputation and consumer trust will also be discussed.

The next discussion panel will explore the evolution of beer styles in the world and in Ukraine, combining timeless brands and classic styles with modern trends and experiments. Classic styles such as lager, pilsner, and weissbier remain the basis of the global market. At the same time, contemporary brewing trends are led by IPA in all its diversity, as well as sour beer, fruit beer, and experimental styles.Forum participants will discuss how to balance tradition and innovation, particularly in the Ukrainian context, and will seek to answer an important question: why classic brands remain stable and successful for decades.

The fourth discussion panel will reveal marketing and sales strategies in brewing, showing how to brew exactly what consumers buy and how to effectively promote a brand. How do breweries analyze demand and consumer behavior? How do they build a product portfolio that reflects market needs? What does local brewery marketing truly mean, and how can breweries successfully engage with their community and region to build a recognizable local brand? The discussion will also focus on modern approaches to label design and marketing strategies in brewing, demonstrating how visual communication shapes brand recognition and influences consumer choice.

Using examples from some of the most successful Ukrainian beer projects, participants will explore answers to these and many other questions, as well as learn about new opportunities for export and entering international markets.

The fifth discussion panel will focus on next-generation beverages and changing consumption culture. Experts will address topics such as hybrid drinks and new market categories, trends in a new wave of fermented beverages, non-alcoholic and low-alcohol formats, as well as functional and wellness products. Special attention will also be given to cannabis beverages, new ingredients, and the renaissance of distillation, as well as to the processes and ideas behind how and where new beverage categories born.

The discussion panels will be moderated by leading Ukrainian master brewers, market experts in beer and beverages, and experienced executives from well-known Ukrainian breweries.

Technology rules the world — brewing included

The modern era is creating new trends in the technological infrastructure of breweries, which are increasingly operating as “smart factories.” First and foremost, this refers to full brewery automation (Smart Brewery) — the key technological trend in the industry. Modern breweries are moving toward automated production lines where computers control nearly all processes. These include PLC controllers and SCADA systems, automated ingredient dosing, programmable brewing systems, and automated bottling lines.

Sensors monitor fermentation, temperature regimes, pressure, and the wort quality in real time, enabling breweries to optimize production and resource use. In fact, breweries are beginning to develop a “digital twin” of the brewing process.New brewing technologies are also being adopted, such as hydrodynamic cavitation and precision fermentation.

Another important trend is the use of alternative raw materials, from waste or alternative ingredients. All of this is part of the modern circular brewing model, which reflects the global movement toward sustainability in beverage production. Artificial intelligence is beginning to be actively used – simultaneously in two directions: creating beer recipes and managing production. Energy-efficient and “green” technologies are also in fashion. Heat recovery, water reuse systems, biogas from brewing waste, etc. are used. Breweries are actively reducing energy and water consumption due to environmental standards and economic reasons. Flexible modular breweries are becoming popular, which are easily scalable, allow brewing many styles and quickly change recipes.

Great technological progress is taking place in packaging and bottling. Breweries use aseptic bottling lines, lighter cans, so-called “smart packaging”, automatic quality control systems.

These and other topics will be revealed by representatives of technology companies during the forum. Thus, a representative of the company “Opillya-Engineering” will talk about the brewery as a production place where their own technological solutions for modern brewing are formed and implemented. A representative of the company “Kasta Brovariv” will inform about how the selection of raw materials, materials and the adjustment of production processes affect the formation of stable quality and predictable results in brewing.

The program also includes speeches where speakers will share practical experience. One of the topics is dedicated to starting a brewery from scratch, where technological solutions and market challenges of creating your own production will be considered.

On April 2, a large-scale exhibition-presentation of equipment, technologies and materials for brewing and the production of other beverages will also take place.

Charity auction, tastings and business tour: Forum events

As part of the Forum, traditionally, during the war time, a Charity auction of goods and services provided by partners and participants will be held to support brewers – soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The Forum will traditionally end with a Public Tasting including beer, ciders, and spirits from Ukrainian breweries and distilleries, which will combine professional networking, exchange of experience and ideas, comparison of styles and recipes, creating an atmosphere of open dialogue between producers, technologists, distillers and experts. During the event, participants will also be awarded commemorative diplomas.

The second day of the forum, April 3, will be dedicated to a practical introduction to production in the format of a business tour. Participants will visit the facilities of two Ukrainian breweries of different formats — the Opillya brewery and the First Podillian Steam Brewery (Hlibiv Brewery).

The organizers invite representatives of breweries, breweries, beer pubs, restaurants, distilleries to cooperate. Together we promote Ukrainian craft and national producers of beer, cider and distillates, working for the development of the industry and the Victory of Ukraine.

You can register for the Forum by filling out the Google-form: https://forms.gle/BqGHXmPG7ki2P56T7

Terms of Participation

For beer companies:

Conference day – 3000 UAH.

Business tour – 2000 UAH.

For technology companies:

Conference day – 4000 UAH.

(The price includes coffee break, lunches, buffet; service during the event; participation in tasting of drinks and dishes; conference participant package with information materials; detailed post-event report with final presentations of speakers, sent by e-mail).

To book a hotel room, please contact: Ternopil, Mykulynetska St., 25a, Hotel Vatra,

tel. (068) 325 33 25, (096) 325 33 25.

If you have any proposals for speeches and presentations and to register participants and partners, please contact with us by:

Anna, tel.: +38 (097) 759 25 83

Larysa, tel.: +38 (097) 96 89 516

Iryna, tel.: +38 (096) 49 166 92

Project Manager: Nadii Yashchuk, tel. +38 (068) 568-58-22, rnadia@ukr.net

Creative Director – Kateryna Koneva, Editor-in-Chief/Founder of the magazine “Drinks&Beer. TI”