I am Florian Buchhorn
M.Sc. Brewery & Beverage Technologist
- Name Florian Buchhorn
- City Cologne
- E-mail florian@buchhorn.beer
- Mobil +491778079150
Experience
Deputy Head of Production, Quality Management, Laboratory and Filling Department
Privat-Brauerei Heinrich Reissdorf GmbH & Co. KG
My main activities include the position of 1st deputy for the Head of Production, Head of Filling and Head of Quality Management in a 600,000 hl brewery.
I also work as second deputy for the laboratory, which is staffed in 3-shift operation and is also authorized to issue instructions to the Filling & Producton departments.
I also take care of general and specific training courses for all employees using the Secova software.
As a hazardous substances officer, I also carry out verbal instructions for the area and create operating instructions, as well as maintaining the hazardous substances register.
Research in the field of kieselguhr-free precoat filtration, standard beer analytics (Anton Paar bieranalyzer, photometer, foam, turbidity), also ESR spectroscopy and microbiology.
Production and distribution of filtered fruit and honey wines from regional raw materials.
Work as a brewer and maltster in a 10,000 hl brewery from the brewhouse to the bottling department in all areas.
Study
Education
School education
Certificates
Skills
Production Management
Bottling Management
Quality Management
Sensory Analysis of Beer and Beverages
Beverage Development
Laboratory Skills
Training and Instruction
Hazardous Substances
Filtration (especially Precoat Filtration)
Wine (especially Mead), Spirits, Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Quality Management (including Lean / Six Sigma)
Water and Wastewater Treatment
Process Engineering (focus on Beer Production)
Microbiology
Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) Analysis
Business Administration
Project Management
Soft Skills
Research
(1) “Evaluation of new filter aids: beech wood sawdust and cellulose fibers” (Buchhorn, bachelor thesis)
(2) “Improved beer colloidal stability through the use of polyphenol-treated functional cellulose fibers during filtration” (Buchhorn, master thesis)
(3)”Aternative filter aid combinations based on beechwood sawdust, perlite, and pre-treated cellulose fibres for precoat filtration” (Buchhorn, Kunz; EBC Kongress Madrid 2022; Poster Präsentation)
Completed research projects at the Technical University include, for example, cooperation with JELUCEL, Erbslöh, DIAGEO, BASF, KRONES, Aspera Brauerei Riese, SMOKE IT ALL in the field of kieselguhr-free precoat filtration.
Other research projects included protein recovery from spent grains/soy, beverage development (protein beer, tequila beer, milk substitutes, wine, spirits …); work with yeasts (maltose negative yeasts, special flavours), water treatment (drinking water recovery by freezing) and general optimisations in the brewing process (brewhouse yield, pH, temp, colour …).
In addition, I also spent a considerable amount of my working time on setting up the laboratory, moving from the Seestr. campus to the Ackerstr. campus, installing the new pilot plant for beer filtration and optimising the existing installations in the laboratory and research brewery.
Memberships
- Der Deutsche Braumeister und Malzmeister Bund e.V. (German Brewmasters and Maltmaster Association)
- Verband der Diplom Biersommeliers e. V. (Organisation of Beer Someliers)
- Berliner Brauer Zunft e.V. (Berlin Brewers Organisation)
- die Gesellschaft für Geschichte des Brauwesens e.V. (Society for Histoy of Brewing)
- Vereinigung ehem. VLBer e.V. (Association of former VLBers e.V.)
About me
My fascination with fermentation technology and biochemistry began during my school years, particularly with the transformation of sugar into alcohol, carbon dioxide, and heat through yeast activity. This early interest led me to start producing fruit and mead wines at home and ultimately introduced me to the profession of brewer and maltster.
During my vocational training, I founded a small business to produce and sell fruit and mead wines on a small commercial scale. At the same time, I began brewing beer and experimenting with various recipes. Following my apprenticeship, I pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Brewing and Beverage Technology at the Technical University of Berlin. Alongside my studies, I worked first in a brewery and later as a student research assistant at the university’s Department of Brewing and Beverage Technology.
At the beginning of my Master’s program, I decided to cease my private wine production in order to concentrate fully on my academic progress. This allowed me to complete the degree more efficiently and take additional modules in quality management, project management, business administration, and chemical-technical analysis.
After successfully completing my Master’s degree in Brewing and Beverage Technology in August 2022, I concluded my research projects at the university by the end of September. Without delay, I began a trainee program on October 1st, 2022, at the world’s largest Kölsch brewery – Privatbrauerei Heinrich Reissdorf in Cologne. Since January 2023, I have been working there as Deputy Head of Laboratory, Quality Assurance, Production, and Bottling.