Garrett Oliver

One of America’s most celebrated brewers has been announced as the keynote speaker at a new national conference and trade show, which addresses the business of brewing in Scotland and abroad.

Garrett Oliver (pictured), brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery, is one of the industry’s most respected characters and will be guest speaker at Beer Matters, taking place in Edinburgh on Thursday, September 28.

More than 200 people are expected to gather for Scotland’s first brewing conference and trade show, sponsored by Brewer’s Select, including a range of speakers and exhibitors eager to meet and do business.

With the number of breweries now operating in Scotland at its highest in a century, the event will address business growth through a number of expert sessions on export, taste trends, recruiting and retaining staff and securing investment.

Garrett said: “It’s exciting to be working with the Beer Matters team on this inaugural event, highlighting the thriving beer industry in Scotland and the brewing talent that has helped to push it forward. There hasn’t been a more exciting time to explore the trends and innovations happening in beer.

“With collaboration at the heart of what we do at Brooklyn Brewery, I look forward to meeting the people who make up Scotland’s brewing community and bouncing ideas off each other.”

The conference will be chaired by Hilary Jones, former technical director of Scottish & Newcastle and chair of the judging panel for the Scottish Beer Awards.

Other speakers will include: Dougal Sharp, Audrey Leng, Dr Bill Simpson, Adam Hardie and James Fellowes.