The Brewing Industry Research Foundation is now part of Campden BRI, a research association serving all sectors of the food and drink industry. The Brewing Division is based next to the M23, and the other Divisions are located in

Chipping Campden Chipping Campden is a market town in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England. It is notable for its terraced High Street, dating from the 14th century to the 17th century. ("Chipping" is from Old English ''cēping'', 'market', 'market ...

, Gloucestershire, where about 330 people are employed.

History

Formation

In 1946 the

Institute of Brewing The Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) is an industry trade association for brewers and distillers, both in the United Kingdom and internationally. The IBD had its headquarters at Clarges Street in London London until 2014 at which t ...

recommended the setting up of an experimental research station, the Brewing Industry Research Foundation, with a full-time Director of Research and in 1947 Dr J Masson Gulland (Professor of Organic Chemistry, the

University of Nottingham , mottoeng = A city is built on wisdom , established = 1798 – teacher training college1881 – University College Nottingham1948 – university status , type = Public , chancellor ...

) was appointed to that position. Sadly Dr Masson Gulland was killed in a train crash before taking up his position and hence Sir

Ian Heilbron Sir Ian Morris Heilbron DSO FRS (6 November 1886 – 14 September 1959) was a Scottish chemist, who pioneered organic chemistry developed for therapeutic and industrial use. Early life and education Heilbron was born in Glasgow on 6 November ...

(

Imperial College London Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cu ...

) agreed to become the second Director of Research at the new Brewing Industry Research Foundation (BIRF)in 1949.

Research building

In 1948 Lyttel Hall, Nutfield in

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. W ...

was purchased and the main Hall was converted into laboratories, the squash court into a pilot brewery and other new buildings were developed as a workshops and conference facilities. In 1951 the Duke of Edinburgh

Prince Philip Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from ...

formally opened the site. BIRF later became The Brewing Research Foundation, BRF International, Brewing Research International and today is simply known as BRI.

Research scope

Initially the BIRF focused on fundamental and applied research for the malting and brewing industries of the UK. Its staff made useful contributions in the areas of barley germination and

yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to constitut ...

physiology. Since that time its role has evolved to become more service orientated offering analysis, food safety and information packages to an international client base.

Brewers Patents Ltd

The control of Brewing Patents Ltd was transferred in 1976 from the Brewers' Society to the Brewing Research Foundation.

Important Brewing Scientist Training Ground

Many young scientists of the Brewing Industry found initial employment at this Foundation to become important contributors elsewhere in the Brewing and allied industries.

Merger

In October 2008, Campden BRI was formed by the merger of Brewing Research International with Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association (CCFRA) of

, which was formed in 1919 and is the largest membership-based food research organisation in the world. In the 1920s it devised the Campden Solution, which was later commercialised as the

Campden Tablet Campden tablets (potassium or sodium metabisulfite) are a sulphur-based product that is used primarily to sterilize wine, cider and in beer making to kill bacteria and to inhibit the growth of most wild yeast: this product is also used to elimi ...

Functions

Its services are used by the vast majority of the world's brewing companies.

References

External links

Campden BRI

Brewing Research International

Brewers Patents Ltd

News items

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Healthy cider in May 2002
* {{Authority control Beer in the United Kingdom Food science institutes Research institutes in Surrey Research institutes in Gloucestershire Organizations established in 1946