Tech & Ed Day
Tech & Ed Day
May 7, 2026 | Black Flannel Brewing
Date: May 7, 2026
Location: Black Flannel Brewing
Time: 11:30am-4:00pm
Schedule:
- 11:00 – Check-In Begins
- 11:30-12:30 – Marissa Capua, Zero Gravity | Off Flavor Sensory Panel: Recognition & Troubleshooting – FOH staff encouraged to attend
- 12:30-1:30 – Lunch
- 1:30 – 2:30 – Ian Goering, Blue Ox Malt | The True Cost of a Pint
- 2:30-2:45 – Quick Break for Beers
- 2:45-3:45 – Jonathan Olszensky, PivoHub | Modernizing B2B Operations: Lessons and Data from the Quebec Craft Scene
- 3:45-4:00 – Sponsor Presentation
- 4:00 – Beers & Networking
Interested in Sponsoring?
As a sponsor you will receive the opportunity to present for 10-15 minutes, 2×6 table, signage, swag, and logo included in invitations.
Off Flavor Sensory Panel: Recognition & Troubleshooting
Speaker: Marissa Capua, Zero Gravity
Description:This educational panel will cover three of the main off-flavors that can occur in beer: light-struck, oxidation, and diacetyl. We will discuss the various causes of these off-flavors, how to test for them, and some strategies to combat them. Panelists will also have the opportunity to do comparative sensory analysis on control samples alongside off-flavor samples, to help isolate and identify the off flavor within each person’s unique palate.
The True Cost of a Pint
Speaker: Ian Goering, Blue Ox Malt
Description: This presentation explores the emerging challenges and uncertainties shaping the future of malt, with a particular focus on how pricing reverberates through every level of the supply chain. We will examine the economics of malting barley, its influence on beer production costs, and how malt pricing ultimately appears at the pint level. From there, we’ll trace how those consumer-facing prices reflect back on the farmer, the long-term viability of barley production, and the sustainability of the brewing industry itself. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of the interconnected pressures on growers, maltsters, breweries, and consumers—and how greater support for barley cultivation carries real implications for cost, resilience, and the future of beer.
Modernizing B2B Operations: Lessons and Data from the Quebec Craft Scene
Speaker: Jonathan Olszensky, PivoHub
Description: Diving into how shifting away from manual processes has impacted the industry in Quebec and sharing some real data points on growth and efficiency that will be useful for Vermont brewers.
