Monday, January 13, 2026

Tuesday, January 14, 2026

• 9am: Welcome & Keynote

• 10am: Sessions
• 1-3pm: Sessions

Keynote Speaker: Randy Mosher

Summary: Author Randy Mosher has spend the last five years digging through thousands of pages of scientific papers to learn the current perspective on all aspects of tasting for a new book called Your Tasting Brain: A Sensory Approach to Wine, Beer and Other Pleasures(University of Chicago Press, May 2026). It’s a lot. Thanks to advanced tools and techniques, there’s been a huge expansion in our understanding of how all of this works. From the biophysics of receptors, to neural processing, emotion, memory, language and cognitive mechanisms, the new research provides a much clearer picture of how we’re put together and offers a lot of valuable insights, both on the tasting and appreciation side as well as for brewing and flavor creation. This talk takes us on a tour of some of the new discoveries selected for their relevance to those of us in the brewing business. 

About Randy: Randy Mosher is a writer and creative consultant specializing in flavorful things. He is the author of five books on beer and brewing, with a new one coming next year covering the wider subject of tasting. Mosher provides training and lectures around the world and teaches at the Siebel Institute brewing school. He has a background in design and advertising, and frequently consults on new product development and branding. Based in Chicago, he is currently a minority partner in two small breweries: 5 Rabbit Cervecería and Forbidden Root , which has locations in Columbus, OH and Chicago. More about randy and his projects can be found at randymosher.com.