Bar Convent Berlin opens

The Bar Convent, the trade show for the bar and beverage industry in Europe opens in Berlin today (October 6).

Now owned by leading trade show organiser, Reed Exhibitions, but with the three founders still involved, the ninth Bar Convent claims to have 60% more exhibitors, at 270 from 30 countries.

Taking place at Station Berlin, the organisers expect approximately 10,000 trade visitors over the two days.

After Germany, Italy is the next largest exhibiting country with 20 countries. The Benelux countries are represented by 17 exhibitors. Of the exhibiting countries, 116 are from outside Germany.  

Companies participating include: Beam Global, bronco Marken Import, Brown-Forman, Campari, Diageo, Mast- Jagermeister and Pernod Ricard. IBRAC, the Brazilian Institute of Cachaca and Discus, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, have large stands.

Brazil is this year's Bar Convent 'Country of Honour'.

Across the eight stages presentations and tastings will be held by the likes of Jeffrey Morgenthaler, Jorg Meyer, Philip Duff, Ian Burrell, Josh Harris, Joshua Fontaine, Jared and Anastatia Miller, Dave Broom and Guillermo Fortaleza.

Launched in 2013, Brew Berlin is staged in hall 3 and boasts 20 exhibitors showing 150 types of beer.

'Made in GSA' is Bar Convent's focus on the beverage industry in German speaking countries, essentially Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The organisers say its 'made in GSA' competition boasts 66 products from 33 countries and 140 bartenders.

Bar Convent was started in 2007 by Jens Hasenbein, Bastian Heuser and Helmut Adam. Reed bought the show last year.