Dive Brief:
- Carlsberg is making a multi-million-dollar investment in research to allow it to measure and sense flavors and aromas in beer, according to Food Ingredients 1st. They’re partnering with Aarhus University, Technical University of Denmark and Microsoft.
- Researchers say there is currently no comparable technology that can discriminate complex flavors. If successful, it could have applications beyond beverages, such as in pharmaceuticals or food manufacturing.
- When completed, the research study called “The Beer Fingerprinting Project” should help Carlsberg speed up the time it takes to bring a new beer to market, and also maintain quality control of their beverages.
Dive Insight:
This technology would essentially be a sensor platform that should be able to quickly and reliably assess the flavors and aromas in any given beer. It would help the Danish beer maker with product development, quality control and product safety
The Beer Fingerprinting Project would also help Carlsberg “select and develop novel brewer’s yeast for application in craft, specialty, core and alcohol-free beers at much higher speed and even better quality,” Director and Professor of Yeast Fermentation at Carlsberg Research Laboratory Jochen Förster told Food Ingredients 1st.
It does not appear that any American breweries are working to develop similar technology. AB InBev's Anheuser-Busch unit will invest close to $500 million in its U.S. operations in 2017, but much of this is for brewery and distribution projects and packaging initiatives.
The beer business is struggling in the U.S., with more consumers moving toward craft brews, wine and spirits. American breweries may try to duplicate this type of technology in an effort to stand out in the increasingly crowded and competitive field.
If U.S. companies make a similar R&D investment, it could be a significant one. Different flavors and aromas could win back some reluctant drinkers of U.S. beer, but it may not be what supercharges the industry. Large brewers in the U.S. have been concentrating innovation on new brews featuring different ingredients altogether, classic recipes, new yeast and interesting packaging. They've also been acquiring some trendy craft breweries, to add a larger contingent of varieties and flavors to their lineups.
For now, beer makers will likely wait and see how this tech helps the Danish beer maker before opening the company checkbook.