The Klosterbrauerei Neuzelle, a German brewery founded in 1589, has developed an instant beer made from water-soluble granules. The powder is expected to make the drink more environmentally friendly. Currently, beer is only sold in liquid form, packaged in cans, bottles, and barrels, with sustainable beer bottles made from wood fibers soon to be introduced. The brewery developed the instant beer powder as part of a two-year project, with partial funding from a program by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection. The Dryest Beer is expected to hit the market in mid-2023, with an alcohol-free version available initially, and an alcoholic version to follow.
The beer is brewed according to the German purity law and then processed into water-soluble granules. The brewery plans to develop a process to produce the beer powder directly from raw materials without the traditional brewing process. The company aims to disrupt the beer business model and create a niche market for the beer powder in Europe, with a primary focus on global sales. The granules are ideal for transport, saving a significant amount of transport volume and weight compared to traditional beer. The company is currently in talks with several investors to optimize the production process and market the beer powder.
According to Helmut Fritsche, the drink’s development will make it more environmentally friendly, as billions of liters of water are transported worldwide to produce beer. The company’s primary target audience is global resellers who can make the granules application-ready for end consumers. The company expects that traditional Pilsner drinkers and craft beer enthusiasts in Germany will initially be skeptical of the product. However, the company aims to create a new market for the beer powder in Europe and globally, with a focus on transport-intensive export markets in Asia and Africa.
