Powdered beer arrives: will it be the new manna of breweries?

Powdered beer, you heard right. Klosterbrauerei Nizelle, based in East Germany, is in the process of developing and marketing what will soon be  the world’s first powdered beer.

The revolutionary thing about the invention, which could be ready by the end of this year, is that anyone will be able to turn water into lager beer in a matter of minutes. The same as if we prepare an instant hot chocolate or an infusion. For the time being, the beer will be alcohol-free, but the company hopes to release a wide range of powdered beers.

The only difference is that the weight of the powdered beer is much less than that of a real beer and its preparation is very simple, just pour the contents of the sachet into carbonated water and that’s it.

“We want the full flavor of the beer. We have the foam, we already have the beer flavor. We want to add the carbon dioxide in powder form. We want to add the alcohol in powder form. We can do all that with powder. And, of course, it’s absolutely fascinating that we’ve succeeded. For the first time in the whole world.”

In addition, for both the brand and many it will be a turning point for the carbon footprint of beer exports, eschewing bottles and crates in favor of much lighter powder packs.

“If you look at it globally, that would be about half a percent of the CO2 emissions worldwide that we could reduce. In addition, we have calculated that, if we now relate this to Germany, we can save 3 to 5 percent of the CO2 emissions for Germany alone,” said the brewer’s general manager Stefan Fritsche.

The changes brought about by the pandemic and global shortages of key commodities dramatically changed the logistics and distribution landscape. And with sustainability now at the top of the agenda for many producers, greener solutions are the order of the day.