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RIC's researchers will create a novel non-alcoholic gruit beer
Our new R&D project entitled "Development and implementation of the production of non-alcoholic gruit beer" refers to the historical traditions of natural brewing. Beer in the Middle Ages was consumed as often as coffee or tea today. According to historical reports, monks consumed up to 5 liters of this drink a day. The then beer and the technology of its production were completely different than today. Beer was referred to as gruit, and the drink was seasoned and preserved using only herbs, without any hops. In 1516, Prince William IV established the Bavarian Purity Law, which introduced the obligatory share of hops in the beer composition. Some of the reasons for introducing this law are seen in the desire to eliminate the practical monopoly of monks and provide additional revenues for the principality related to the production of hops, which was subject to taxation.
The subject of our new R&D project is to conduct industrial research and development works aimed at developing and implementing a product innovation - non-alcoholic gruit-type beer with unique nutritional and sensory properties, referring to the old traditions of natural brewing. The aim of the project will be achieved thanks to the cooperation of the consortium established by RIC Pro-Akademia and the SME company: Agro-Drink. The project's tasks include the development and testing of an innovative production technology, formulation, prototyping, sensory, microbiological, chromatographic and storage tests of the new product, as well as the development, construction and testing of a production pilot line. The result of the project will be implemented in Poland, where in 2018 an 80% increase in sales of non-alcoholic beer was observed, which was the highest increase in Europe.
The project will be implemented by the our Natural Products Laboratory team. The project is co-financed by the Polish National Center for Research and Development under the Smart Growth Operational Program, Measure 4.1.4 Application Projects.
