How would you react if we told you you could brew beer at home? You come home from work and you're craving a great beer, but you realize the fridge is half empty. Inside, there's only a small "capsule," more or less similar to those used to make coffee. Simply place it in a glass, add cold water, and make it fizzy with a carbonator: three steps to prepare your own "home pint." Nothing could be easier, right? We know it sounds like science fiction, but it's thanks to a group of researchers that we'll soon be able to achieve this result. In recent months, a specific system for producing beer in capsules was patented, and to achieve this result, researchers used cryoconcentration. Essentially, the beer is frozen and then the water crystals are separated from the rest of the liquid, leaving a sort of super-concentrated "essence," including the alcohol.
But Is It Really Beer?
As mentioned earlier, the cryoconcentration system allows the liquid to be stored in small doses and "regenerated" at home by adding water and carbonating it with devices. Those working on the project claim that this process preserves the traditional characteristics of the beer and even intensifies its aromas. Not to mention the efficiency of distribution, where it's obviously easier to transport 100 capsules than 100 glass bottles. Behind this revolutionary idea are researchers at the Universidad de La Sabana in Colombia, who collaborated with the Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya in Spain.
According to the people who invented these capsules, beer could actually be better. We're not talking about a substitute, nor a light or powdered beer: it's a real beer in every sense of the word, essentially "paused" and then waiting to be reconstituted. Ultimately, the questions being asked by the most skeptical are the same ones they were when coffee capsules first came out. Many people thought that real espresso could only be enjoyed at a coffee shop, but instead, thanks to various devices released in recent years and capsules and pods, you can make it good at home too. In short, researchers hope the same thing can happen for beer.
A Revolution for The Beer Market
Pods containing ready-to-brew beer could undoubtedly revolutionize the beverage market as they could bring a breath of fresh air. First and foremost, convenience: no heavy bottles to carry home, no glass to recycle, no need for refrigerator space. Just small pods that are easy to store and transport. Then there's the sustainability aspect: less packaging, less CO2 emissions, and less waste.
Obviously, we're talking about a patent, and therefore something that won't be released for sale immediately. Many consumers are asking a variety of questions, including price and availability in various countries. Furthermore, how will artisanal producers, the so-called architects of the craft revolution that is just now starting to gain traction, react to this? Will they fight it or adopt it? In short, if we look at what's happened to coffee capsules, the path seems already mapped out: technology capable of simplifying life while still maintaining an excellent level of quality and authenticity is becoming part of our daily lives. The future of beer is smaller, lighter, and all contained in a small capsule.
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