In the beginning, or uh, back in the ‘80s, there were lagers and pilsners.
Then there were IPAs. Then stouts. And sours. Then like, another IPA.
And now? Instant craft beer powder.
Not to gloss over your favorite style, but just illustrating a point: we’ve come a long way, friends.
To Øl, a pioneering brewery in Copenhagen, is now making a freeze-dried powder that needs just sparkling water and a spirit to make fresh beer. The project is a collaboration with German food-production technology company GEA.
In other words: it’s beer in powder form, dehydrated and freeze-dried like coffee.
The two brewers behind the powder — Emil Jensen and Tore Gynthe, who studied under Mikkel Borg Bjergsø of the famed Danish brewery Mikeller — are no strangers to experimentation. So, what’s clear here is the project is not a grab-bag of convenience, but rather a genuine project in the pursuit of good taste.
The duo is currently working on four different freeze-dried beers: a deep coffee-flavored brew, two IPAs (naturally) and a pilsner.
Given how powdered alcohol has fared here, there’s no telling if To Øl’s instant craft beer, when released to the public, will ever make it to the States. However, we’re willing to travel to give it a try.
Join America's Fastest Growing Spirits Newsletter THE SPILL. Unlock all the reviews, recipes and revelry — and get 15% off award-winning La Tierra de Acre Mezcal.