Bar.on, a Belgian beverage start-up, has developed the world’s first molecular beer printer, capable of creating multiple types of beer in seconds.
Using molecular-level flavour compounds, different beer styles can be constructed and customised in terms of alcohol percentage, bitterness, fruitiness, sweetness, and spiciness.
Bar.on’s One Tap prototype can produce various beer styles, such as blonde, brown, IPA, and triple, including non-alcoholic variants. Users can choose any beer of their taste, fully customised and freshly mixed, to enjoy at home or in a bar.
Bar.on’s flavour compounds are natural and many of them are also used in conventional brewing processes. However, the One Tap beer printer bypasses the need for fermentation and also avoids the shipment of heavy finished product, significantly reducing the ecological footprint and cost of transportation. Additionally, Bar.on aims to reduce waste, by minimising packaging, and it also makes efficient use of water, requiring only locally sourced water from the tap.
A version for pubs and bars, called One Tap Pro, is currently being developed and is expected to be field tested later this year.
“As a science company, we are building smart devices to demonstrate the capabilities of digitising beverages,” said Valentijn Destoop, chief product officer.
The launch date and price for the One Tap are yet to be confirmed.
