Beer is one of the world’s most popular alcoholic drinks, with millions of barrels consumed each year. Brewers are always looking for ways to improve their recipes to produce beer that tastes even better to customers. Now some brewers are turning to an unexpected source to help enhance the flavor of their beers: artificial intelligence.
AI systems can analyze thousands of existing beer recipes to detect patterns between the ingredients, brewing methods, and flavors that result. They can then suggest tweaks to existing recipes or even propose entirely new recipes that are optimized to produce specific flavors. Some craft brewers are experimenting with AI-generated recipes to create innovative and tasty new beers.
For example, IntelligentX, an AI company focused on brewing, created an AI assistant called Claude to help generate new beer recipes. After analyzing over 60,000 beer recipes, Claude proposed a recipe for a Belgian witbier that the IntelligentX brewers then produced. They found that the AI’s recipe produced a crisp and refreshing beer that was well-balanced in terms of bitterness, citrus notes, and spice. The beer even won a bronze medal at the 2019 International Brewing Awards.
Other companies are also exploring how AI can be used to improve the beer-making process. Brewers often have to rely on subjective human taste tests to evaluate new recipes, but AI systems could provide more objective assessments of factors like bitterness, aroma, and mouthfeel. Devices called “electronic noses” can detect the complex chemical signatures of different beer flavors. Combined with AI, these tools could help brewers fine-tune recipes to achieve specific flavor targets.
Some craft brewers, however, are hesitant to incorporate AI into their beer-making process. They argue that human brewers have a certain intuition and artistry that is hard to replicate in software. Brewing also depends a lot on local ingredients, equipment, and environmental factors that require human oversight. While AI may play an assisting role, human brewers will still be essential to the craft.
AI is becoming increasingly sophisticated at generating new ideas and tackling complex creative challenges. Beer brewing seems like a natural domain for AI to provide value, but striking the right balance between human and artificial input will be key. With the help of AI, brewers can produce innovative new beers more efficiently while still maintaining their craft. For beer drinkers, that means an even more diverse selection of amazing tastes and flavors to enjoy. The future of beer looks bright—and perhaps a bit robotic.