Recent years have seen the meteoric rise of non- and low-alcohol malt beverages in the American craft beer scene. Despite their rising popularity, many challenges remain. From reimagining traditional brewing ingredients to incorporating entirely new ones, recipe creation and execution for low- and non-alcohol beers can be challenging. With so many options available, where is a brewer to begin?

In this seminar, a regional craft brewery shares its story of new product development in the non- and low-alcohol malt beverage space. The presentation illuminates why certain raw materials were chosen and why others were eventually rejected. The speakers also touch upon other important considerations, such as key points brewers should be aware of when undertaking new product development, including the importance of food safety and good manufacturing practices.

The goal of this talk is to shorten the learning pathway for brewers to understand the intricacies of brewing low- and non-alcohol beverages, and also to discuss why not every brewery can or should produce them. This talk adds to the non- and low-alcohol knowledge base and serves as a foundational reference for brewers.

Learning Objectives

• Learn key points of raw material evaluation and selection
• Understand production pitfalls, risks, and the complexity of producing these products