Novozymes Launches Enzyme for “Green” Beer on US Market

When the enzyme, Novozymes Ondea Pro, was initially introduced to the market, it began a sustainable revolution in beer production.

3/17/2011 --- An enzyme enables brewers to produce beer from unmalted barley, enabling significant energy and raw material cost savings. This biotech innovation from Novozymes is now also available in America.

When the enzyme, Novozymes Ondea Pro, was initially introduced to the market, it began a sustainable revolution in beer production.

“Ondea Pro enables brewers to create great-tasting beer while optimizing raw material utilization and reducing their carbon footprint – all with one simple process. It’s a real game-changer for the brewing industry,” says Soren Lund, Novozymes' Marketing Manager for Brewing in the US.

“With the long-term trend toward industrialization of the brewing process and ever-rising raw material prices, brewers are seeking effective solutions that do not jeopardize the consumer’s experience,” he says.

The resulting beer can be sold as a standalone product or it can be blended with traditional beer made with malt. Ondea Pro can also be blended into a different raw material mix of malt and barley in the beginning of the production process.

The malting of barley involves soaking the grain in water to allow it to germinate. The grain is then dried – a process that utilizes both water and energy. By avoiding this step, CO2 emissions can be significantly reduced. But the benefits are not limited to reducing the carbon footprint. Compared to the conventional brewing process, Novozymes has documented a seven percent reduction in the amount of barley required to produce climate-friendly beer, thereby improving land utilization for society and decreasing operating costs for brewers.

”When we combined the fact that sustainable brewing is now a possibility in the US with St. Patrick’s Day and our corporate brand icon of a green clover, it was an obvious choice for us to invite stakeholders to try some freshly-brewed green beer at our site today in North Carolina,” Soren Lund explains.

March 17 is St. Patrick's Day, a holiday recognizing a patron saint of Ireland. The date is widely celebrated and one of the leading days for consumption of beer in the US. Traditionally, those who are caught not wearing green clothing or accessories are pinched affectionately. Novozymes served beer brewed with Ondea Pro by Aviator Brewery of Fuquay Varina, NC at an event held at its North American headquarters in Franklinton, NC today. Besides the green beer Novozymes served other food and beverages including crackers, bread and wine made with enzymes to present some of the many possibilities – and the different tastes of technology.