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Chances for dry-hopped non-alcoholic beverages? Part 1: Concept and market prospects
M. H. Hagemann, K. Bogner, E. Marchioni and S. Braun
Consumer habits are changing towards healthier diets also including a decline in consumption of alcoholic beverages in Northern America and Europe. The consumption of premium beverages is increasing, which includes beverages with or without alcohol such as functional drinks, organic or/and regional fermented products and craft beers. Here we reviewed numerous economic reports and scientific findings to estimate the market potential for dry-hopped non-alcoholic beverages in the European and Northern American markets considering hop and (craft) beer production, consumption of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages as well as health properties for marketing purposes. The markets for craft beer, for alcohol-free beer and for functional drinks are rapidly growing, thus it seems that the consumer is prepared to a new product type with a bitter but aromatic and complex taste. This could be achieved by dry-hopping as this technique is easy to introduce and the resulting product addresses the consumers demand for alcohol-free beverages and distinct taste of craft beers. Challenges are the sensory properties due to the low alcohol concentration and a resulting lack of ?body?. Rich hop flavors may cover this to a sufficient extent. In conclusion there is a high potential for dry-hopped non-alcoholic beverages.
Descriptors: functional drink, anti-oxidants, health properties, hop metabolites
BrewingScience - Monatsschrift für Brauwissenschaft, 69 (July/August 2016), pp. 50-55