Filed under: sznj.com — mike @ October 14, 2008 edit
I am currently investigating the beer market, and I am very interested
in finding out a couple of things:
1. Is there any company currently selling a caffeinated beer? I know
that there are some "coffee" brews, but I am not interested in those.
What I would like to know is if there's anyplace in the world where I
may find a regular lager, but with added caffeine. This brings me to
the next question:
2. Will caffeine have an undesired chemical effect on beer? Let's say
that you add caffeine to the water before brewing, would this impede
fermentation, accelerate it, ruin it, etc.? Let's say you add it AFTER
brewing, what would happen? I know that caffeine is an alkaloid, but I
don't know the side effects (if any) it could have on beer.
PS: If you find "Hyperglow", that was an april's fool joke, and Redhook's Double
Black Stout has coffee in it.
Thanks!Hello there jeanvaljean25 - The Miller brewing company had test
marketed a caffeinated beer called Iguana Light in the mid 90s. The
beer contained no coffee and it was flavored with guarana berry. In
fact a teaching package was made up based on the introduction of the
product at University of Tulsa.
( http://casenet.thomsonlearning.com/casenet/abstracts/miller_a.html )
"A" - explains first part of the study.
( http://casenet.thomsonlearning.com/casenet/abstracts/miller_b.html )
"B" - "If this beer is successful, it would create an entirely new
category as it is caffeinated through the use of the guarana berry."
( http://casenet.thomsonlearning.com/casenet/abstracts/miller_c.html )
"C" - is an additional teaching package made up after the completion
of the test market study. This teaching package ends with the
question: "# Given Iguana Light is apparently a failure in its present
form, do you think the product can be saved?"
The two web pages above belong to "CaseNet: Cases for Business
Education" and any quotes above are from their website.
( http://casenet.thomsonlearning.com/casenet_global_fr.html ) -
"CaseNet brings the practical lessons of business to your classroom
with our premier teaching cases, all based on industry data and
events." So you know that Iguana Light was a real product and not
just an abstract invention for use in the classroom.
( http://web2.iadfw.net/bcunning/beerlist.htm ) This list from a
seeming beer lover is another verification that Iguana Light beer
existed. It does not mention whether he liked it or not.
In Australia experiments are taking place in adding caffein to beer.
( http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/2001/09/11/FFX6L54LGRC.html ) -
"...launching new brands Carlton G and Carlton Black. Carlton G
contains guarana, a natural extract that apparently improves stamina
and endurance, while Carlton Black..."
Another article covering the entry of Carlton G. and sold on the
Australian market by Carlton & United Brewers is found here: Prepared
Foods.com
( http://www.preparedfoods.com/archives/2001/2001_11/1101newproducts.htm
) - "FABulous new product developments. Energizing ingredients such as
guarana are appearing in more than just sports drinks. Already seen in
some coffee and confectionery prod-ucts, Carlton & United Brewers'
Carlton G, a "trendy" beer formulated with guarana and packaged in a
glass bottle, is new in Australia. Designed for young adults, the
product will probably compete with flavored alcoholic beverages
(FABs), rather than regular beers." - Quote from Prepared Foods.com
So caffeinated beers which are not made with coffee have been, and
still are, on the market in various parts of the world.
Guarana seems to be the flavor additive of choice for those attempting
to brew a caffeinated beer. "The caffeine content of guarana ranges
from 2.5-5% while coffee beans range between 1-2%" - Quote from
Student Services Cal State, Long Beach - (
http://www.csulb.edu/centers/shc/hrc/journal0202b.htm )
Which brings us to the second part of the question.
It seems the only effect adding caffeine to beer (in the form of
guarana) would be subjective in nature, regarding taste, etc. As far
as fermentation and caffeine, the fermentation process releases
caffeine from plant material containing it whether it is the
fermentation of green tea into stronger forms or the fermentation of
guarana berries and it does not seem to interact with the beer brewing
process enough that is it difficult to bring such a product to market.
If the addition of caffeine posed a public health problem, the
experimental marketing of Iguana Light would not have been permitted
in the US. The Australians are also quite picky about public health
and food additives and the addition of caffeine to beer seems to have
passed muster there as well. Most flavoring agents for beer are not
added to the water before the brewing starts but during the beer
cooking process. The precise times for such additions and the amounts
used are known only to the brewmasters and is a trade secret for each
brewery.
As for your stipulation for a "regular" lager with caffeine. That too
would be subjective. Whether a beer is a "lager" depends on the
brewing process. A lager may be flavored many different ways. The
Iguana Light would have been a lager by definition, as all commercial
light beers in the US are.
Please request any clarification you might need.
Bottoms up
digsalotDid Iguana Light ever make it to market? I also found the first part
of the business case, but dismissed it when I saw that it is from
1998.
Do you know if any of these products you mention are available for
purchase on the internet?
Thanks!It seems Iguana Light did make it to market but it was a test market
only. According to business study "B": "Sales gains were not obtained
for Iguana Light in the test cities of Philadelphia, Newport Beach,
and Dallas, causing it to be pulled from those markets. Only in Tulsa
had Plank Road run a complete Momentum Test. Dan Solie, Miller's local
General Manager, has been asked to file a report on Iguana Light.
Customers have given the product mixed reviews but perhaps it can be
saved." - Quote from the University of Tulsa study
Carlton & United Brewers are part of the Foster's Group of breweries.
According to this article from B&T Marketing and Media, Carlton G. had
just been launched in July. At least that's when this announcement
was made, July 12, this year. There is very little about it online as
of yet and I could not find it listed along with the other imports
from Fosters Group.
( http://www.bandt.com.au/articles/45/0c005a45.asp )
You may be able to get information on where to purchase the product by
contacting the brewery directly.
Carlton and United Breweries Limited
77 Southbank Boulevard
Southbank, Victoria 3006
Australia
Telephone: +61 3 9633 2000
Facsimile: +61 3 9633 2002
To contact them by email, you need to use the 'form' on this page.
( http://www.fosters.com.au/corporate/contact/contact.asp ) - they do
not have their email address published. I tried going to "page
source" to find it as sometimes can happen, but they have that
function blocked as well.
I have already sent an email asking for information about online
purchases and what countries other than Australia the product can be
found. When or if they answer, I will let you know. I'm interested
in tasting one myself.
Beer lovers of the world, unite!
digsalot