Novozymes explores power and potential of enzymes in brewing

Leading figures at Novozymes explain why enzymes can be useful in brewing and how they can even enable brewers to skip the malting process altogether.

At Drinktec last year, Novozymes launched Ondea Pro - an enzyme product for brewers that the Danish company said is the first that enables brewers to create 100 per cent barley beer, without any malt.

From Novozymes headquarters on the outskirts of Copenhagen, Patrick Patterson and Soren Lund, leaders of the beverage segment at the company, outlined the reasons for using enzymes in the brewing process.

Patterson, who is also managing director of Novozymes Switzerland, emphasised that enzymes are not just about cost reduction. He mentioned local raw material sourcing and sustainability as key benefits of the new Ondea Pro product.

Meanwhile, Stefan Kreisz, science manager at Novozymes, explained how Novozymes was able to develop an enzyme product that allows brewers to skip out the malting process. Previously, Novozymes claimed that to create a quality beer, brewers had to use at least 40 per cent malt.

Kreisz, who worked for many years as a brewing academic at the Technical University of Munich, also touches on the question of what his friends in traditional brewing think about his work with enzymes.