With its AromaPlus membrane filtration technology, GEA has enabled a world premiere in Bamberg, Germany: the first rauchbier with 0.0% alcohol. The partner is the Kaiserdom Group with its traditional Klosterbräu brewery. The process preserves the aroma, body and color, and ensures that even the characteristic beechwood smoke of the Bamberg specialty remains in the beer without alcohol.

Rauchbier, a smoked beer, is considered a cult product, appreciated by connoisseurs for its strong, smoky aroma. “Non-alcoholic Rauchbier is a niche within a niche,” says managing director Felix Wörner, who is leading the Kaiserdom family business into the future. “But those who try it are enthusiastic. The smoky character is fully preserved.” Even before its official market launch, the beer won international recognition: it received bronze at the World Beer Awards.

The roots of smoked beer go back centuries, to a time when almost every beer was dried over an open fire. With the takeover of Klosterbräu in 2017, Kaiserdom decided to revive the tradition. The Kaiserdom's Rauchbier has established itself, winning several awards, including gold medals at the European Beer Star and top awards at the World Beer Awards.

Kaiserdom has relied on the GEA AromaPlus system for years to produce non-alcoholic beers such as lagers and wheat beers. The process is based on reverse osmosis membranes that selectively allow water and alcohol to pass through at low temperatures. The aroma, color and body are retained – a decisive advantage over conventional methods such as arrested fermentation or distillation. This approach pays off especially with rauchbier: roasted and smoky notes of beechwood, dark chocolate, hints of ham and whiskey also define the 0.0% version.

“Dealcoholization is always a balancing act between technology and taste. With AromaPlus, even characterful specialty beers such as Rauchbier can be dealcoholized without losing their profile,” says Ralf Scheibner, product manager membrane technology at GEA. “That Kaiserdom has launched a globally unique product with this technology shows the potential AromaPlus opens up for breweries."

The world's first Rauchbier 0.0% – brewed with Klosterbräu tradition and dealcoholized using GEA AromaPlus membrane technology. Deep black, smoky, full of character – free from alcohol and sugar. Source: Klosterbräu/Wolfgang Rattmann, quadratmedia

The German beer market has been shrinking for years. Non-alcoholic beer, on the other hand, is growing steadily. Kaiserdom sees the new variety as an offering for people who are consciously avoiding alcohol but don't want to miss out on the taste of traditional beers. “We see that non-alcoholic beers are helping to cushion losses in the overall market. The Rauchbier 0.0% is a strong signal from Bamberg on how to combine tradition and innovation,” says Wörner.

Source: GEA Group