Craft Brewer Develops Beer Indistinguishable From Water
SOLANA BEACH, CA—In an effort to position themselves at the apex of the healthy beer craze, a brewery in southern California has crafted a beer they claim is nearly indistinguishable from water. “This is a watershed moment for craft beer,” said Lark Kensington, co-founder of Quintessence Brewing when asked about the impact of their latest beer on the industry, “Our customers are more concerned about what they put in their body than ever before. Many breweries are releasing gluten-free, gluten-reduced, or non-alcoholic beers. A beer that looks and tastes like water was the logical next step.”
The beer, Crystal Pils, begins like any other beer. “Our mashing and lautering process kicks things off with a low-sugar wort. Once it’s boiled, it’s fermented with a yeast strain suited for low alcohol production. It’s then steam distilled to remove the remaining alcohol and other impurities. We finish with a proprietary method of reverse osmosis and reverse ice distillation that results in a beer that has no calories, no gluten, no sugar, no color, and—most importantly—no flavor,” said Kensington.
“This is the perfect hydration beverage, besides water,” said Jackson LaFluer, Quintessence’s head brewer. “We’re chasing a partnership with Nalgene for special to-go options, we’re going to be the featured beverage of the Carlsbad 5000, and we’ve got an upcoming collab with Topo Chico. The taste and aroma is exactly like their mineral water, it’s insane.”
Crystal Pils can be found at Quintessence’s Solana Beach taproom. It’s recommended that customers try the brew on ice with a wedge of lemon. It’s available in packs of 12, 24, or 48 clear plastic bottles and on draft for 8 dollars a pint.