Meantime Brewery has just introduced Meantime Bespoke, a one-of-a-kind service, the world’s most personalised beer, based on drinker's own DNA taste profile, costing £25k.
The group's brewmaster Ciaran Giblin tested the theory on himself, and has become the first brewer in history to brew a beer dictated by his own DNA, using cutting edge genetic profiling to map his personal preference of specific flavour profiles. Ciaran has since created a hoppy Double IPA, to match his preference of bitter flavours.
Meantime is now giving drinkers a chance to brew their own ultimate personalised beer using the same genetic profiling to individually tailor it to their palate. With the opportunity to customise all elements of the beer from start to finish, and work alongside the firm's world-class brewing team to bring a beer to life, Meantime Bespoke is one of the most unique and exclusive beer experience available anywhere in the world.
Pioneering personal genetics company 23andMe will assess hereditary variations in the customer's oral taste receptors (the TAS2R38 gene) to reveal the genetic variants that could explain personal preferences towards specific flavour profiles within beer such as sweetness and bitterness.
Hereditary variations in a person’s oral taste receptors (the TAS2R38 gene) will be used to help determine their perception and proclivity to sweet and bitter profiles, primarily based on the ability to detect propylthiouracil – a chemical similar to the bitter compounds found in cabbage, raw broccoli, coffee tonic water and certain dark beers.
Following analysis of genetic make-up via a saliva sample, the team of brewers will use the individual genetic insights to map the flavour profile of the personalised brew. Customers will then have a one-to-one consultation with our Brewmaster Ciaran allowing them to input on the creative process and ensure they’re happy with the proposed style of beer.
With exclusive access to Meantime's state-of-the-art Pilot Brewery and onsite laboratory, Meantime Bespoke clients will also have the opportunity to get hands-on with the physical brewing process by adding hops, grain and testing the mix.
Receiving a minimum of 12 hectolitres of the unique brew – equivalent to over 2,000 pints, clients can also name it, and for an additional cost work alongside the creative team to put individual touches to the packaging design too.
The package also includes a study course, ‘The Knowledge’, to allow Meantime Bespoke clients to gain a deeper understanding of the brewing process. Some of the modules include: key ingredients of beer, evaluation of and faults in beer, how to taste beer and a session on world beer styles.