As one of the oldest beverages that humans have produced, beer drinking is a favourite pastime enjoyed around the world. And now, in a world first, beer aficionados will be able to enjoy a new craft beer that has been placed on the blockchain.
Involved with Entrepreneurial Spark, a collaborative hub that provides the opportunity to connect with others, Ireland Craft Beers, which is a distributor of craft beers from Ireland to export markets, has teamed up with digital technology company, arc-net to develop the new Downstream IPL.
The creation of the new beer brand means that consumers can fully trace the product’s ingredients from the source to the retailer via arc-net’s blockchain. They will be able to do this by simply scanning a QR code on the label of the beer where they will proceed to an online experience that allows them to uniquely identify every single bottle produced.
Kieran Kelly, CEO of arc-net, said that the use of the blockchain gives Ireland Craft Beers the platform to tell their story, adding:
“The new era of transparency on the blockchain helps to ensure the people and process behind the craft brewing process is made available. In a crowded market, products on the arc-net blockchain now have a voice.”
After witnessing numerous macro beers being marketed as craft, it was in June of this year that Ireland Craft Beers came up with the idea of crafting their own beer with the aid of technology. After approaching arc-net the two then proceeded to undertake the project of placing the beer on the distributed ledger.
This latest venture into beer crafting means that consumers will soon be able to try it out. Later this week, the Downstream IPL will be listed in the Honest Brew online shop. This will be followed up with a listing with a major multi-national retailer in the New Year that is expected to stock the beer in over 400 stores across the U.K.
“This will have a massive impact on consumers, giving them all the information they could possibly want behind the making of their beer,” said Sean Crossey, associate digital marketing analyst at arc-net to CoinJournal. “The craft beer market is one of the most rapidly rising industries and we see the ability to instill trust and transparency in this market as well as connecting with its passionate consumer base as highly valuable.”
Earlier this year, arc-net announced its partnership with the Highland Ardnamurchan Distillery in Scotland to put a limited edition Scotch whisky on the blockchain. The partnership aims to revolutionise Scotch whisky exports and maintain the integrity of the industry from counterfeits and fraud.