Powdered Czech beer waits for patent application verdict

Czech beer is already being sold around the world in powdered form. Now the Czech research institute behind the recipe is seeking protection in the form of a worldwide patent. It believes the application will help it build on its existing success.

Beer in powdered form might sound like some miracle formula having more to do with Middle Ages alchemy than the modern business world. But the technology already exists for what is known as powdered hop wort to be added to water and yeast. All you to do then is wait around three weeks and the beer is ready to pour.

Photo: archive of Radio Prague

The Czech Research Institute for Brewing and Malting has been producing the powdered formula since the early 1990’s. Around 50 tonnes are annually sold around the world with the biggest current markets being the countries of the former Soviet Union, Canada and Singapore.

But now the institute wants to protect its know-how against the owners of a host of other powdered beer formulas. It has therefore applied for a patent for its beer concentrate, putting the emphasis on the special Czech characteristics of the end product.

Tomáš Zoufalý is an expert at the institute and one of the leaders of the moves to get a general patent for the Czech beer concentrate to supplement the specific patents that already exit for parts of the process.

“We want to bring Czech beer nearer to those people who can not get it through the usual channels. We can get it to them in their homes by producing this beer concentrate. This is ideal for home production, or for on the ranch, or in the mountain hut or let’s say in alpine tourist resorts. We could even say that it would be appropriate for space missions because there would surely be an interest in Czech beer there as well. We want to open not just the doors but also the hearts of those we approach.”

The patent application for the concentrate has already been published. As the head of the international section of the Czech patent office, Josef Dvornák, explains, now comes a crucial period when it can be challenged.

“Nineteen months after the application, the patent is published and you can read the content of this application. This is the case for this powdered beer, it has now been published. After that the applicant can wait for 36 months, three years, for the next decision about whether to continue with the process of granting a patent or not. This is the time when the applicant can try to find a business opportunity to sell the licence or to find some partners for producing the patent technology or so on.”

So powdered Czech beer must wait a while to know whether it will be given a major boost in far away lands.