Czech Republic Applies for Patent Protection for Powdered Beer Recipe

The Czech Research Institute of Brewing and Malting has applied for a worldwide patent to protect its allegedly unique powdered beer recipe.

The Institute has been producing powdered beer since the early 1990s by mixing the powdered hop wort with water and yeast and leaving it to sit around for three weeks. Now it wants to protect its recipe against other powdered beer recipes.

According to experts, the Czechs face tough competition as there already exist two patents connected with powdered beer production, one in Korea and one in Germany. Moreover, the Institute had applied for patent protection before, but was not able to obtain it from the Czech PTO because it was late in submitting the explanation on how this particular beer powder differs from similar patents.

Josef Dvornák, director of the International Department at the Czech PTO, explained that the patent application has already been published while the approval process will take some time. “[Following the publication], the applicant usually waits 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 license or find some partners for producing the patent technology or so on,” he explained.

Tomáš Zoufalý from the Institute said that the aim of their initiative is to bring the Czech beer closer to people who cannot obtain it the usual way. “This is ideal for home production, or for those on the ranch, or in the mountain hut or let’s say in the Alpine tourist resorts,” he added.

Approximately 50 tons of Czech powdered beer is sold annually around the world, mainly in the countries of the former Soviet Union, Canada and Singapore.

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Source: Radio Prague