Making brew from bread: BASF drink boosts circularity

Visitors to this year’s Kellereifest at the BASF Wine Cellar on September 6 and 7 had the first opportunity to try a very exclusive new beverage: BASF’s “Verbundstoff” (Composite Brew).

But this “composite” is not a chemical product; it is a thirst-quenching alcoholic beverage. What makes it unique? In keeping with the principle of BASF’s Production Verbund, this drink also makes a contribution to the circular economy because the Verbundstoff is brewed with left-over bread from the Gesellschaftshaus restaurant. The other ingredients are fresh water, yeast, hops and barley malt.

“The Verbundstoff project is part of our efforts to use food responsibly,” says Hanno Sigge of BASF Gastronomy. “By utilizing this left-over bread, we reduce waste volumes. However, for hygienic reasons, we can only use bread that has not been served to guests’ tables,” explains Sigge. The brewing method for the beverage, which contains 5.4% alcohol, is similar to traditional beer production, but with the addition of bread to replace some of the malt. “The taste is almost indistinguishable from a craft beer,” says Sigge. The Verbundstoff will be served exclusively in BASF’s Gastronomy venues, for example, at Gesellschaftshaus, Feierabendhaus, Rehhütte and Hotel René Bohn.