NEWS
JAPAN’S KIRIN PLANS TO RELEASE A.I. DEVELOPED BEERS FROM MARCH 2026
By Susan Lewis
16-12-2025
Source: Unsplash
Japan’s drinks giant Kirin has built an AI system based on two decades of ingredient data and consumer tasting surveys, it is planning to release AI developed beers from March 2026 onwards.
Kirin said the AI system allows the company to quantify how specific compounds shape flavours and helps it design beers with targeted taste profiles.
The company is set to ramp up beer development with this proprietary AI system, which can identify the compounds needed for a desired flavour profile from a wide range of taste-influencing factors, such as bitterness and richness.
By combining human expertise with AI, the firm aims to boost both the accuracy and speed of its work, improving how quickly and precisely new beer flavours can be created.
As a beer's flavour depends on a complex mix of ingredients, determining the key components and ideal balance has been difficult, with much of the fine-tuning traditionally relying on the experience of individual brew developers.
With this new AI system, when a new beer faces issues like bitterness, the system can present ingredient options that can address the problem.
The company said in tests where consumers compared samples, versions produced with AI support consistently received higher evaluations.
Kirin also plans to apply the AI to other products including wine and soft drinks in the future, but developer Yuto Fujiwara emphasised that it remains only a support tool, saying people will continue to define brand direction and make the final decisions on flavour.
One of Kirin’s competitors, Sapporo Holdings, announced in 2022 that it would implement an AI system to support product creation.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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