From spent grain to protein: How EAT BEER is rethinking value creation in the brewing industry

A key question, therefore, is: How can existing resources be put to better use? One promising approach is the smart use of side streams. Beer production continuously generates large volumes of a local raw material that has so far seen little economic use: BSG, short for brewers' spent grain. German breweries alone produce around 1.7 million metric tons of it every year. About 70 to 80 percent is used as animal feed, and 10 to 15 percent ends up in biogas plants. At prices of just a few euros per ton, the added value for breweries is very low. This is exactly where EAT BEER comes in: with a technological solution that helps breweries upcycle spent grain, create new products and thus increase their revenue potential over the long term.

Precision fermentation: From side stream to protein raw material

At the heart of the technology is a fermentation-based process in which spent grain is processed using specially selected fungal cultures from the oyster mushroom family. The fungi grow on the spent grain, forming a dense network of mycelium. This mycelium is rich in protein and ideally suited as a raw material for modern food applications. The process is based on a biotechnological principle that has been used in food production for centuries: fermentation. EAT BEER, however, takes this principle to a new level: as precision fermentation, in which process conditions are specifically controlled to produce high-quality alternative proteins.

The result is a nearly flavor-neutral fungal protein with high biological value that can be processed in many ways, for example into meat alternatives, protein-enriched foods or new food innovations. At the same time, it offers an efficient way to upgrade a previously underestimated raw material and return it to food production.

The EAT BEER Platform: Modular container solutions for breweries

To make this technology accessible to as many breweries as possible, EAT BEER is developing a modular, scalable system solution: the EAT BEER Platform. The concept is based on standardized biotech containers that can be installed directly at brewery sites. The individual process steps run in these modules, from pretreating the spent grain through fermentation to processing the protein.

This decentralized structure has several advantages:

• Regional value creation stays at the brewery site

• Transport distances are reduced

• Plants can be flexibly adapted to different operation sizes

For medium-sized and larger breweries, this creates a real opportunity to diversify their production and open up a new sales channel.

Instead of simply handing off their spent grain, they will be able to transform it themselves into a valuable raw material for the food industry.

AI and dark factory: Next-generation autonomous production

A central component of the EAT BEER Platform is its digital control. The plants are designed to operate according to the dark factory principle, meaning largely autonomously and without additional on-site staff. This is made possible by a combination of intensive data capture, automation and artificial intelligence. The AI continuously analyzes raw material and process data and adjusts production parameters to the respective conditions. This is particularly important because spent grain can vary depending on the brewery's recipe, raw materials or malt varieties. The platform responds to these differences automatically and optimizes fermentation accordingly. This technological development is supported by strong industrial partners, including companies from digitalization and industrial automation.

New value creation for the brewing industry

With its platform, EAT BEER is pursuing a clear goal: helping breweries make economic use of their side streams while contributing to sustainable food production. By turning BSG into high-quality alternative proteins, a classic residual material becomes a raw material for tomorrow's nutrition. The combination of precision fermentation, modular production and AI-driven process control is a near-market solution and creates a new form of industrial circular economy. In other words: a by-product of beer production becomes an innovation with the potential to decisively strengthen the future viability of breweries.