Craft brewers of Los Ríos Region in Chile – diagnosis and perspectives for a sustainable development

Abstract

Craft beer is experiencing an exponential growth in production and consumption as seen in the last years worldwide, including Chile. Los Ríos Region in southern Chile has excellent water quality and agroclimatic characteristics that favor the production of all the necessary ingredients for brewing beer, a beverage strongly linked to the German heritage of the region. A questionnaire designed to analyze and collect data regarding the needs and challenges for brewing beer was handed out among the local Union of breweries of Los Ríos Region (UCR), obtaining 15 responses out of 27 questionnaires. The most important outcomes of the survey were the need for a deeper knowledge concerning raw materials like water, malt, hops and yeast, and the importance of the complex production process to guarantee a premium quality product. The Universidad Austral de Chile, backed up by the international cooperation of experts from Weihenstephan, regarded as the cradle of brewing technology in Bavaria, contributed with scientific and technological support within the framework of a partnership with UCR.
The network of combined expertise enabled a highly focused strategy to improve the entire production chain, including investigation of basic materials and associated processes, quality analyses, staff training and technology transfer. Intensification of these activities will provide a unique and high level of support for the production of beverages, high quality craft beer and innovation thus strengthening the medium and long term sustainable development of the beverage industry in Los Ríos Region.