Could keto-friendly gluten-free low-carb beer be the future?
Björt, one of the world’s lowest carbohydrate beers, has set its sights on expanding across the UK. Jessica Mason speaks to its founder to investigate how consumer trends for health and wellbeing are now playing a big part in the appeal of the light lager category.
The 4.2% ABV lager, which began as Icelandic native Hrefna Bachmann’s commitment to focus on her health before becoming the catalyst behind the launch, has been brewed in the UK by Sussex-based brewery Hepworth with a three-week fermentation process and is both gluten-free and low-carb.
0.3g of carbohydrates per 330ml bottle
Björt lager features just 0.3g of carbohydrates per 330ml bottle and has been created to specifically fill the gap in the UK market for a low-carb (the nearest competitor beer features 4g carbohydrates) keto-friendly beer with a reduced calorific content.
Speaking to the drinks business, Bachmann said: “Björt is designed for the health-conscious individual who still wants to enjoy the social ritual of sharing a beer. Created for consumers seeking a balanced approach to drinking, it offers a lighter, low-carb alternative without compromising on taste.”
With this in mind, Bachmann explained that “Björt is the perfect choice for those who want to maintain an active lifestyle, support their wellness goals, or follow a low-carb diet while continuing to enjoy great beer”.
According to Bachmann, the lager has been positioned to appeal to consumers seeking a “healthier exceptional lager which does not compromise on taste”.
Partner Content
Keto-friendly
Retreating to her homeland during the pandemic, Bachmann revealed that when she prioritised her health and adopted a keto low-carb diet, which permits a daily limit of 22g, she soon realised that drinking just one beer consumed half her daily allowance. However, in Iceland and Scandinavia, the low-carb lager revolution was already in full swing and there were opportunities to create a lager without the carb loading.
Upon her return to London, it became apparent to Bachmann that the same guiltless premium lager option was not available in the UK and so her hope is to emulate the same success experienced by low-carb beer brands operating in Nordic countries.
‘A powerful proposition’
According to Bachmann, the result outshines the original lagers she tasted in Iceland and she is certain that Björt launches with “a powerful proposition at a time when health remains high on the consumer agenda”.
Bachmann revealed that the beer “has already been selected to appear on the menu of a number of prestigious restaurants and was served to VIP guests at the recent world-first cinematic screening of David Attenborough’s A Gorilla Story”.
At present, Björt retails at a price point of £2.85 per 330ml bottle, however there are ambitions for the brand afoot to move to be sold in draught format as well.
Bachmann told db: “Hepworth can produce draught beer, so we’re hoping that when demand increases. We’ll be able to move into that as well.”
Related news
Archaeologists unearth 2,300 year old bottle of Chinese beer
