Whether we tell the barista to add an extra shot of espresso, syrup, nonfat milk, or whipped cream, most of us customize our cup of coffee to our taste buds. Unlike how we take our coffee, beer comes in a variety of flavors that we cannot personalize — until now. Engineers at Cambridge Consultants have created a way we can have our craft beer, and drink it too, via an espresso machine-like device: “Hoppier.”

Hoppier allows bartenders to adjust the “hoppiness,” or bitterness, of each pint on demand while introducing the possibility of flavors of beer — just like a barista would do with a latte.

"Essentially, we're making an 'espresso' of beer," said Edward Brunner, head of food and beverage systems at Cambridge Consultants, in the press release. "We've taken our expertise in fluid technology and beverage systems, and transferred that knowledge between different industries using some of the secrets of successful coffee machines to enable us to create personalized beer that is fresh and natural."

Brunner and the other engineers sought to mimic the effect that espresso machines extract flavor to drinks. They knew pressure is essential when it comes to crafting espresso drinks. They began their investigation to see what it could do for beer.

Cambridge Consultants refined the dry-hopping process, which normally takes two weeks, by providing the ability to adjust hoppiness levels instantly. Hops in beer provide bitterness to balance the sweetness of malt, as well as flavors and aromas ranging from citrus and pine to earthy and spice. Flavor and aroma hops must be added late in the boil or the properties will be lost with the steam.

Hops provide the bitterness in craft beers and are being used more and more by breweries. On average, a pound of hops goes into just one barrel of craft beer, according to CraftBeer.com’s Andy Sparkhawk. Also, with the raise of craft beer fans in the U.S., it seems ale drinkers like hops, too. Moreover, a 2013 study published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition found hops in beer have beneficial effects on diabetes, some forms of cancer, inflammation, and perhaps even weight loss — in moderation.

“We have speeded up the dry-hopping process — and, by adding extra hops at the point of dispense, their volatile aromas are as fresh and intense as possible,” Brunner said, adding: “The aroma of the finished pint can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the quantity of hops and by changing the type of hops used.”

The device is being introduced as an attachment to the beer tap. The liquid will pass across the hops to rapidly extract their flavor and allow the flavor of the beer to be changed. Hoppier will also serve to help promote beers that otherwise may not stand out in a competitive marketplace. This is truly the pursuit of hoppiness.

Cambridge Consultants will demonstrate their personalized beer technology at the 3rd Annual Canadean Alcohol Innovation Congress, held on Dec. 2-3 at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London.

Personalised Beer from Cambridge Consultants on Vimeo.