With AI now pervading every industry you can think of, it is unsurprising to learn that the whisky industry has fallen victim to AI’s charms.
It might not appear so at face value, but AI and the whisky industry are a perfect match.
How? The distillery feeds recipes, sales data, and customer preferences into machine learning models, which will highlight those it predicts will be most popular and of the highest quality— the result.. AI whiskey!
What is A.I. whiskey?
It’s a refreshing, new take on an old classic. Of course, some might say it was inevitable that artificial intelligence would eventually develop enough to make its drinks one day. But how does it work, and what can you expect from drinking this futuristic beverage?
AI whiskey is the product of one man’s desire to create an alternative method for distilleries to make their whisky and at the same time save them money. The founder, Pernod Ricard’s Alexandre Gabriel, wants it to be a cheaper process that will help provide smaller companies with more resources in the long run.
The process is very simple and involves using a still that has been retrofitted with AI technology. The system then takes the whisky through its paces—mashing, fermenting, distilling and maturing.
It’s not quite able to do it without any human assistance yet, but the industry is well on its way to creating this fully autonomous whisky machine.
Whiskey is the latest industry to adopt Artificial Intelligence.
One company that is using AI to innovate their whiskey production process is Kentucky-based liquor maker Beam Suntory, which uses an algorithm they developed called “Beam Complete.”
“The whisky industry is a perfect candidate for AI because it relies on data to provide feedback insights and recommendations to perfect the perfect blend.”
This system predicts how flavours will mix with each other and what adjustments should be made before a batch of products leaves for bottling.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has changed many industries already, including those within the foodservice sector, through online ordering systems such as Grubhub or Postmates. Still, now this technology can also find its way into your drinks cabinet thanks to one bourbon manufacturer who’s taking advantage of new research on genetic factors governing preferences among whiskeys from around the world.
The whisky industry is a perfect candidate for AI because it relies on data to provide feedback insights and recommendations to perfect the perfect blend.
Thankfully, this can be done without any human input—all you need are the right algorithms and bots that know how to extract meaning from mountains of data.
So, who is A.I. Whiskey geared toward?
The Whisky Industry has seen an increase in sales thanks largely due to increased exposure via social media and a significant diversification in tastes. This availability online has resulted in higher awareness among millennials who are now drinking more Scotch than their parents.
In order to further capitalise on this trend, companies have been implementing machine learning techniques into their marketing strategies which means they get smarter and more efficient over time as they continue to learn from the data you provide them with.
It is clear that AI can benefit whiskey distillers in many ways, particularly when it comes to increasing efficiency, identifying and meeting consumer demand for new products and, online, improving marketing strategies.
AI whiskey doesn’t just benefit businesses and distillers, however; it also benefits consumers. AI can help improve your favourite drink by matching you with your perfect whisky or creating entirely new flavours that you didn’t think existed!
Artificial intelligence is being used to analyze data in order to create new blends.
Distilleries are turning to artificial intelligence as a way of creating new blends and drink combinations. The AI analyzes data to create a perfect blend for their customers, catering specifically to different types of whiskey drinkers like those who prefer sweet or spicy drinks.
The AI can be programmed so as to extract certain flavour profiles from other drinks or foods such as grapefruit juice but also more complicated creations like French Vanilla Creme Brûlée Soda by simply inputting an existing recipe for a creme brûlée into its system!
Can A.I. help in creating new flavours of whiskies that are popular among global consumers?
The potential to create new flavours of whiskies is infinite, but the popularity among global consumers and tradition can be a limiting factor. These two factors are what companies like Diageo have been trying to grapple with for years as they try to find ways into markets that are not traditionally whiskey drinkers, such as East Asia or India.
When it comes down to choosing which flavour will taste best in order to make their mark on these foreign markets, many whisky producers ask themselves this question: “How do we adapt our traditions, so people from other cultures want them?” This means finding out how they would want different flavours by asking customers at home first before taking any risks overseas where there has already proven resistance towards traditional products.
But, after the success of a Japanese whisky crafted to suit global palettes, it’s only natural for people in other countries such as Scotland and Canada to ask this question. Could AI be used by distilleries like Suntory or Diageo with their vast brands?
As yet, the answer is unclear, but there are specific indications that artificial intelligence could help create new flavours of whisky popular among consumers worldwide.
A.I. can help whiskey brands continue their recent success
The sudden increase in demand shows no signs of slowing down, as people have become more and more interested in craft distilleries. And, with AI making in-roads into this industry, we can only expect more good things in the future.
Cheers! 🤖 🥃
