The Art and Science of Fermentation, by David Begg, Real Co, UK
On Oct 29, 2024 Real Co Labs hosted an afternoon discussion on The Art and Science of Fermentation in London. The audio of company founder David Begg’s presentation is attached with the company’s express permission.
In this audio, David Begg, the founder of Real Co, describes his company’s innovative approach to non-alcoholic fermented beverages. Real Co uses a complex, patented process involving a diverse “spice rack” of 80 yeasts and 130 bacteria to create unique flavors in their drinks, unlike the simpler, single-strain methods of some other beverages. This process, informed by microbiology, honed through years of experimentation, focuses on achieving a balanced fermentation resulting in high-quality, low-sugar, and flavorful drinks. The company aims to provide delicious alternatives to sugary sodas and alcoholic beverages, emphasizing nourishment over stimulation and catering to a growing consumer interest in gut health. Real Co’s future plans include expanding their product line and further exploring the possibilities of their complex fermentation techniques.
RealCo’s innovative approach to non-alcoholic fermentation combines scientific rigor with a passion for flavor, creating a new category of beverages that are both delicious and beneficial.
We’ve taken wild fermentation and DNA-tested our way through all of the microbes that we were using. We started with 80 yeast and 130 bacteria and we isolated all of them. And so we understand how each one of those behaves and bind together and the flavors develop. We recombine them to produce our drinks. We work with what we call our spice rack, of yeasts and bacterias.
They’re all code named. We’ve used the cast of a Midsummer Night’s Dream to talk about all of the different characters. We have yeasts that are bright and fresh and fruity. A bit like Puck. We’ve got yeasts who are earthy and rounded and very, very solid. Like Oberon. We’ve got other ones that are drier and a bit more attitude like Helena. Then we’ve got all of these different bacterias, they come in and they’re a little bit naughty and they sort of grab some of that flavor. Those are the carpenters and others from Midsummer Night’s Dream. So we’ve got this spice rack of all of these different microbes and we can deploy them to create the different flavors.
Audio
Listen to David’s presentation and Q&A from the October 29 event.
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