USA, OH: Species X Beer Project which used AI to create its brews has closed

Species X Beer Project, whose tech-savvy creator embraced gene-edited yeasts and AI-generated beer recipes to carve out a unique spot in the Columbus craft-brewing scene, is closed, The Columbus Dispatch reported on October 3.

Beau Warren, a brewer and data analyst who opened his brewery and taproom in January at 408 N. 6th St., announced the brewery's closing Thursday on social media. He said it's a tough business right now competitively and economically.

The brewery created beverages such as fruit-flavored beer smoothies, and the taproom hosted events that included taste-offs in which people guessed whether food and drinks were made from AI- or human-generated recipes.

"I had the time of my life living out my dream this year," Warren said.

For Species X, Warren created data sets from 180 elements of the brewing process – amounts and types of ingredients such as hops, malt and yeast, as well as time variables for each step, flavors, and other factors – plus ratings and reviews of existing beverages. The resulting 10,000 recipes first got a virtual taste test, but the 13-year brewer was the final, human factor.

The taproom on the northern edge of Downtown has been home to two breweries in the last four years. Cleveland's Platform closed its operation there in early 2021 following a staff walkout and never reopened.