SA brewer taps favourite past times: machine learning and making booze
The founder of Barossa Valley Brewing has worked with the state’s top minds in AI to tap into flavour science for its unique new drink.
In a world-first, South Australia’s SYNC has launched its flagship product that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to blend flavour science with customer feedback, creating sugar-free alcoholic seltzers.
Co-founder and CEO Denham D’Silva told InDaily that the idea for SYNC was born from his combined love for machine learning and developing alcoholic beverages and now there is an additioanl AI bar to give drinkers a hands-on experience creating their perfect flavour combination.
“I went into brewing because it was a passion project,” he said.
“My interest in AI (has developed) over a decade, as I connected with the smartest AI people in the world.”
“This is a culmination of everything.”
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D’Silva said that his first AI beverage was developed in 2020, when he collaborated with the Australian Institute of Machine Learning (AIML) to utilise AI in his craft brewery, Barossa Valley Brewing. He told InDaily that he developed a friendship with AIML Chief Scientist Professor Anton van den Hengel.
“Anton was a fan of my beer,” he said.
“I was an AI geek, and we were like, we need to get something started.”
SYNC was officially founded in 2021 by D’Silva and Trent Fahey, a third-generation publican with a background managing pubs including the Bridgeway Hotel and the Maid and Magpie. He also has a background in computer systems and engineering.
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He said that unlike other AI data collection, the crux of his company is that the customer can choose.
“SYNC flips the script of global consumerism, where beverage companies are using data and technology to sell more of what they make, not what people may actually want to drink,” D’Silva said.
“It allows the customers to control their data,” he added.
“I think it’s important that data that belongs to you, you have control.”
As part of its launch, the company is teaming up with local businesses, including the HWY Hotel and The Sandbar in Christies Beach on December 18 and 20, respectively.
There, customers will be able to create their own personalised flavour by answering a short questionnaire at an AI bar.
“If you don’t want to wait for the weeks it takes for us to get out a new flavour – and that’s also an amalgamation of everyone’s flavour – we’ve got an AI bar where you answer some questions, and it creates a drink for you on the spot,” D’Silva said.
“I’m super excited about it,” he said.
The seltzers are priced at $55 for a mixed 10-pack, featuring the flavours sour lime, orange, raspberry, mango, and cola.
Additional flavours are to be announced based on customer feedback, which can be provided online or by scanning the QR code on the back of the product.
