Via Slashdot, which isn’t worth reading since the opinions cited there aren’t worth jack, a Nestle subsidiary/R&D company has applied for a patent ( [www.wipo.int] [PDF]) upon a fermented coffee beverage.

The actual text reads: This invention relates to a soft drnk or beverage, a beverage base and a process for making such a beverage or beverage base. In particular the invention relates to a beverage with a fermented coffee component.

They actually cite that the small amount of alcohol produced “may be undesirable” – that the drink is “substantially non-alcoholic” – and it looks like they are trying to use fermentation as a flavour and texture modifier possibly to replace artificial whiteners.

That said: they may patent manufacturing processes all they like, and good luck to them; but to also patent the drink? I don’t think that’ll stand up. In the UK at least, recipes are famously not copyrightable but I have no idea of their standing in patent law other than to believe they’ve not got one at all.

See also New Scientist.