But much like with synthetic meats or plant based substitutes, this would require changing a whole tradition of brewing and distilling, with all the related culture and know how, with chemical synthesis. I don’t think this is an impossible sell, but it would only stick if the benefits seemed significant. Butanol sounds like a very marginal improvement; people who dislike alcohol and its dangers will see it as no better, and people who like alcohol will see it as a poor substitute. Not sure if there’s enough pull to actually justify the attempt to switch.
But much like with synthetic meats or plant based substitutes, this would require changing a whole tradition of brewing and distilling, with all the related culture and know how, with chemical synthesis. I don’t think this is an impossible sell, but it would only stick if the benefits seemed significant. Butanol sounds like a very marginal improvement; people who dislike alcohol and its dangers will see it as no better, and people who like alcohol will see it as a poor substitute. Not sure if there’s enough pull to actually justify the attempt to switch.