 | |
| Type | Non-alcoholic malt drink |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Aujan Industries |
| Distributor | Aujan Coca-Cola Beverages Company (ACCBC) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Introduced | 1983 |
| Alcohol by volume | 0% |
| Website | barbicanworld |
Barbican is a brand of non-alcoholicmalt drinks distributed by theAujan Coca-Cola Beverages Company (ACCBC). The drink is primarily sold in the Middle East and North Africa.
Due to the popularity of Barbican in the "Gulf countries" of theGCC, it has become agenericized trademark for non-alcoholic malt drinks.[1] Due to the fruit and malt flavour of Barbican, it is sometimes used in the preparation of food, mocktails, desserts and as an accompaniment to cheese or chocolate.[2]
Barbican was originally manufactured by U.K.-basedBass Brewery. Aujan Industries began importing the drink for sale in the Middle East in 1983.[3] Alongside the Swiss-made Moussy, Barbican was the first non-alcoholic malt drink to be sold in the region.[1] Manufacturing changes at Bass disrupted supplies of Barbican to Aujan, and in 1999, Aujan purchased the Barbican brand in select markets. Aujan acquired complete control of Barbican in 2010, and began manufacturing it at the company's factory inDubai.[3]
Barbican accounted for 5% of Aujan's total sales in 2013.[3]
Barbican is also sold in Malaysia.[4] It is imported fromSaudi Arabia and distributed by Coca-Cola Refreshments Malaysia.[5] On 26 July 2011, Malaysia's National Fatwa Council declared that Barbican was "not processed to make it alcoholic, and contains low alcohol content which is not intoxicating." The ruling declared Barbican to behalaal for consumption by Muslims.[6][7]
Barbican is manufactured at ACCBC's manufacturing plants inDammam (Saudi Arabia) and Dubai. It is brewed using a three-stage process involving mashing, lautering and wort boiling.[8]
During mashing, the coarsely ground barley malt is subjected to hydration with water at different temperature-time regimes, which helps in a slow break down of starch molecules into simple carbohydrates, bringing in the balanced combination of carbohydrates and proteins. In the lautering stage, all the soluble solids from the barley malt are extracted avoiding harsh and astringent components from the barley malt husk, leaving behind wort. The extracted wort is boiled along with hops which adds a hoppy aroma and bitter taste to the malt extract. The malt extract is stabilized and sterilised during boiling.[8]
Apart from the original malt beverage, Barbican is sold in 8 fruit flavoured variants. Barbican is sold in 330 ml glass bottles and cans. The Mango & Passion Fruit, and Pomegranate are only sold in glass bottles.[8]
A 2015 study conducted by theHawler Medical University inErbil, Iraq found that there was "no statistically significant increase in urinaryuric acid before and after consumption of Barbican", but "urinary calcium significantly decreased after consumption." Researchers noted that the decrease in calciuria only occurred among normal males who were habitual consumers of Barbican. The decrease is caused by the presence of barley.[9]