In the beginning, there was code, and the code was abstract. Then, an idea, as frothy and tantalizing as a freshly poured lager: what if you could hold Bitcoin? Not in a cold wallet, but in your hand, feeling the condensation on a glass bottle, with the promise of digital scarcity hidden just beneath a twist-off cap.
For Altan, the visionary behind Beer of Satoshi, this was once just a “fun thought”—a daydream at the intersection of ancient tradition and digital revolution. But a dream becomes a manifesto the moment it becomes real. That moment wasn’t in a white paper or a line of code, but in a factory, with the first physical prototype of a cap stamped with a unique QR code.
We sat down with Altan to unpack the journey from a spark of genius to the first satisfying hiss of a bottle being opened, and the sats being claimed.
Q: When did Beer of Satoshi go from just an idea to a real project?
A: The turning point was when we realized we could actually put unique QR codes under
every cap and link them to real sats. Until then, it was just a fun thought. Once the first
prototype caps came back from our producer, it became real.
Q: Why Germany as the brewing location?
A: Germany has a centuries-old beer tradition, and it’s trusted worldwide for quality. At the same time, it’s one of the more open EU jurisdictions for Bitcoin businesses. Combining both gave us a solid foundation: German brewing standards and EU-wide regulatory clarity.
Q: What has been the most satisfying moment so far?
A: Seeing the very first user scan a cap and successfully claim sats. Brewing day was special, events were exciting, but that first claim proved the whole system worked end-to-end.
Q: Will future flavors also include sats rewards?
A: Yes. Every new brew we release will carry sats. We’re also experimenting with new
reward mechanics—multipliers, pooled jackpots for special events, and more. But for now,
we’re focusing on building the brand and community. A non-alcoholic version is also on our roadmap.
Q: How do you turn casual buyers into a real community?
A: By making it more than just beer. We focus on events, sharing wins, and gamification. If
you scan a cap and hit 100k sats, you’ll post it. That builds the tribe naturally. Plus, we’re
building leaderboards, organizing meetups, and integrating with Bitcoin conferences.
Q: Can customers really trust the sats are there?
A: Yes. All QR codes are pre-generated, salted, hashed, and stored on our servers before
bottling. The Bitcoin allocated to each batch is provably locked in. There’s no central “we’ll send later”—the sats are already there, just waiting to be claimed. Our algorithm is open and published on GitHub.
Q: Why launch in the EU first, instead of globally?
A: Beer is heavily regulated. Starting in the EU, where we understand the law and logistics,
makes sense. Once we’ve proven the model here, we’ll scale internationally—Switzerland,
the US, and Asia are next.
Q: If you succeed, what do you hope people say about Beer of Satoshi?
A: “They made Bitcoin fun, drinkable, playful, and social.” Easy to understand, and the
perfect way to orange-pill friends.
Q: How do you make sure the beer doesn’t get overshadowed by the sats reward?
A: The beer has to stand on its own. That’s why we partnered with a well-established German brewery. Even if there were no sats inside, it’s still a high-quality lager you’d want to drink. The sats are the bonus, not the excuse.
Q: Beer has a shelf life—what about the QR codes?
A: The QR codes don’t expire as fast as the beer. If someone finds an unopened bottle years
later, the sats can still be claimed. Technically, the backend supports “forever claims.” The
only limit would be if we migrate from one version to another (v1 → v2), in which case we’ll always provide a redemption path for legacy caps.
