In France, approximately four out of five people who have recovered from COVID-19 are still impacted by anosmia (the loss of smell), and many are unsure of how to recover from it. Thanks to the creative genius of L’Associe communications agency, Paname Brewing Company has developed a new line of beer to help.

Beer Therapy: a collaborative effort

Called “Beer Therapy,” this limited-edition range of especially aromatic beers was created to aid individuals as they attempt to re-train their noses. L’Associe team members came up with the idea after reading about how some people were having success in rehabilitating their sense of smell by consistently “smelling a familiar scent.” According to L’Associe’s creative directors:

“We were reading articles about scent training. The idea that you choose a favorite scent and smell it every day, to retrain your nose. And we said to ourselves, a favorite scent? Sounds like beer.”

Notably, while L’Associe has worked with Paname in the past, this is the first time that the agency developed the idea for a new product and brought it to the client. As Gilles Rivollier, founder of L’Associe, recently stated:

“Usually the brand briefs the agency, but this time it was the agency briefing the brewers. We really pushed them to make the most aromatic beers possible… L’Associe has a wide range of experience in the alcohol category – it was exciting this time to actually create a product ourselves.”

How it works

Beer Therapy is currently available in three flavors – or shall we say, scents: Orchard and Tropical Fruit, Pineapple Peach Sour Gose, and Blood Orange and Kalamansi. Per the instructions on each can, using the beers as aromatherapy is simple:

1. Pour the beer into a glass.
2. Inhale the aromas for 20 seconds.
3. Picture what they represent
4. Train regularly

While the beers were designed to help people regain their sense of smell, they can be enjoyed by everyone. As Michael Kennedy, co-founder of Paname Brewing Company said in a recent interview:

“Aromas are very much a part of appreciating a beer. We wanted to help other beer lovers get the sense of smell back, so they can enjoy all the facets a well-brewed beer has to offer… Everyone can enjoy our Beer Therapy range, whether they’ve lost their sense of smell or not. The aromatic style is very popular at the moment and rightly so.”