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I’m no Greta Thunberg; for one, I have never been arrested (yet)! But I completely understand the urgent need to tackle climate change. To do so, all industries must adapt, with breweries not being exempt. As consumers, our choices have power. By supporting breweries prioritising sustainability, we can enjoy our favourite beers while contributing to a healthier planet. Why don’t I help and point you to the most sustainable beers to start with?
Traditional Brewing vs Sustainable Brewing Processes
Before it’s worth looking at sustainable brewing, it’s worth exploring why it’s needed in the first place. Well, for a start, traditional brewing methods often come with significant environmental costs. Let’s compare all the key processes in brewing the sweet nectar we call beer with traditional brewing against more sustainable practices.
Water Usage and Waste
The brewing process is notoriously water-intensive. On average, it takes around 7 gallons of water to produce just 1 gallon of beer (that’s only 8 pints!). This includes not only the water in your pint but also the water used for cleaning, cooling, and other essential brewing tasks.
Traditional Brewing: Unfortunately, in traditional brewing, much of the water used is wasted, and in regions where water is scarce, this can strain local resources. Additionally, the wastewater generated by breweries is often loaded with organic material, cleaning agents, and other pollutants. This wastewater can wreak havoc on local waterways, harming aquatic life and disrupting ecosystems – think of the turtles!
Sustainable Brewing: Sustainable breweries recycle and reuse water, reducing overall consumption to as little as 3 gallons per gallon of beer. They use closed-loop systems and advanced filtration to minimise water waste. Some breweries also use dry hopping techniques to reduce water-intensive processes.
Energy Consumption
Brewing beer is an energy-hungry process; almost as much energy is needed as my nephew uses to play Fortnite. From heating large vats of water to maintaining fermentation temperatures and powering bottling lines, breweries require substantial energy to keep their operations running smoothly.
Traditional Brewing: This energy is usually sourced from fossil fuels, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbating climate change. While modern breweries are more energy-efficient than their predecessors, the industry as a whole still has a significant carbon footprint.
Sustainable Brewing: Many breweries are now using renewable energy sources such as solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal energy to power their operations. Some breweries are even designed to be net-zero energy, generating as much energy as they consume. Bioenergy from organic waste produced during the brewing process is also being explored.
Packaging and Waste Management
Packaging is the biggest contributor to beer’s carbon footprint, accounting for around 40% of its total emissions.
Traditional Brewing: Glass bottles are energy-intensive to produce and recycle, and aluminium cans require a lot of energy to manufacture. Plastic kegs and packaging contribute to plastic waste, which harms wildlife and pollutes oceans. Don’t even get me started on the packaging process, which leads to overflowing landfills and increased pollution.
Sustainable Brewing: Some breweries are moving toward more sustainable packaging options, such as using recycled materials or adopting returnable and refillable bottles. Waste reduction efforts also focus on minimising single-use plastics and other non-recyclable materials. For example, some breweries have switched to using biodegradable or compostable packaging materials, which break down more easily in the environment.
Carbon Footprint of Ingredients
The ingredients that go into beer—barley, hops, water, and yeast—play a crucial role in its flavour, but they also have an environmental impact. Malt production and transport contribute to around 132g of carbon dioxide per pint of lager.
Traditional Brewing: Breweries often rely on large-scale agricultural practices that involve extensive use of pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, and long-distance transportation of ingredients. These practices contribute to a higher carbon footprint due to the energy-intensive processes involved in farming and transportation.
Sustainable Brewing: Sustainable breweries are using local and organic ingredients to reduce their ecological footprint and support local farmers. Some are also practising regenerative agriculture and even growing their own ingredients on-site.
Innovative Sustainable Breweries Leading the Way
Some beer pioneers lead the charge by implementing cutting-edge sustainable practices, creating eco-friendly beers, and inspiring others in the industry to follow suit.
New Belgium Brewing (Colorado, USA)
New Belgium Brewing, based in Fort Collins, Colorado, is a trailblazer in sustainable beer production. The brewery is committed to environmental stewardship, uses renewable energy, conserves water, and prioritises eco-friendly packaging. New Belgium is a Certified B Corporation recognised for its social and environmental performance.
Our favourite sustainable beers from New Belgium Brewing are:
- Fat Tire Ale 5.2%: A bright and balanced beer that’s certified carbon neutral.
- Voodoo Ranger Juice Force 9.5%: Juice Force is a fruit-forward, highly drinkable, hazy IPA.
- Le Terroir 7.5%: A barrel-aged fruity sour!
Camden Town Brewery (London, England)
Despite being the official beer of Arsenal FC (as a Spurs supporter, this hurts), Camden Town Brewery has been making strides in sustainability with several impactful initiatives. The brewery is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint by switching to 100% renewable electricity, recycling all its brewing waste, and using lightweight packaging to minimise material use. They’ve also taken steps towards water conservation, implementing water-saving technologies in their brewing process.
Camden Town Brewery also partners with local farmers, sending spent grain to be used as animal feed and is committed to reducing its overall environmental impact by focusing on sustainable brewing practices. They have also teamed up with UK charity TRAID in the past to help them with their mission to reduce clothes wastage and its impact on the environment – just all-around good guys and gals.
Our favourite sustainable beers from Camden Town Brewery are:
- Camden Hells Lager 4.6%: A crisp, refreshing lager with a perfect balance of hop and malt flavours.
- Camden Pale Ale 4.0%: A light, fruity pale ale with citrusy hop notes and a smooth finish.
- Camden Off-Menu IPA 5.8%: A punchy IPA with bold flavours of tropical fruits and a bitter finish.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (California, USA)
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is a leader in sustainable brewing, with a zero-waste initiative that diverts 99.8% of its waste from landfills. The brewery also excels in water conservation and energy efficiency, using innovative techniques to minimise water usage and generate its own electricity. Additionally, Sierra Nevada advocates for sustainable agriculture by sourcing organic and non-GMO ingredients and working with farmers who practice regenerative agriculture.
Our favourite sustainable beers from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. are:
- Pale Ale 5.6%: Deep amber and exceptionally full-bodied, complex character.
- Narwhal 10.2%: This stout has a depth of malt flavour, rich with notes of espresso, baker’s cocoa, roasted grain and a light hint of smoke.
- Hoptimum 11%: Layers of aggressive hoppiness featuring notes of grapefruit rind, rose, lilac, cedar, and tropical fruit—all culminating in a dry and lasting finish.
To Øl (Copenhagen, Denmark)
To Øl, a Danish craft brewery, is known for its holistic approach to sustainability. Operating out of “To Øl City,” the brewery embraces a zero-waste philosophy and uses local, organic ingredients to reduce its carbon footprint. It also focuses on energy-efficient brewing methods and sustainable packaging.
Our favourite sustainable beers from To Øl are:
- Whirl Domination 6.2%: Hoppy and fresh. Not much more to say!
- #DIPA 8.7%: Dry-hopped to the brim with Cascade Citra and Simcoe perfectly balanced by pilsner malts, wheat, and flaked oat.
- Dangerously Close To Stupid 9.3%: A bright, crisp, and super dry-hopped IIPA with a smooth and balanced body.
The Future of Sustainable Beer
Despite these sustainable breweries, people wouldn’t still be glueing themselves to the floor if there weren’t remaining challenges. So, what is the future of sustainable beer? Let’s look at some emerging trends and potential developments that could shape the future of sustainable beer.
Precision Fermentation: Now, this is exciting. Precision fermentation allows brewers to use advanced microbial engineering to create specific flavours and textures with greater efficiency and less waste. One of the notable applications is the BrewMonitor System by Precision Fermentation, which allows breweries to track the fermentation process in real time.
AI and Data Analytics: AI is everywhere, even in the beer world. AI and data analytics are increasingly being used to optimise brewing operations, from predicting the ideal brewing conditions to minimising energy use. Deschutes Brewery has been using AI to better predict beer trends and reduce waste and unnecessary energy use by aligning production with market demand.
Waterless Brewing Technology: Researchers and innovators are exploring methods to significantly reduce or even eliminate water use in the brewing process. Waterless brewing technology could revolutionise the industry by slashing water consumption and wastewater production. For example, The Wild Beer Co. developed a beer brewed without traditional water. Instead of using water, they utilised whey—a by-product of cheese production!
Summary
Traditional brewing is resource-intensive, with significant water, energy, and material waste. Traditional processes use around 7 gallons of water per gallon of beer, much of which is wasted. Fossil fuels power traditional brewing, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Packaging materials, like glass, aluminium, and plastic, add to environmental harm. Sustainable brewing addresses these issues by recycling water, using renewable energy, and adopting eco-friendly packaging. Breweries like New Belgium, BrewDog, Sierra Nevada, and To Øl lead with innovative practices like carbon offsetting, zero-waste initiatives, and sustainable ingredient sourcing. Emerging technologies, such as AI and waterless brewing, promise further sustainability improvements.
FAQs
What is sustainable beer?
Sustainable beer is produced with minimal environmental impact by using practices like water conservation, renewable energy, and eco-friendly packaging. It often involves sourcing local, organic ingredients and employing technologies that reduce waste and carbon emissions, promoting overall sustainability.
Is beer bad for the environment?
Beer production can be environmentally taxing due to high water usage, energy consumption, and waste generation. However, many breweries are adopting sustainable practices to reduce their impact, such as recycling water, using renewable energy, and minimising waste.
Is Heineken sustainable?
Heineken is working towards sustainability through efforts like reducing CO2 emissions and water usage and promoting recycling. They have set ambitious goals, such as achieving net zero by 2040 for their production sites.
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