This article first appeared in Yankee Brew News.
It’s not just a St. Patrick’s Day atrocity: going ‘green’ when it comes to craft beer is becoming one of the biggest initiatives in the industry.
But there’s a lot of people who may be wondering: is the act of brewing beer really that big of a deal when it comes to the environment? And while being eco-friendly is a nice idea, how do breweries actually incorporate those practices into day-to-day operations?
Let’s break down the problem areas in beer that you might not even have known existed, and the breweries across New England who are taking impressive steps to directly address them.
Energy Efficiency
Problem: Breweries use particularly large amounts of energy because many steps in the brewing process involve heating or cooling, including kiln-drying and roasting the malt, heating the mash (a mixture of grain and water), boiling with hops, rapid cooling, and refrigeration or cold storage.
Solution: Brewers can reduce their use and associated costs through the use of solar, energy star appliances, LED lighting, heat recovery, insulation, as well as rebates and incentives.
Role Models: Smuttynose Brewing Company in Hampton, New Hampshire, has always had an energy-conscious eye since opening their newest brewery opened in 2014. Among its efficiency initiatives is a 75-horsepower state-of-the-art air compressor that reduces lifetime electrical consumption by more than 6 million kilowatt hours.
Air Pollution
Problem: The main sources of emissions from breweries are from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) created by the fermentation and filling processes and particulate matter (PM) from grain handling.
Solution: Breweries can improve air quality by installing emission controls and recapturing CO2 generated during the fermentation process for reuse in brewing.
Role Models: Grey Sail Brewing was the first craft brewery in Rhode Island, and the second in New England, to install carbon-capturing technology specially designed for microbreweries. Developed by Earthly Labs, based in Austin, Texas, the system captures the waste carbon dioxide produced during fermentation, enabling it to be used to carbonate and package the beer.
Wastewater
Problem: The Brewers Association estimates that the average ratio of water used in beer production relative to the amount of water in the finished beer is about seven barrels of water for every one barrel of beer produced. In addition, the wastewater often contains high concentrations of organic matter and extreme power of hydrogen, which can be a burden on local treatment plants.
Solutions: Control of pH is often necessary, and batch treatment to meet pH limits is still the best option for many small breweries. In addition, brewers can monitor water usage by installing water meters in various areas of the operation.
Role Models: Black Pond Brews in Dayville, CT, have been recognized for their reduced energy and water usage, reduced wastewater pollutants and solid waste generated.Also in Connecticut, Great Falls Brewing Company stopped discharging their brewing wastewater due to local concern over potentially high organic load. Since that time, all brewhouse wastewater is collected in a 2,000-gallon holding tank and sent weekly to a local anaerobic digestion and converted to energy.
Energy
Problem: According to the Brewers Association, refrigeration, packing and compressed air consume 70% of U.S. breweries’ electricity use. Even for a microbrewery, producing 15,000 barrels of beer per year can mean annual electricity bills in the ballpark of $25,000 to $50,000!
Solution: A surprising number of breweries are going solar, from motion-sensor lights and energy-efficient motors on equipment in the facility, to installing solar panels with some help from tax credits and performance-based incentives.
Role Models: Walk Brewing in Newburyport, MA, leases space from a building with an on-site wind turbine and rooftop solar array. As a result, Riverwalk gets nearly 100% of its electricity from that onsite renewable energy at an affordable and predictable cost. In Vermont, Rock Art Brewery in Morrisville has been powered by solar since 2017!
Recycling Waste
Problem: The brewery industry generates huge amounts of waste, with spent brewer’s grain and brewer’s yeast as the two primary solid wastes (by-products) of the beer brewing process.
Solution: Diverting food waste to animal food is preferred over composting or sending it to be converted to biofuel through anaerobic digestion, both common alternatives used by breweries for dealing with spent grains.
Role Models: Lamplighter Brewing in Cambridge, MA, contracts with specialty disposal company Against the Grain to have its waste regularly hauled to local farms. Also, Wormtown Brewery reduces solid waste in a variety of ways, from using pre-printed cans instead of labels for its flagship IPA to purchasing cleaning chemicals in bulk with refillable containers.
Plastic Packaging
Problem: Packaging format is typically responsible for the most significant environmental impact in the life cycle of beer.
Solution: Reducing, reusing, or properly recycling packaging materials (especially plastic) can improve efficiency, decrease waste, save money and build brand affinity with environmentally conscious consumers.
Role Models: Both in Massachusetts, Gentile Brewing in Beverly and Redemption Rock Brewing in Worcester have opted for compostable can carriers made by E6PR from 100% plant fiber (no plastic at all). As well, NU Brewery in New Castle, Maine has opted for a truly biodegradable alternative known as Eco Rings, created by startup company E6PR.
Sustainability has become such a vital topic in the industry that new breweries are incorporating green practices into their business model before they open. Dead Language Beer Project in Hartford, CT, may have only been open for six months, but they ship their spent grain to local farmers, and they are already looking into securing Better Bev recognition, joining many of the breweries already listed above.
Better Bev, a Green Craft Beverage Recognition program created by the New England Environmental Finance Center (www.betterbev.org) is a free environmental sustainability recognition program that helps craft beverage producers review their facility operations, identify process improvements, and reduce business costs. “No matter where you are,” their website states, “the BetterBev program will help you take positive steps that meet your financial, operational, and strategic priorities.”
From utilizing renewable energy sources to implementing water conservation techniques and sourcing local, organic ingredients, breweries across the region are leading the charge in reducing their environmental footprint. It’s exciting to see how green brewing practices are really taking off across New England, and as more breweries get on board, the future of beer is looking greener, tastier, and even better. Cheers to that!
