Shrinking Beer’s Water Footprint
Many strategies can help, from improving suppliers’ irrigation techniques to adopting waste-to-energy solutions
Much has been made of recent beer brewing competitions that have used highly treated wastewater to brew fine craft beer, a practice that may be accepted in the not-so-distant future. But there are many other strategies breweries already are using to become more water-efficient.
The ratio of water used to produce beer is on average 6 gallons of water to 1 gallon of beer, but some forward-thinking brewers have brought their average down considerably. At least one craft brewery has reduced the ratio to below three to one. This ratio, however, reflects only the actual brewing process. A 2009 study by the World Wildlife Fund and brewer SABMiller found that when water used to grow hops and other grains is factored in, the true ratio is within the range of 11-40 gallons of water per gallon of brew.
Water sustainability is about both public relations and the bottom line. Brewing can require large water withdrawals that stress water reserves. It can also generate a large volume of wastewater that can be a danger to the environment. Both can negatively affect a beer brand’s public perception and bottom line, yet there are now an array of strategies to foster water sustainability in the brewing industry.
More Sustainable Irrigation
Well-capitalized brewing concerns can have a positive influence on the water table by partnering with farmers to modernize irrigation systems. One large-scale project to protect a trout stream brought together MillerCoors, the Nature Conservancy, and Idaho barley farmers, and the result was a 550 million gallon cut in annual water use by barley farmers in the Ketchum, Idaho, area.
Metering and Auditing
Monitoring and auditing water use with flow meters is crucial for small and large breweries alike. A problem as simple as a leaky valve can waste large volumes of fresh water. Water use auditing is also useful in packaging and cleaning operations, as well as actual brewing operations.
Water Reuse
A water use reduction strategy within reach of some craft breweries is water reuse. Most brewers run into a significant waste problem during malting and lautering. Wastewater is often sent directly to municipal sewage systems, which often charge a higher rate for breweries because of the volume and high solids content. But breweries can treat and reuse their water for nonpotable operations such as cleaning. For instance, Pitchfork Brewing in Wisconsin has successfully established a system for reuse of sanitizing fluids.
One craft brewery, Full Sail Brewing Company of Oregon, recycles its hot water, saving 3 million gallons of water annually. It even has an onsite treatment system that pretreats wastewater before passing it on to the municipal system. California’s Stone Brewing recently instituted water-reuse strategies, operating for nearly a year with no effluent discharge into the Escondido water system. The brewery saved nearly 10 million gallons of water by reusing effluent for cleaning operations.
Waste-to-Energy
Water is not the only thing wasted when breweries send their wastewater on its way unexploited. It contains solids that can be used to generate electricity, heat, or fuel through anaerobic digestion. High-sugar and starch brewery wastewater can be anaerobically digested to produce a safe, reliable stream of biogas to power brewery operations, reducing organic pollutant load by up to 80% and reducing disposal costs at the same time. Stone Brewing took its water sustainability practices a step further by partnering with the local Encina Water Pollution Control system. Now, the Encina system reuses Stone’s lauter and yeast streams to run its facility 100% independently.
In today’s world of drought and water scarcity, it’s clear that a comprehensive approach can greatly reduce brewing’s water footprint. Strategies include engaging with local farmers and water systems; metering and auditing; decentralized water treatment and reuse in brewing and other brewery operations; and even waste-to-energy systems to get the most money and pollution out of a brewery’s waste stream.
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