Beer Brewers Cut Back on Water to Protect Natural Resources
- 11 years ago
Mass market and craft brewers alike are pledging to cut down on the amount of water they use to brew beer.
Mass market and craft brewers alike are pledging to cut down on the amount of water they use to brew beer.
Hops and barley are thirsty crops, and when all aspects of the beer making process are figured in, a barrel of beer can require from 4 to 7 times its volume in water.
With the impending world water shortage in mind, companies are reconsidering their current use habits.
MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch are among the corporate giants who are championing the United Nations’ CEO Water Mandate and its call for sustainable practices.
As part of their commitment to it, four years ago Anheuser Busch pledged to significantly cut the usage of water at their breweries, and has since done so by 37 percent.
Smaller producers are being watchful as well.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, located in Chico, California, also promised to cut back on how much water it was using to make their craft brews.
One measure involved switching their bottling line lubricant from soapy water to one that’s silicon-based.
That swap alone is estimated to be saving “a couple of million gallons a year”.
Mass market and craft brewers alike are pledging to cut down on the amount of water they use to brew beer.
Hops and barley are thirsty crops, and when all aspects of the beer making process are figured in, a barrel of beer can require from 4 to 7 times its volume in water.
With the impending world water shortage in mind, companies are reconsidering their current use habits.
MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch are among the corporate giants who are championing the United Nations’ CEO Water Mandate and its call for sustainable practices.
As part of their commitment to it, four years ago Anheuser Busch pledged to significantly cut the usage of water at their breweries, and has since done so by 37 percent.
Smaller producers are being watchful as well.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, located in Chico, California, also promised to cut back on how much water it was using to make their craft brews.
One measure involved switching their bottling line lubricant from soapy water to one that’s silicon-based.
That swap alone is estimated to be saving “a couple of million gallons a year”.