After Bill Gates drank purified wastewater publicly, it was announced that the sanitized water is also ideal for brewing beer. This means eco-conscious hipsters can rejoice; they will likely be the first to drink craft beer made with purified wastewater.
Based in Portland, Clean Water Services challenged local brewers to make beer drawn from the Tualatin River and processed at the extremely nearby wastewater treatment plant. The ultra-pure water apparently tastes similarly to distilled water, which brewers can tweak to meet their needs. Clean Water Services Spokesman Mark Jockers explains "they take this blank water and then they add minerals to it to create a certain profile." The successful competition hopes to hold a similar experiment with 100% wastewater.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Wastewater-brewed Beers
- Craft breweries are increasingly using purified wastewater to create unique and ecologically-friendly beers.
- Eco-conscious Brewing
- Craft breweries are creating brand values by using recycled and reused resources to create beer that resonates with their environmentally-aware audience.
- Sustainable Beverages
- The wastewater beer trend represents a larger trend towards sustainable and circular beverage production practices.
Sectors Adopting This
- Craft Brewing
- Craft breweries can capitalize on this trend by using purified wastewater as a unique ingredient that also aligns with their brand values and appeals to their eco-conscious audience.
- Wastewater Treatment
- Wastewater treatment companies can explore new business opportunities by partnering with breweries and other beverage producers to purify and supply water to create unique and sustainable beverages.
- Environmental Consulting
- Environmental consulting firms can help beverage producers develop and implement sustainable production processes, including the use of recycled and reused resources like purified wastewater in beverage production.
