A Day in the Life of Sustainable Beer: New Belgium Brewery

The Rational Middle4 minutes read

New Belgium brewery in Colorado prioritizes environmental stewardship and innovation in their brewing process to save energy, water, and be a better employer. They utilize natural light in their brew house, transfer liquid waste to farmers for cattle feed, and treat process wastewater on-site to showcase their commitment to sustainability.

Insights

  • New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado, emphasizes environmental sustainability by utilizing innovative practices such as natural light in their brew house to reduce energy consumption and emissions while creating a conducive work environment.
  • The brewery's commitment to sustainability extends to their brewing process, where they efficiently utilize by-products like wort for cattle feed, implement energy-saving techniques like a cone-shaped boiler plate, and treat process wastewater on-site to produce biogas for energy, showcasing a comprehensive approach to minimizing environmental impact.

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Recent questions

  • What is New Belgium brewery known for?

    Sustainability and innovative brewing practices.

  • How does New Belgium brewery save energy?

    Utilizing natural light and efficient brewing processes.

  • What happens to the liquid after mashing barley at New Belgium?

    Transferred to a farmer for cattle feed.

  • How does New Belgium brewery treat process wastewater?

    On-site in an anaerobic digester to produce methane-rich biogas.

  • What is the fermentation process at New Belgium brewery?

    Yeast converting sugars to alcohol and CO2.

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Summary

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New Belgium Brewery: Sustainable Brewing Innovations

  • New Belgium brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado, founded in 1991, prioritizes environmental stewardship alongside crafting beers like Satire and ABBL. They focus on innovation to save energy, water, and be a better employer, utilizing natural light in their brew house to reduce electricity bills, emissions, and enhance the work environment.
  • The brewing process at New Belgium involves mashing barley to extract starches and sugars, then transferring the liquid, called wort, to a farmer for cattle feed. The brewery efficiently buffers different stages to avoid equipment shutdowns, and their unique cone-shaped boiler plate in the brew kettle speeds up boiling, saving energy.
  • New Belgium's fermentation process involves yeast converting sugars to alcohol and CO2, with the resulting liquid sent to the bottling line. They reuse rinse water, treat process wastewater on-site in an anaerobic digester to produce methane-rich biogas for energy, showcasing their commitment to sustainability and minimizing environmental impact.
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