AB InBev to cut emissions with new brewing process

The world’s largest brewer, Belgium’s AB InBev, could cut its CO₂ emissions by 5%, using a new brewing process.

The new brewing process, which generates the gas bubbles needed to malt grains in beer, uses less heat and water than the methods typically used. This is because the new technique does not require the brewer to boil the water and hops in order to generate the bubbles.

Instead, AB InBev’s method is able to simulate the effects of boiling without expending the energy required to heat the water to boiling point, which could significantly cut emissions from the process without detracting from the beer’s taste.

In fact, the company estimates that if the new method is applied to all of its brewing operations across the world, this could translate to a reduction of 5% in AB InBev’s CO₂ emissions.

How does the new technique work?

The new brewing process also involves heating the beer, but before it reaches boiling point, nitrogen or CO₂ are piped into the tank. This pressurises the tank and facilitates the yeast digesting sugars in the brew, which is how bubbles are created during through boiling.

An additional advantage, AB InBev says, is that because the beer is brewed below boiling point, it stays fresh for longer. The technique was developed over four years of testing, initially on a small scale in Leuven, Belgium, followed by larger scale testing in the UK.

What as AB InBev said about the process?

David De Schutter, AB InBev’s research director for Europe, told the Guardian that prior to the company’s innovation, boiling was considered a fundamental aspect of the brewing process. Removing it translated to significant savings in both heat and water.

He explained: “Boiling and these gas bubbles are the sacred formula in the brewing process. Each brewer goes through a boiling process. Our innovation is to heat everything up to just below boiling point, which provides 80% energy savings at this point in time. There is a lot less steam released, which allows you to spend less on water. In our case, we managed to go from 5% evaporated water to less than 1%.”