Two beers crafted using greywater from shower and laundry services in residential buildings “aren’t a gimmick”, claims California’s Epic Cleantec. It’s a legitimate way of incorporating “premium, sustainable ingredients” into drinks, insists the beermaker.
Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company in San Carlos, California, has partnered with EpicCleantec to release two beers which share an unusual ingredient – recycled greywater.
Shower Hour IPA (6% ABV) is “a crisp, juicy take on the classic IPA”, according to the brewer, while Laundry Club Kölsch (4.6% ABV) is “a light, smooth golden ale”. Both are available in 16oz 4-packs via retailers including BevMo, Total Wine & More and Bianchini’s Market, as well as on draught at Devil’s Canyon’s taproom.
What is greywater?
Greywater is wastewater from household activities including showers, baths, and laundry, that is free from toilet waste and kitchen sink runoff. Unlike ‘blackwater’, which comes from toilets, greywater has lower contamination levels (but may still contain soap, oils and dirt), allowing it to be treated and reused for non-drinking purposes such as watering plants. Greywater reuse regulations vary by location.
In the UK, for example, for systems that discharge treated greywater into the ground, the Environment Agency in England or SEPA in Scotland must be notified, and the discharge must comply with ‘General Binding Rules’ to prevent pollution. In the US, there is no single, overarching federal law for greywater reuse. Regulations vary significantly from state to state, and between cities.
No matter where they are based, greywater systems require filtration and treatment (eg. biological, chemical disinfection) to prevent bacterial growth, odour, and health hazards.
Shower beers
Epic Cleantec, based in San Francisco, claims that its two beers, brewed using purified recycled greywater from big residential buildings, “are made with purpose and premium sustainable ingredients.”
“What if your shower beer was actually made from shower water?” the company asks viewers in its promo video.
“A few years ago we had a crazy idea. What if we could take highly purified recycled water from showers and laundry machines and brew beer with it? Turns out, not only is it not illegal, it makes pretty great beer,” said Aaron Tartakovsky, co-founder and CEO of Epic Cleantec.
“Most people use water once and then throw it away. Not us. We recycle water using space grade purification treatment, inspired by the very same technology used by astronauts, until the water is better than most tap water,” he continued. “And yeah, most non-astronauts still feel weird about drinking that water. But if you brew that exact same water into a delicious beer, people can’t wait to try it.”
Tartakovsky claims his company initially made the beer “not to actually sell it, but just to see what people think. And they loved it…like a lot!”
At the United Nations Water Conference Epic Cleantec “found ourselves sitting across from some of the biggest beverage companies in the world” and learned that “it takes 10 gallons of water to make just one gallon of beer. When we asked [these companies] if they would consider making their own products from recycled beer, they said no one would drink it.”
“Better than tap water”
Epic Cleantec has been developing its beers for the last two years “to prove that sustainability and taste can raise a glass together.”
According to Tartakovsky, “every batch of water is thoroughly cleaned and independently tested by certified laboratories.” The business emphasises that water is purified to the point where it is “better than tap water in most cities in America.”
In addition to the recycled greywater, drought-tolerant hops and grains and a unique yeast that ferments “fast and hot, cutting down the energy needed for brewing” are also used.
This isn’t just about beer, said Tartakovsky, “it’s about reimagining what’s possible.”
Epic Cleantec plans to produce 250,000 cans of beer next year.
Related news
Paulaner switches distribution to Heineken in South Korea