Tipping point | “That magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire” – this is how Malcolm Gladwell, author of the now iconic book “The Tipping Point” [1], defines his eponymous concept. Using a host of true and amazing stories, Gladwell convincingly demonstrates not only that tipping points are real but that they can be crossed in either direction – towards positive outcomes, or, sadly, towards disastrous ones. Is sustainable brewing approaching the tipping point?

Positive impact | As time goes on, the one issue that has not waned in the public conscience due to fads and headlines across industries is sustainability. According to Euromonitor’s Voice of the Consumer Lifestyles survey, in 2021, 65 % of consumers highlighted they are concerned about climate change’s impact on their life and 67 % of consumers reported trying to have a positive impact on the environment through their daily actions. This translates to their support of the diverse array of industries and products that they interact with on a daily basis. One that has not by the very least been left out of the fray is the alcoholic drinks industry.

Focus on sustainability | NX Filtration is a global supplier of beer microfiltration membranes, which is fast gaining momentum as the preferred filtration process for beer thanks to its quality assurance, cost savings, and sustainable credentials. Founded by some of the original developers of beer membrane filtration technology, NX Filtration also offers unique nanofiltration membranes for treating water, recovering and reusing chemicals and water recycling. The strong focus on sustainability can also be seen at the Spanish La Zaragozana brewery, where NX Filtration technology has been successfully implemented.

Breeding success | Diamant, a new noble aroma variety and a daughter of the old Spalter landrace, was launched by the Society of Hop Research (GfH) after an extensive time in development and selection carried out at the Bavarian State Research Centre for Agriculture, Freising, Germany. Diamant is a modern, economical variety with a top-class flavour, and it is environmentally compatible.

Brewing economics | A sustainable future for brewing: obiviously, everybody is for it – but how do you actually evaluate and implement sustainable brewing practices and procedures that not only resonate with consumers but also make sound business sense, both in the boardroom and in the brewery?

Sustainable and economical | A new generation of conscious consumers has driven significant change in the brewing industry. High-quality beer is now available in a range of flavors and varieties that align with consumers’ expectations, including low-alcohol, alcohol-free and gluten-free beers. But taste is not the only driver of new product development; rising concerns over the environment mean that sustainably produced beer is fast becoming people’s top choice. Now the question is, how can brewers improve the sustainability of their processes and end products to meet demand while also continuing to work economically?

A green approach | At a time when climate and ecology are at the center of political and citizen debates, it is also the duty of industries to reduce their ecological footprint. For breweries, the use of green malt is one way to achieve this. Castle Malting has been thinking and searching for many years for the best way to value green malt.

Cradle to cradle | Businesses around the world are under pressure to operate as sustainably as possible and the global brewing industry is no exception. Understandably, the use of packaging is under the spotlight in terms of supply chain benefits, product protection and with the rise in consumer environmental awareness the packaging end of life and re-use. Reduction in the use of plastics, recycling, was the aim a few years ago but now business models need to move towards a full circular evidenced lifecycle solution.

Water crisis | A few weeks ago marked the tenth anniversary of the financial crisis that sparked a sharp escalation in the cost of credit for banks, created a panic in financial markets, and led directly to all the other tumultuous events of the following year that cost tens of billions of euros. Much has since been written about the crisis of 2007 and whether lessons have been learned. Why were so many early warning signs ignored? One of the key learnings is a renewed focus on “stress testing”.

Water is the most important raw material of the beverage industry – and clean drinking water is an increasingly valuable good. Apart from the economic responsibility, our industry has, therefore, also a major social responsibility to protect this vital resource. Efficient and sustainable water management requires an integrative approach, which taps the entire optimization potential around water usage. This includes the evaluation of local water catchment areas as well as the reduction of water consumption and the full recycling of any wastewater arising.

Beverage packaging must be practical, hygienic, free of defects and safe. It must also preserve the integrity of the product while meeting the needs and desires of customers and consumers. But this is not all: The environmental impact of beverage packaging has become a decisive factor in production, use and disposal. Technological developments continue to make ongoing optimization possible. Trends in the further improvement of environmentally friendly beverage packaging include conserving the use of raw materials, increasing the reuse of packaging and boosting the portion of recyclable materials in packaging. In addition to this, techniques using high-pressure in conjunction with sustainable materials have been employed.