Why Homebrewed Beer Is Green

I've recently revived my interest in homebrewed beer. After some spectacularly unsuccessful attempts as a teenager (OK, I started young...), I must admit that I had resigned to buying my beer from the store. But inspired by Sara's tips on homebrewing beer, and Brian's homemade hard cider recipe, I decided it was time I got into my own homemade alcohol again. As I wrote a few weeks back, I invited some friends with more brewing experience, cooked up some food, and threw a homebrewing party. The result was a delightful, if I say so myself, pale ale that I've been sipping on in the hot summer sun.

But What's Homebrew Got to do With Green?

Everything, says I. Learning to make stuff for yourself is almost always a step toward taking control of your consumption, but brewing beer is a particularly good place to start. Here are a few reasons why:

Beer is Mostly Water

The old Monty Python "making love in a canoe" joke comes to mind here (if you don't know it, I'm not going to explain) - but even good beer is really water, with some stuff added. So why truck water around the country - or across oceans - when it comes out of your tap? By brewing beer at the place at the place of consumption you cut out a huge amount of transportation.

Bottles Are Heavy

This is really a repeat of the above argument - but trucking around thick glass bottles that are used once just doesn't make sense. Instead, a homebrewer can invest in a few cases of durable, reusable bottles - and as long as they keep them clean, these can be used over and over again. Some bottles even have reusable caps. Not only are you saving on shipping, but the energy used to make and recycle the glass is saved too.

You Have Control Of The Ingredients

Buy your beer from the store and you have little control of what goes in. Of course, there are plenty of greener beers out there (See How to Go Green: Beers for some pointers), but by brewing your own you have the ultimate control. Look online for organic homebrew kits, or ask your local brewing suppliers what grains they stock. You could even talk to farmers about getting some local grains - or try flavoring brews with produce for your garden. Pumpkin beer is surprisingly delicious. And then of course there's hard cider and mead - need we say more?

It's Cheap

Cheap beer, who can argue? If you have to pay less for your beer, then you don't have to work as much. And if you don't have to work as much, you don't have to commute... OK, I'm pushing it here.

Anyhow - there you have it. A treatise on why homebrewing beer should be every greeny's top priority. I am available to taste any samples that you might have. Cheers!

Salivating over sustainable eats? Learn how to make your own with help from Emeril Lagasse in Planet Green TV's organic cooking show, Emeril Green.