Did you know that water is an essential element for making beer? In Singapore, we have therefore found a way to make it greener by using waste water that contains, among other things, the residents’ urine for treatment.
Hops, malt, yeast… These are the ingredients that come to mind when it comes to making beer. However, it is impossible to obtain a foam without an essential ingredient: water. Brewers make sure that specific waters are chosen to achieve the desired result. For example, we prefer to choose hard water to make a strong beer.
In Singapore, we have found a new, more responsible way of preparing beer by filtering waste water. Since 2003, a program called NEWater has developed a purification system to renew the water consumed by the population. The liquid, which logically also contains urine, undergoes several stages of purification, namely microfiltration but also ultraviolet disinfection. A process that eliminates bacteria, viruses and other particles.
This rather unusual beer, marketed by the Brewerkz brewery in packs of three, is also made with German barley malt, American hops and a yeast from Norway. This mousse called Newbrew can be enjoyed in a blond ale version, with an aromatic framework based on tropical flavors.
Processing urine for use as a basic ingredient in beer is actually not that new. In 2016, researchers from the University of Ghent in Belgium had developed a solar-powered machine that can separate the various components of urine to make it drinkable. The goal was to transform this material to use it in a new beer.
(ETX Daily Up)