Kiwi brewery launches carbon zero beer in a bid to cut emissions

With industry across the country challenged to cut carbon emissions, breweries are making moves to reduce their footprint.

Now one Christchurch brewery is making one of their beers more environmentally friendly by launching a new carbon zero beer.

The Fermentist Brewery has been operating for just over a year and has sustainability in its sights.

“We looked at what one would look like in 20 years time and of course it was sustainability, use of resources, energy use, so we decided we would build a sustainable brewery,” says Simon Taylor, General Manager.

The first step was to lower their carbon footprint.

The brewery produces around 750 grams of carbon per litre of beer. They now offset that by buying credit at Banks Peninsula's Hinewai Reserve.

“There’s no natural gas on this site, it’s all electric. We compost all our waste so beer is made from yeast hops and barley and that’s all composted,” says Mr Taylor.

They also use solar energy.

And after 10 months of data collecting and tracking emissions from fertiliser to refrigerator, the Fermentist has gained carbon zero certification for its Kiwi pale ale.