Discoveries

June 08, 2022

Sewage Stout

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The tiny nation of Singapore has taken a new approach to enjoy a cold brew while tackling the issue of water scarcity, according to the Independent.

The Southeast Asian country has created a craft beer that is mostly made out of sewage water.

Beer is more than 90 percent H2O. However, water remains a precious resource in Singapore and the country recycles its water by treating its sewage water to create NEWater.

The recycled liquid is mainly used for industrial purposes and air-conditioning. But during dry spells, recycled sewage is put into reservoirs before the water is purified to then be used as drinking water.

The local brewery Brewerkz and Singapore’s national water agency launched NEWBrew, a blond ale that uses 95 percent “ultra-clean” NEWwater. With a “toasted, honey-like aftertaste,” the new beverage has been welcomed by beer aficionados – despite its stomach-churning origins.

“It definitely goes down smooth,” one man told the BBC. “I could probably if I wanted to, drink a whole lot of those.”

NEWBrew will be sold in packs of three cans, costing $4.50.

But aside from its oddball factor, Brewerkz owner, Tan Wee Han, told the New Straits Times that the product is “proof that sustainability can be delicious.”

Water scarcity is becoming a serious problem as global temperatures rise.

In April, the United Nations warned that 25 percent of children could suffer water shortages by 2040 due to the impact of the climate crisis.

This story originally appeared in the June 08, 2022 newsletter, Stumbling Ahead.