Anderson Craft Ales implements carbon capture tech

Anderson Craft Ales, London, Ont., is the first microbrewery in Ontario to commit to new carbon capture technology to recycle CO₂ produced during the brewing process.

During fermentation, yeast converts sugars into alcohol and CO₂. The CO₂ is also used in the brewing process to carbonate the beer and preserve freshness. Now, the brewery will be able to capture the CO₂ produced, and reuse it during the brewing process, thereby reducing their CO₂ emissions to near zero.

The new equipment is expected to capture and reuse over 100,000 lb of CO₂, the equivalent of 1,000 trees, every year. The equipment, which is slightly larger than a refrigerator, is designed for small breweries by Texas-based Earthly Labs. This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

“It has always been our goal to make the best beer possible, with a strong focus on social and environmental responsibility,” said Gavin Anderson, president of Anderson Craft Ales. “We’re taking a bit of a risk, being the first microbrewery in Ontario to move forward with this equipment, but if this inspires a fraction of the 1,000 other breweries in Canada to install similar initiatives, the environmental impact could be staggering.”