Bid to become ‘world’s first’ self-sustaining brewery

By Robert Mann

- Last updated on GMT

Waste initiative: Good Brewing Co is turning its leftover beer grains into flour
Waste initiative: Good Brewing Co is turning its leftover beer grains into flour
A brewery in Sussex that makes flour from leftover beer grains says it hopes to become the world's first self-sustaining brewery.

Good Things Brewing Co in Brighton, East Sussex, was recently visited by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver who championed the Sussex brewery for turning its leftover beer grains​ into flour.

“We want to be the world’s first self-sustaining brewery,” exclaimed co-founder Sam Robinson.

“One thing that isn’t really tackled in the beer industry is spent grain.

“The problem is once it’s allocated, it goes unrecorded.

“The same thing happens in supermarkets, it’s ‘classified waste’, we don’t know how much is actually ending up in landfill.”

According to celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s website, for every pint of beer made in the UK, two porridge bowls' worth of spent grain is produced.

Traditionally, breweries have given their waste to farmers who use the feed for cattle and pigs, but if the grains are not used within 48 hours of delivery they go off, and have to be thrown away.

In an attempt to stop waste, the brewing company have just unveiled the world’s first ‘spent grain dehydrator’.  

“Within six hours of brewing, we can dehydrate everything that comes from the mash tun and use it in granola, cereal bars or flour,” Robinson explained.

“We’re working with a few bakeries on developing a beer flavour batter – it tastes delicious."

The brewery are currently working with foodstuff and agricultural brand Carr’s, which supplies Hovis and Gales to create flour that can be used in bakeries and pubs.

Robinson added: “It’s nutritional value has been tested and approved – low carb, low sugar, high in protein.”

Jamie Oliver dubbed the flour a “superfood” and used it to cook Irish soda bread, pasta dough and a beef pie made with spent grain pastry on Channel 4’s Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feasts​.

Oliver said on the show: “It’s so much more complex and delicious than usual – it’s a chef’s dream.”

Related topics Beer

Related news