Sierra Nevada Beer Brews Ethanol, Says Wazzup?

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Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and E-Fuel Corp have joined forces to create a high-grade, inexpensive ethanol fuel.

They plan to make fuel from discarded beer yeast using the Efuel 100 MicroFueler. The first-ever home ethanol systems will be housed at the brewery in Chico, California.

“The plan is to have a machine here on site that would distill the ethanol that’s remaining in the yeast slurry,” said Cheri Chastain, Sierra Nevada Sustainability Coordinator.

“We could make it available for employees. If we have a lot of it we could end up selling it. We could use it for our shop vehicles and company vehicles,” said Chastain.

Currently, production waste is sold as dairy feed to local farmlands. In fact, Sierra Nevada sells 1.6 million gallons of beer yeast waste annually. But not once this system is in place. Testing will start in Q2 of this year with a goal of full-production by q3.

The beer yeast contains between five and eight-percent alcohol content, but the MicroFueler is expected to raise the level to 15-percent.

“Creating ethanol from discarded organic waste is an excellent example of how the MicroFueler can help eliminate our reliance on the oil industry infrastructure. This is especially true when considering Americans reportedly discard 50% of all agricultural farmed products,” said Tom Quinn, E-Fuel founder and CEO. “Using a waste product to fuel your car is friendlier to the environment and lighter on your wallet, easily beating prices at the gas pump.”

Of course, Sierra Nevada has a history of being a bit eco-friendly: they are home to one of the largest private solar installations in the US.

“We are excited to partner with E-Fuel to develop an efficient way to recover waste ethanol from our spent yeast,” said Ken Grossman, Founder and President, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. “This has the potential to be a great thing for the environment and further our commitment to be becoming more energy independent.”

And yes, I know that “wazzup” is a Bud thing. But who drinks that stuff?

Photo: EFuel.com

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Tags: alternative fuels, beer, biofuel, cradle to cradle, Ethanol, sustainability

About the Author

Jerry James Stone is a web developer, part-time blogger, and a full-time environmentalist. His crusade for all things eco started twenty years ago when he ditched his meat-and-potatoes upbringing for something more vegetarian-shaped. His passions include cooking, green tech, eco politics, and smart green design. And while he doesn't own a car anymore, he loves to write about those too. Jerry studied at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA. During his time there he was a DJ at the campus station KCPR and he also wrote for the campus paper. Jerry currently resides in San Francisco, CA with his cat Lola. You can stalk him on Twitter @jerryjamesstone.

Tim Cleland

Cool! I hope it catches on with other breweries.

Also, want to give thumbs up on the 2006+ Impala SS in the photo. Flex Fuel and Active Fuel Management (half the cylinders shut off under low-load conditions).My wife fell in love with one when she drove it. We’re told by others who own them they get 30+ mpg highway.
Tim Cleland

Cool! I hope it catches on with other breweries.

Also, want to give thumbs up on the 2006+ Impala SS in the photo. Flex Fuel and Active Fuel Management (half the cylinders shut off under low-load conditions).My wife fell in love with one when she drove it. We’re told by others who own them they get 30+ mpg highway.
Rebecca

Nice! I always like hearing about companies that are trying to do the right thing – reduce, reuse, recycle, all that good stuff.

But I’m a little confused and weirded out that beer yeast waste with a 5-8% alcohol content is being used as dairy feed. I guess it keeps the cows happy…
Rebecca

Nice! I always like hearing about companies that are trying to do the right thing – reduce, reuse, recycle, all that good stuff.

But I’m a little confused and weirded out that beer yeast waste with a 5-8% alcohol content is being used as dairy feed. I guess it keeps the cows happy…
http://www.urbansurvivalists.com crackgerbal

cool, but lets make sure that the cost of converting the waste into usable ethanol is actually cheaper than using other technologies like electricity.

However, isnt letting the dairy industry use the beer waste as feed recycling the waste product as well? Wouldn’t it cost more in time and resources to convert the waste into ethanol, then let people use it for transportation rather than immediately haul it away for cattle feed?

Green solutions are great, but if they are using more electricity, and product, than current methods then are they really green?
http://www.urbansurvivalists.com crackgerbal

cool, but lets make sure that the cost of converting the waste into usable ethanol is actually cheaper than using other technologies like electricity.

However, isnt letting the dairy industry use the beer waste as feed recycling the waste product as well? Wouldn’t it cost more in time and resources to convert the waste into ethanol, then let people use it for transportation rather than immediately haul it away for cattle feed?

Green solutions are great, but if they are using more electricity, and product, than current methods then are they really green?
Valerie

I work at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co and if you are interested in more of our environmentally friendly actions checkout http://www.sierranevada.com It is amazing how much this company has done to go green.
Valerie

I work at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co and if you are interested in more of our environmentally friendly actions checkout http://www.sierranevada.com It is amazing how much this company has done to go green.
http://www.greenfootsteps.com Rona

Yes, looks like hard cheese for the cows… but I agree with crackgerbal – we need to know that such initiatives are more environmentally friendly and energy efficient than other alternatives.

Sometimes the economic equations and process choices that a company makes may be more to do with saving brass (and increasing profit) than saving the planet!
http://www.greenfootsteps.com Rona

Yes, looks like hard cheese for the cows… but I agree with crackgerbal – we need to know that such initiatives are more environmentally friendly and energy efficient than other alternatives.

Sometimes the economic equations and process choices that a company makes may be more to do with saving brass (and increasing profit) than saving the planet!
eric

The Sierra Nevada Brew Co. is worth a visit, make a trip to the Northern Central Valley of CA and see a wonderful area that most don’t know exists. Trinity Alps are not far off, Lassen, Mt. Shasta. Maybe being amongst such beauty is what inspires this private company to do the right thing. Individuals and the businesses they build, with their own sweat and blood, are who make it a better world, not big government and federal spending.
eric

The Sierra Nevada Brew Co. is worth a visit, make a trip to the Northern Central Valley of CA and see a wonderful area that most don’t know exists. Trinity Alps are not far off, Lassen, Mt. Shasta. Maybe being amongst such beauty is what inspires this private company to do the right thing. Individuals and the businesses they build, with their own sweat and blood, are who make it a better world, not big government and federal spending.
http://www.dailyhope.net Michael

I’m curious about that too, Rebecca. Who knew alcohol was good for cows? I also wondered if the waste from the ethanol conversion could still be used as dairy feed…

For my interpretation of this news, check out our blog:

http://dailyhoper3.blogspot.com/2009/02/altruism-in-corporate-sector.html
http://www.dailyhope.net Michael

I’m curious about that too, Rebecca. Who knew alcohol was good for cows? I also wondered if the waste from the ethanol conversion could still be used as dairy feed…

For my interpretation of this news, check out our blog:

http://dailyhoper3.blogspot.com/2009/02/altruism-in-corporate-sector.html
Josh

They aren’t feeding alcohol to the cows it’s the spent hops they use to make beer with that they feed to the cows. I’m sure that the cows don’t mind even if there is alcohol, once the hops reach either their 3rd or fourth stomach, of course. And the article says that its the extra 1.6 million gallons of beer waste that they sell. They keep the beer waste that they don’t sell to give to the cows.
Josh

They aren’t feeding alcohol to the cows it’s the spent hops they use to make beer with that they feed to the cows. I’m sure that the cows don’t mind even if there is alcohol, once the hops reach either their 3rd or fourth stomach, of course. And the article says that its the extra 1.6 million gallons of beer waste that they sell. They keep the beer waste that they don’t sell to give to the cows.
http://www.clockout.org employee clockin clockout

As if I needed another reason to buy Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
http://www.clockout.org employee clockin clockout

As if I needed another reason to buy Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
http://www.president101.com all politics aside

Hey, remember all those critics of biofuels saying it would conflict with growing food crops? Guess they were full of .
http://www.president101.com all politics aside

Hey, remember all those critics of biofuels saying it would conflict with growing food crops? Guess they were full of .
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Uncle B

Asshole American Logic

Americans stuff what-ever, into their low compression, inefficient , spark ignition engines and expect miracles they never get! Goddammit! Fools! Euro- diesels gave them 40 % more miles per gallon, and they shrugged and walked away! An “Ethanol-Specific”, high compression engine gives extra-ordinary miles per gallon advantage over gasoline engines! Adding Ethanol to gasoline is idiotic! and reduces miles per gallon in a gasoline engine. We need an engine designed for burning the superior home grow Ethanol, in pure form! Ethanol can give better performance, miles per gallon, when burned in an Ethanol engine! Build a high compression engine designed to get best performance from pure Ethanol, then get the American hot-rodders to “tweak” this motor for high mileage and watch gasoline sales fall! We are being “Hoodwinked” by Exxon into diluting a very good home grown fuel with their gasoline, which prevents high compression engines to screw us and keep us at the foreign oil pumps! I want a Smart car with an Ethanol-Specific turbo-high compression Ethanol only engine! and a 45 gallon bbl of Pure American Ethanol delivered to my garage! – Good enough for up to six months driving! no Bull Shiite!
Uncle B

Asshole American Logic

Americans stuff what-ever, into their low compression, inefficient , spark ignition engines and expect miracles they never get! Goddammit! Fools! Euro- diesels gave them 40 % more miles per gallon, and they shrugged and walked away! An “Ethanol-Specific”, high compression engine gives extra-ordinary miles per gallon advantage over gasoline engines! Adding Ethanol to gasoline is idiotic! and reduces miles per gallon in a gasoline engine. We need an engine designed for burning the superior home grow Ethanol, in pure form! Ethanol can give better performance, miles per gallon, when burned in an Ethanol engine! Build a high compression engine designed to get best performance from pure Ethanol, then get the American hot-rodders to “tweak” this motor for high mileage and watch gasoline sales fall! We are being “Hoodwinked” by Exxon into diluting a very good home grown fuel with their gasoline, which prevents high compression engines to screw us and keep us at the foreign oil pumps! I want a Smart car with an Ethanol-Specific turbo-high compression Ethanol only engine! and a 45 gallon bbl of Pure American Ethanol delivered to my garage! – Good enough for up to six months driving! no Bull Shiite!