“Newbrew” is not an ordinary beer. Singapore Blond Ale has just been made with recycled waste.
Alcoholic drinks are collaboration between the National Water Agency, PUB, and a place for making local beer in the country, Brewerkz. First launched at a water conference in 2018, Newbrew began to be sold at supermarkets and at Brewerkz outlets in April.
“I really can’t say this is made of toilet water,” said Chew Wei Lian, 58, who has bought beer from the supermarket to try after hearing it. “I don’t mind having it if it’s in the refrigerator. I mean, it feels like beer, and I like beer.”
Newbrew uses Newater, a Singapore drinking water brand recycled from waste, which first flowed from the processing plant in 2003 to improve the safety of the island’s water. Pub said the new beer was part of an effort to educate Singaporeans about the importance of water use and sustainable recycling.
The idea of processing waste into drinking water, which was once opposed, has received support in the last decade because the supply of freshwater in the world is increasingly depressed. The World Wildlife Fund estimates that 2.7 billion people feel rare for at least one month a year.
Advanced economies such as Israel and Singapore which have limited fresh water resources have included technology into their supplies. Cities like Los Angeles and London are checking plans to follow.
Singapore’s new water is made by disinfecting waste with ultraviolet light and passing through a sophisticated membrane to remove contaminant particles.
The key to expanding technology is to persuade the public that once the water has been processed, it is only water.
“Newater is very suitable to be brewed because it tastes neutral,” said Mitch Gribov, a brewerkz beer maker. “Water mineral profile plays a key role in chemical reactions during the manufacture of beer.”
Beer factory in other places also makes beer with recycled waste. His Carnegie Brewery based in Stockholm is in partnership with the giant making of Carlsberg and IVL Sweden Environmental Research Institute to launch Pilsner made with pure waste, while Village Brewery in Canada is in collaboration with researchers from the University of Calgary and and the AS Xylem water technology company for Launched to be launched with researchers from the University of Calgary and Dan As Water Technology Technology to be launched with researchers from the University of Calgary and and as Water Technology Technology to be launched with researchers from the University of Calgary and as US as their own version.
Not everyone is sure. “There are many types of beer around,” said Singapore student Low Yu Chen, 22. “If I want beer, I will choose something made from normal water.”
But other people who tasted new, said they found that it was a refreshing beer and felt perfect for Singapore’s tropical climate.
“If you don’t tell those people to be made of wastewater, they might not know,” Grace Chen said, 52, after tasting beer.
However, if you are in Singapore and you want to taste it yourself, you might have to be fast. The first batch of Newbrew has been sold out on tap on the Brewerkz Restaurants and the company hopes that shares in the supermarket will run out at the end of July. Brewer said he would assess the market response before deciding whether to make another batch.