This Singapore brewery uses recycled toilet water to make beer

In order to make beer, water is an absolutely necessary ingredient.

However, in Singapore, one brewery is taking a greener approach to sourcing this ingredient by using wastewater that, prior to treatment, contained (among other things) the urine of local residents — and this ingredient can now be savored in a can of NEWBrew. This greener approach to sourcing this ingredient is being pioneered in Singapore.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Good News From Southeast Asia (@seasia.co)

How does the production of beer make use of wastewater that has been recycled?
When it comes to the process of brewing beer, the ingredients that are most likely to come to mind first are malts, hops, and yeast. However, production of beer is impossible in the absence of one necessary ingredient: water. Brewers must carefully select the appropriate waters in order to achieve the output they want. For the production of strong beer, for instance, using water with a high mineral content is recommended.

By purifying the wastewater, a new and more environmentally friendly method of brewing beer has been discovered in Singapore. Since 2003, a project known as NEWater has been developing a treatment system with the goal of regenerating the water that the general public drinks. The liquid, which obviously also contains urine, is put through a number of phases of purification, including microfiltration and ultraviolet disinfection, respectively. The bacteria, viruses, and other particles are all eradicated by this process.