Director of Quality & Innovation Lagunitas Brewing Company Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Brewers spend considerable effort in optimizing processes to facilitate the removal of unwanted compounds that detract from flavor and stability. Through optimization of raw material sourcing and adoption of new brewing technologies, brewers have an opportunity to realize significant reductions in losses, costs, and emissions. Importing of high-quality raw materials may result in fewer total emissions than sourcing lower-quality materials locally, with the additional distance traveled potentially being offset by a shift to a more sustainable mode of transportation. While under-processing of beer and wort can lead to spoilage risk and high destruction costs, over-processing can incur excessive losses, costs and utilities usage. A focus on key product features and detractors can help showcase opportunities for each brewer.
