Say ‘Cheers!’ to Mother Nature—The Fermentist is helping people drink beer in a sustainable matter with their new carbon-neutral brew. The Christchurch-based craft brewery has become the first in the country to receive an Enviro-Mark Solutions carboNZero certification for its Kiwi Pale Ale. But this isn’t enough for The Fermentist; they are also looking to become New Zealand’s first carbon-neutral brewery next year.
Although The Fermentist has sold the Kiwi Pale Ale for over a year now, only recently can it be classified as carbon-free.
Since the earthquakes, The Fermentist has been able to focus efforts on sustainability. The brewery utilises the Christchurch area’s local producers as well as electricity or solar power as opposed to gas. They also focus on composting waste generated during the brewing process.
Obtaining the Enviro-Mark Solutions has been a lengthy process for The Fermentist. The assessment began in November of last year and included many audits and technical reviews. In order to say that the beer is carbon-neutral means that the whole process has to be examined—from the fertiliser used in growing the grain to the refrigeration of the product at the consumer’s end.
Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important idea in the foodservice industry as more people are focusing attention on provenance and operating in a sustainable manner.
