Green is in season right now because of St. Patrick’s Day, but also because Earth Day is around the corner. However, we think that eco-friendly brewing techniques should be a thing year-round. Here are some of the ways brewers are having an eco-friendly impact on our environment by using the Infusion Spiral® system.
Faster and biggest bang for their buck
By using the Infusion Spirals system, brewers can increase fermenting times. Infusion Spirals eliminate the need for aging in bourbon barrels, which is a lengthy process. The length of time the Infusion Spiral system will need to soak depends on how oak-infused the brewer wants their beer. In a recirculating system, spirals only need to be submerged for two to five days. Similarly, static contact systems require seven to 10 days of contact.
This brewing process is more eco-friendly in the sense that it saves the brewer time and money. Less money is spent on aging ales and less space needs to be devoted to these brews. More space means more brews can be produced at one time. This brings down production time and cost, which translates to a greener brewing process because fewer resources are being allocated to create the brew.
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Earth Day’s mantra of “reduce, reuse, recycle” also applies to the Infusion Spirals system. Similar to oak chips, our oak spirals can be used for numerous brewings and agings. To get the same level of oaky flavor, the brewer needs to soak the spirals a little longer to extract the same flavors. There is less waste by using spirals, versus other methods of adding oak into brews.
Furthermore, traditional cooperage requires numerous wood barrels to achieve the same oaky effect. To store these barrels is an additional environmental impact so keep them at the perfect temperature and exposure. To illuminate how much wood is saved we can compare how many barrels versus spirals can be created from one French Oaktree. Only four barrels worth of hand-split staves can be produced while more than 250 Infusion Spirals can be created.
Without compromising on quality or flavor, Infusion Spirals is the eco-friendly brewing option. By reducing the amount of resources needed to create a high-quality product, brewers can drastically reduce their carbon footprint.