Stockholm brewery launches beer brewed from treated sewage

A collaboration between Stockholm's Nya Carnegiebryggeriet (New Carnegie Brewery), the Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL) and Carlsberg, the “PU:REST” beer,  uses recycled waste water as its base in an effort to raise awareness about water shortages as well as change opinions about reusing old water.

“In a world threatened by water shortage we wanted to show that we already have technologies to recycle wastewater into drinking water that is as clean as normal tap water,” IVL project manager Staffan Filipsson explained.

READ ALSO: Sweden's 2017 water shortage

The research institute says the challenge with getting humans to drink recycled water is not a technological one, but a psychological problem, with many still skeptical about consuming second-hand H20. Could a beer convince consumers otherwise?

The method been tested in other countries before, but this is a first for Sweden.

READ ALSO: Meet the Swede using NASA technology to combat water shortages

Some reactions on the New Carnegie Brewery Facebook page seem unimpressed, with comments like “not super keen” and “waste water made into beer?”. But the brewery insists the drink is a “crystal clear pilsner”, and hopes to change public opinion when the beer is released for sale in July.

“We share the view that both producers and consumers must dare to think different if we are to successfully take care of Earth’s resources,” brewmaster Chris Thurgeson noted.

What do you think? Would you drink beer made from recycled water? Let us know your thoughts at [email protected]