Vanguard Renewables Offers Solution
The out of code beer challenge is real for many Massachusetts brewers due to the closure of restaurants, bars, and supply chains. With the MWRA and other wastewater treatment plants without capacity to handle the volumes of beer needing disposal or recycling, finding an alternative solution is critical at this challenging time.
In response to the need, the MA DEP, the Massachusetts Brewers Guild, and a few individual breweries recently contacted Vanguard Renewables regarding the recycling of the stale/out of code beer from kegs. Vanguard collects brewery waste as well as inedible or unused food and food scraps, then utilizes these energy sources to generate renewable energy at five Massachusetts dairy farms. We are the largest recycler of organics in the Northeast and we are also Massachusetts Brewers Guild members.
Because the Commonwealth knows us well and we are already working with a couple of brewers on this, we were asked to explore how we could expand what we’re currently doing with breweries and do so as reasonably as possible. To help, we are offering to accept this beer for recycling at an operating cost disposal rate, which is considerably less than the standard pricing for organic waste recycled at our farm-based facilities.
When the beer arrives at one of our Farm Powered anaerobic digesters, we will combine it with manure from the farm and the other organic waste we receive in a large sealed tank called an anaerobic digester, where microorganisms naturally found in the manure convert it to biogas. The biogas is then processed to create renewable electricity. Other byproducts of the process are heat for the family farm, a chemical-free fertilizer to increase crop yields, and lowered greenhouse gas emissions. It’s a closed-loop system that benefits the individual farms, builds community resiliency, and positively impacts the environment as well.
We hope this can help you. Here’s how Vanguard Renewables and Massachusetts breweries might work together in the coming weeks and months:
1) Finding a temporary storage tank for your stale/out of code beer – There are many different size options ranging from small IBC totes to large poly or Frac tanks. Renting or purchasing a tank are both options and we can help with both.
2) Transportation and removing your stale/out of code beer – Vanguard doesn't make any money on the transportation or storage. We want to keep those costs as low as possible for you, and that feels like an important job given the current economic climate. Vanguard has an extensive network of tanker truck companies that we do business with regularly. We want to help find the lowest cost hauler in your area, and if there’s a few breweries nearby that also have stale beer, we would coordinate a truck pick up from each of you on the same day, thus reducing the overall transportation costs.
3) End site/Disposal site – This is what Vanguard does best. We have five anaerobic digesters located directly on dairy farms throughout Massachusetts. Combined, our digesters can process more than 100,000 gallons of brewery and food waste per day. This can power more than 10,000 average homes, all year long, and it helps to financially sustain the farms as well. Given this, there is also a potential for getting some positive media coverage for your brewery during this time as well.
Feel free to reach out directly to Ryan Harb at rharb@vanguardrenewables.com or 978-314-1176 to discuss your situation. Our website is https://www.foodwaste.com/. We want to find ways to minimize your costs and get through this difficult situation together.