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Alaska brewery plans to use beer as a source of green energy

Fox News --
The Alaskan Brewing Co. is going green, but instead of looking to solar and wind energy, it has turned to a very familiar source: beer.

The Juneau-based beer maker has installed a unique boiler system in order to cut its fuel costs. It purchased a $1.8 million furnace that burns the company's spent grain -- the waste accumulated from the brewing process -- into steam which powers the majority of the brewery's operations.

Company officials now joke they are now serving "beer-powered beer."

Four years ago, officials at the Alaskan Brewing Co. started looking at whether it could use spent grain as an in-house, renewable energy source and reduce costs at the same time.

While breweries around the world use spent grain as a co-fuel in energy recovery systems, "nobody was burning sp

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Submitted Feb 04, 2013 By: bar1035

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,580 Points:1,605,520 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Feb 8, 2013 6:02:13 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse not totally new, but nice to be reminded that there still is some innovative spirit in the country.
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,595 Points:1,201,860 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Feb 7, 2013 12:51:05 AM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse Good article Bar1035! Thanks for posting!
Ray_10589 Champion Author New York Posts:4,926 Points:1,179,735 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 11:06:52 PM Ignore Ray_10589 Report Abuse really .... we need serous energy...
msf1527 All-Star Author San Bernardino Posts:531 Points:129,370 Joined:Nov 2012	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 9:40:02 PM Ignore msf1527 Report Abuse Yes beer power...
endymion All-Star Author New York Posts:813 Points:168,680 Joined:Nov 2012	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 7:30:28 AM Ignore endymion Report Abuse I've been running on beer power for years now!
ShadowACE Champion Author Boston Posts:9,003 Points:2,146,650 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 1:02:49 AM Ignore ShadowACE Report Abuse Z51Corvette said: "Oh that is such a waste of good beer." Maybe not, Z. They don't seem to mention exactly which brand of beer that is, and I've had a few that would have been much better for burning than they were for drinking. There were a few local varieties that I encountered in Vietnam that were definitely better used as fuel than as a libation.
RambleOn Champion Author New York Posts:2,374 Points:1,505,205 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 1:01:54 AM Ignore RambleOn Report Abuse And serves as an example that this private company acted out of their own free will, without Uncle Sam sticking his fingers where they don't belong.
granitestater Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:8,805 Points:1,427,825 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:56:00 AM Ignore granitestater Report Abuse Normally waste grain goes as livestock feed. But there aren't too many feedlots around the Juneau area...
k54frog Champion Author California Posts:10,148 Points:2,098,350 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:53:48 AM Ignore k54frog Report Abuse Oh yea, I would say they are going amber. hahaha
k54frog Champion Author California Posts:10,148 Points:2,098,350 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:53:05 AM Ignore k54frog Report Abuse READ CAREFULLY! they are not wasting beer, they are using the used up grain from beer making to create power to make more beer. I like it.
VikingWoman Champion Author Washington Posts:1,246 Points:248,640 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:52:13 AM Ignore VikingWoman Report Abuse Smart move for them.
Petrock Champion Author Lexington Posts:9,103 Points:2,553,760 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:52:05 AM Ignore Petrock Report Abuse Sounds like a great idea ... But I have to wonder if I am helping to pay for it!
rippinusoff Champion Author Lexington Posts:7,393 Points:1,485,075 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:49:00 AM Ignore rippinusoff Report Abuse ok
pa79th Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:1,762 Points:1,212,850 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:47:04 AM Ignore pa79th Report Abuse I can think of a much better use for beer. It doesn't involve driving, either.
Zonk Champion Author Michigan Posts:6,466 Points:2,099,090 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:44:51 AM Ignore Zonk Report Abuse Smart thinking on someones behalf.
Rageagainsttm Champion Author Tampa Posts:8,288 Points:1,900,055 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:44:40 AM Ignore Rageagainsttm Report Abuse I'll drink to that.
gsayeg1 All-Star Author Milwaukee Posts:774 Points:139,040 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:43:19 AM Ignore gsayeg1 Report Abuse What brand - hope its not Schlitz!
10k Champion Author North Carolina Posts:21,226 Points:2,251,095 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:43:13 AM Ignore 10k Report Abuse i'll drink to that ; )
PrinceLH Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,677 Points:535,120 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:41:35 AM Ignore PrinceLH Report Abuse The drink of the masses!
GAS1251 Champion Author Texas Posts:5,133 Points:1,623,305 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:39:52 AM Ignore GAS1251 Report Abuse Good idea.
Z51Corvette Champion Author Austin Posts:8,475 Points:1,668,445 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:37:42 AM Ignore Z51Corvette Report Abuse Oh that is such a waste of good beer. Food is for food and fuel is for fuel... come on get it straight!
TFowler513 Champion Author Memphis Posts:3,824 Points:1,410,510 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:35:07 AM Ignore TFowler513 Report Abuse All alternatives are welcome.
Matt G Champion Author Boston Posts:4,518 Points:2,770,115 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:34:17 AM Ignore Matt G Report Abuse Just why we need, drunken cars
CPGas1815 Champion Author Michigan Posts:6,027 Points:1,099,605 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:33:51 AM Ignore CPGas1815 Report Abuse Fixed news is not a legitimate news organization.
SpankyMI Champion Author Kalamazoo Posts:2,693 Points:756,255 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:30:44 AM Ignore SpankyMI Report Abuse I hope it will keep the cost of the beer down.
amgine27 Champion Author New York Posts:1,252 Points:302,690 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:29:00 AM Ignore amgine27 Report Abuse ok
s6sputnik Champion Author Austin Posts:6,209 Points:1,304,395 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:28:45 AM Ignore s6sputnik Report Abuse Good stuff
Harry813 Champion Author Iowa Posts:2,985 Points:657,865 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:28:37 AM Ignore Harry813 Report Abuse I like to drink som of that .
k2kipp Champion Author Minnesota Posts:3,149 Points:1,123,995 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:27:51 AM Ignore k2kipp Report Abuse Interesting! Drink more beer.
EvPv Champion Author Maine Posts:1,018 Points:261,700 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:27:15 AM Ignore EvPv Report Abuse good one boatfloyd!
Trowinsamoan Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:1,137 Points:182,840 Joined:Nov 2012	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:26:22 AM Ignore Trowinsamoan Report Abuse Light beer ,regular beer or non alcohol beer?
boatfloyd Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:1,703 Points:385,050 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:24:08 AM Ignore boatfloyd Report Abuse They are thinking "Outside the Can".
RAE344 Champion Author Virginia Beach Posts:3,044 Points:657,520 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:22:24 AM Ignore RAE344 Report Abuse This is funny, how many people just read the title of the article and comment. This is no different then a trash burning generator.
rx7racerca Champion Author Calgary Posts:4,187 Points:1,109,420 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:21:39 AM Ignore rx7racerca Report Abuse Surprised it hasn't been done before, but I suppose if it's cheap and easy to sell it to local farmers for most breweries, there's why.
Darwin00 All-Star Author Mississippi Posts:827 Points:267,095 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:20:54 AM Ignore Darwin00 Report Abuse cool
heartbroken2010 Champion Author Ottawa Posts:4,324 Points:893,535 Joined:Aug 2010	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:18:53 AM Ignore heartbroken2010 Report Abuse i thought i had heard it all , now this,unbelievable.
a14morfun Champion Author Ontario Posts:11,769 Points:2,072,240 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:18:25 AM Ignore a14morfun Report Abuse Prosit!
mfeldstein Champion Author Ottawa Posts:8,161 Points:1,928,430 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:18:11 AM Ignore mfeldstein Report Abuse Could beer replace gas?
Jmac2008 Champion Author Missouri Posts:2,254 Points:877,140 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:18:09 AM Ignore Jmac2008 Report Abuse a good use of leftover product from making beer.
OGW Champion Author London Posts:5,324 Points:1,529,650 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:17:41 AM Ignore OGW Report Abuse So is the beer cheaper now?
ssect8 Champion Author Hartford Posts:7,973 Points:2,092,520 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:17:37 AM Ignore ssect8 Report Abuse Whatever it takes.
mackconsult Champion Author Portland Posts:5,304 Points:864,030 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:17:27 AM Ignore mackconsult Report Abuse Now that is cool
mrreferee Champion Author Savannah Posts:1,336 Points:554,530 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:17:02 AM Ignore mrreferee Report Abuse no news here, beer has been giving me gas for years!
obimerrill Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:1,425 Points:286,790 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:16:59 AM Ignore obimerrill Report Abuse Interesting
crreed1 Champion Author West Virginia Posts:1,970 Points:2,523,410 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:16:36 AM Ignore crreed1 Report Abuse old news
tedjm1 Champion Author New York Posts:5,609 Points:800,300 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:15:02 AM Ignore tedjm1 Report Abuse Cuts their costs a bit.
Bigwaynef Champion Author South Carolina Posts:11,451 Points:2,077,835 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:14:11 AM Ignore Bigwaynef Report Abuse Damn all these years I've been doing Green Energy and people thought I was drunk, ha!
ItisAJeepThing Champion Author Tucson Posts:19,730 Points:2,147,580 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:13:35 AM Ignore ItisAJeepThing Report Abuse Excellent use of a semi waste product. Kudos to to Alaskan Brewing Co. Going green is going to pay off for them.
Rooster922 Champion Author Wilmington Posts:3,773 Points:653,145 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:13:22 AM Ignore Rooster922 Report Abuse I'm moving there.
rbutterw Champion Author Raleigh Posts:1,160 Points:289,500 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2013 12:13:10 AM Ignore rbutterw Report Abuse Uh gas prices?