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Beer is basically four ingredients; malted grains (primarily barley) water, hops and yeast and while hops get the majority of the attention (especially in the craft beer biz) the importance of barley) can’t be underestimated.
Malted barley gives a beer its color, its malty sweet flavor and body and most important of all, the natural sugars needed for fermentation.
Barley’s role in beer making is equivalent to grapes’ role in winemaking, the grain is FUNDEMENTAL to beer.
Unfortunately barley is feeling the impact of climate change…
According to a study, published in the journal Nature Plants, heat waves and droughts could occur every three years leading to barley destruction on a global scale and a roughly 16% drop in beer consumption compared to today.
In a future, when global warming is expected to raise atmospheric temperatures over land about 9 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius), the world’s barley supply could potentially drop as much as 15% by the end of the century.
(Courtesy EverGrain / Anheuser-Busch)
To counter that dire scenario Anheuser-Busch has invested $100 million in EverGrain, a sustainable ingredient company created to unlock every grain of potential in barley and make a positive impact on people and the planet.
In March 2021 EverGrain broke ground and began the renovation of the historical Stockhouse 10 landmark on the Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery Campus, and on June 29 the company announced that the facility was officially up-and-running.
EverGrain is focused on transforming the barley used in the brewing process into high-quality, nutritious, and sustainable protein ingredients that can be used in a variety of other foods and other beverages.
EverGrain is now home to an in-house team of scientists, sustainability experts, nutritionists and product developers committed to understanding every molecule of barley and improving the nutrition and environmental integrity of plant-based foods and beverages.
“At Anheuser-Busch we approach sustainability with an innovative mindset so that we can integrate cutting-edge solutions throughout our supply chain. This makes operating sustainably a commitment, not just a priority, and it leverages the power of our network to solve important challenges,” said Brendan Whitworth, CEO of Anheuser-Busch. “EverGrain is one of the standout examples of this commitment.
“The new facility is the first major production site for EverGrain globally and will create a local and sustainable supply of plant protein to fill growing consumer demand. This facility marks the first commercial-scale facility dedicated to upcycling barley at scale.
“We started our journey in 2013, long before upcycling was a trend, with the goal of unlocking every grain of potential in our barley to have a positive impact on people and the planet,” said Gregory Belt, EverGrain CEO. “This new commercial facility in St. Louis is a significant milestone in our journey to transform spent barley at scale into one of the world’s most sustainable, accessible, plentiful sources of plant-based protein.”
