Singapore Brewery Launches New Beer Made From Recycled Sewage Water

How tough are things getting globally? Well, a new “admired” beer that’s breaking through in Singapore is being made from “recycled sewage”. 

What part in the global macroeconomic cycle is this again?

The beer, called “NEWBrew”, is a “collaboration between the country’s national water agency, PUB, and local craft brewery Brewerkz,” according to a Bloomberg report this week. The idea was first discussed in 2018 and it finally went on sale this past April. 

58 year old Chew Wei Lian, who recently tried the beer, told Bloomberg: “I seriously couldn’t tell this was made of toilet water. I don’t mind having it if it was in the fridge. I mean, it tastes just like beer, and I like beer.”

How’s that for a ringing endorsement? At least it’s not Busch Light.

The beer uses Singapore’s “NEWater”, which is the country’s drinking water that has been recycled from sewage. The water was first used in 2003 as a project to “improve the island’s water security,” the report says. 

It also says that the idea of processing sewage into drinking water “has been gaining support in the past decade as the world’s supply of fresh water is increasingly under stress”. 2.7 billion worldwide find water scarce for at least one month a year. 

Singapore is hardly the first to try such endeavors. Countries like Israel have also incorporated the technology being used into their supplies. L.A. and London are also looking at similar methods to implement the technology. 

Mitch Gribov, Brewerkz’s head brewer, said about the water: “NEWater perfectly suits brewing because it tastes neutral. The mineral profile of water plays a key role in chemical reactions during brewing.”

But not everyone is “sold” on the idea. 22 year old student Low Yu Chen concluded: “There are many kinds of beers around. If I wanted a beer, I’d pick something made of normal water.”