[The Professor]

As we all know,  "Green beer" can describe beer that's been dyed for St. Pat's day (tacky)  or beer that's indequately aged (not ready for prime time).
But check this out!  Here's 'green beer'  that is neither:

[size=8pt]http://www.nextworldtv.com/videos/energy/beer-powered-wisconsin-hospital.html[/size]

[FirstStateBrewer]

Never heard of biogas.  I thought the gas produced by the brewing process was CO2.  Yet, I see this technology has been used in Germany for a while.

http://designbuildsource.com.au/brewing-biogas-bitburg

[gmac]

Never heard of biogas.  I thought the gas produced by the brewing process was CO2.  Yet, I see this technology has been used in Germany for a while.

http://designbuildsource.com.au/brewing-biogas-bitburg

Just a hippy word for methane. 
I know some guys that have a methane digester that processes dairy cattle waste (crap) and is burned to generate electricity.  They left out the whole methane digestion step in the brewery waste process.

[FirstStateBrewer]

Never heard of biogas.  I thought the gas produced by the brewing process was CO2.  Yet, I see this technology has been used in Germany for a while.

http://designbuildsource.com.au/brewing-biogas-bitburg

Just a hippy word for methane. 
I know some guys that have a methane digester that processes dairy cattle waste (crap) and is burned to generate electricity.  They left out the whole methane digestion step in the brewery waste process.

So, does that mean they throw the spent grains in big tanks and let it rot?  Bet that smells nice!  ;-)

I wonder if this is another one of those green technologies that requires large government funding to make economically feasible.  The video doesn't mention that.

[morticaixavier]

Never heard of biogas.  I thought the gas produced by the brewing process was CO2.  Yet, I see this technology has been used in Germany for a while.

http://designbuildsource.com.au/brewing-biogas-bitburg

Just a hippy word for methane. 
I know some guys that have a methane digester that processes dairy cattle waste (crap) and is burned to generate electricity.  They left out the whole methane digestion step in the brewery waste process.

So, does that mean they throw the spent grains in big tanks and let it rot?  Bet that smells nice!  ;-)

I wonder if this is another one of those green technologies that requires large government funding to make economically feasible.  The video doesn't mention that.

Nope, biogas digestors are potentially very cheap on a small scale. You can make your own out of a couple of 55 gallon plastic barrels and some flexible rubber. burn it right in a normal natural gas stove. you just need a way to pressurize it and I have seen that done with a big rock on top of the collector pushing it down.

methane happens man. Lot's of dairy famrs in VT do this for extra power in the barns. there are rural parts of india and africa that depend on this for power.

[FirstStateBrewer]

Never heard of biogas.  I thought the gas produced by the brewing process was CO2.  Yet, I see this technology has been used in Germany for a while.

http://designbuildsource.com.au/brewing-biogas-bitburg

Just a hippy word for methane. 
I know some guys that have a methane digester that processes dairy cattle waste (crap) and is burned to generate electricity.  They left out the whole methane digestion step in the brewery waste process.

So, does that mean they throw the spent grains in big tanks and let it rot?  Bet that smells nice!  ;-)

I wonder if this is another one of those green technologies that requires large government funding to make economically feasible.  The video doesn't mention that.

Nope, biogas digestors are potentially very cheap on a small scale. You can make your own out of a couple of 55 gallon plastic barrels and some flexible rubber. burn it right in a normal natural gas stove. you just need a way to pressurize it and I have seen that done with a big rock on top of the collector pushing it down.

methane happens man. Lot's of dairy famrs in VT do this for extra power in the barns. there are rural parts of india and africa that depend on this for power.

This doesn't seem like a small scale.  I wonder how the craft brewing industry would be affected if the government were to mandate all breweries must install this technology at their own expense. 

[hopfenundmalz]

Never heard of biogas.  I thought the gas produced by the brewing process was CO2.  Yet, I see this technology has been used in Germany for a while.

http://designbuildsource.com.au/brewing-biogas-bitburg

Just a hippy word for methane. 
I know some guys that have a methane digester that processes dairy cattle waste (crap) and is burned to generate electricity.  They left out the whole methane digestion step in the brewery waste process.

So, does that mean they throw the spent grains in big tanks and let it rot?  Bet that smells nice!  ;-)

I wonder if this is another one of those green technologies that requires large government funding to make economically feasible.  The video doesn't mention that.

Nope, biogas digestors are potentially very cheap on a small scale. You can make your own out of a couple of 55 gallon plastic barrels and some flexible rubber. burn it right in a normal natural gas stove. you just need a way to pressurize it and I have seen that done with a big rock on top of the collector pushing it down.

methane happens man. Lot's of dairy famrs in VT do this for extra power in the barns. there are rural parts of india and africa that depend on this for power.

This doesn't seem like a small scale.  I wonder how the craft brewing industry would be affected if the government were to mandate all breweries must install this technology at their own expense.

Not required, but some breweries are green. Sometimes being green generates more "green" in the bottom line.

http://www.sierranevada.com/environment/waterconservation.html

http://www.sierranevada.com/environment/solar.html

[Slowbrew]

He only had a minute-thirty to explain the whole process so it makes sense that skipped a few details.  If he believes the gas produced by fermentation can be burned it would be fun to watch him try and light it.   

Every livestock farm on the planet produces methane.  When not managed properly they become extremely aromatic.  The basic concept behind the bio-digester is compost in a contained environment.  If you have ever seen the big eternal flame that burns at your cities waste treatment plant you have seen this process in action.  They are burning off the methane from the waste.

It's a great idea actually.  Japan has been building methane capture systems into their landfills for decades.  If you have ever played a round of golf in Japan you probably were walking around on one.

Paul

[FirstStateBrewer]

Not required, but some breweries are green. Sometimes being green generates more "green" in the bottom line.

http://www.sierranevada.com/environment/waterconservation.html

http://www.sierranevada.com/environment/solar.html

Handling waste water is certainly a concern for large breweries.  If the green technology proves to be economically feasible, then it will naturally become the standard for the brewing industry.  But, if it's not and the technology is mandated, then it could potentially destroy the craft brewing industry.  That's my only point.

[gmac]

If he believes the gas produced by fermentation can be burned it would be fun to watch him try and light it.   

I've got some fire extinguishers that use the gas produced by fermentation

[morticaixavier]

Not required, but some breweries are green. Sometimes being green generates more "green" in the bottom line.

http://www.sierranevada.com/environment/waterconservation.html

http://www.sierranevada.com/environment/solar.html

Handling waste water is certainly a concern for large breweries.  If the green technology proves to be economically feasible, then it will naturally become the standard for the brewing industry.  But, if it's not and the technology is mandated, then it could potentially destroy the craft brewing industry.  That's my only point.

okay, probably not really germain to the subject. mostly just political stuff so let's drop that aspect yeah?

[The Professor]

Not required, but some breweries are green. Sometimes being green generates more "green" in the bottom line.

http://www.sierranevada.com/environment/waterconservation.html

http://www.sierranevada.com/environment/solar.html

Handling waste water is certainly a concern for large breweries.  If the green technology proves to be economically feasible, then it will naturally become the standard for the brewing industry.  But, if it's not and the technology is mandated, then it could potentially destroy the craft brewing industry.  That's my only point.

okay, probably not really germain to the subject. mostly just political stuff so let's drop that aspect yeah?

AMEN to that!!!
Besides, nothing was mentioned about any kind of mandate anyway!   

[gmac]

I think Mort's campaigning for Moderator

[bboy9000]

Just did my third all-grain batch and left the spent grain in the MT overnight.  If the smell from biogas is similar, I'd rather smell sewage.

[gmac]

Leave them in there for a month and you'll discover a whole new olfactory threshold.