Amidst a wave of skepticism within the beer industry questioning the motives of New York-based brewery Cool Cousin Brewing, some dismissing it as mere marketing without substantive data, the initiative has piqued the interest of others, despite reservations concerning flavor profiles and the scientific utilization of enzymes in the brewing process.
Undeterred by the doubters, Cool Cousin Brewing’s founder and CEO, John Midgley, has clarified that his venture into brewing beers exclusively from unmalted barley is driven by a genuine commitment to crafting flavorful and environmentally-friendly brews.
Midgley recounted the genesis of his journey, revealing that it began several years ago when he embarked on a course focused on the science of brewing at the University of Leuven in Belgium.
He explained, “During the course, there was a recurring theme that the beer brewing industry needed to make more significant strides in conserving energy and water, with the malted barley process being an area where little progress had been made.”
After completing the course, Midgley revealed that it set him on a path of exploration, ultimately leading him to discover enzyme cocktails designed for brewing beer using raw barley.
He noted, “It took a year of experimenting with homebrewing to develop a method to brew beer that not only looked and tasted good but also aligned with my primary goal from day one – to create exceptional-tasting beer, especially lagers, while ensuring sustainability.”
According to Midgley, bypassing the malting process significantly reduces the energy and water consumption associated with traditional brewing methods. He urged skeptics to verify this claim by referring to the energy and water data related to malting barley, readily available on the British Malting Association’s website.
Midgley emphasized that the industrial production of enzymes has become highly efficient over the years, resulting in lower energy and water usage compared to traditional malt production.
Acknowledging the industry’s valid concerns and the need for data-driven evidence, Midgley defended his product, emphasizing that their core innovation lies in eliminating the malting process entirely.
To clarify further, Midgley stated, “To put it simply, if you take one barley farmer and one brewhouse and brew the exact same beer in both traditional and our way – under controlled conditions where all other factors are equal – this is what you save: 350ml of water and 16g of CO2 per 500ml of beer served.”
For those seeking in-depth research on the sustainability of this approach, Midgley referenced research papers such as “The use of enzymes for beer brewing: Thermodynamic comparison on resource use” authored by Laura H.G. van Donkelaar, Joost Mostert, Filippos K. Zisopoulos, Remko M. Boom, and Atze-Jan van der Goot, which dates back to 2015 and originates from the University of Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Looking ahead, Cool Cousin Brewing has ambitious plans to expand its beer portfolio, with the introduction of an IPA currently in development as their second beer offering.
