The last two sentences appear to undermine the headline:<p><i>While the Water Reclamation Facility in Bozeman found the chemistry worked, the logistics of transporting the liquid brewery waste there are too expensive for now. If regulations get stricter, the plant may consider this approach in the future.</i><p>So did they save $1M using this approach, or are they not even using it after all?
Very neat idea.<p>On a side note, seeing that photo with the massive tubs of spent grain lying around makes me gag just thinking about the smell. For those unfamiliar, leaving out spent grains for a day or two results in a putrid buttery + vomit smell, likely due to butyric acid.
Beer has a long history of byproduct uses. Bakers used to approach the brewers to see if they could skim some of their excess yeast to use for baking bread.
With this article in mind, why don’t breweries become algae farms for biofuels or fertilizer?<p>Im sure micro breweries would love to add an additional revenue stream.
> Beer Waste Saves Montana Town $1M on Water Treatment<p>The title on the article has changed from this, which is incorrect. It referred to a one off upgrade needed without the process that normally used alum.<p>> Beer Waste Helps Montana Town Save Money On Water Treatment<p>"We know the alum that we saved already is about $16,000 a year for sure."<p>But, as what they are doing is non standard external costs would add up.<p>But employees love doing novel things so there's the added productivity bonus.<p>Barley seems to be around 121.71 a tonne, so no real need to get recycled barley? But then maybe there's something easier than barley that's more standard and accurate and doesn't risk costly mistakes. Like alum?