Tips for Sustainable Homebrewing

Homebrewing is a fun and rewarding hobby, but I often find myself thinking about the environmental impact it can have. From water usage to energy consumption, there are plenty of ways homebrewing can unintentionally contribute to waste and pollution. The good news is, there are also plenty of practical, achievable ways to make your brewing more sustainable.

In this article, I’m sharing my tips for making your homebrewing more eco-friendly—ideas that are realistic for the average homebrewer. I don’t have a big house, a solar-powered setup, or a nearby farm with pigs to feed my spent grain to. And let’s be honest, there’s only so much bread or dog treats you can make before it gets old. Sustainability, to me, is about creating repeatable habits that make a difference over time—not just one-off changes that are hard to maintain.

What surprised me most while writing this is that many of these environmentally friendly practices don’t just help the planet—they can also save you money. Win-win.

Use Locally-Sourced Ingredients

An easy change that you can make as a homebrewer is to use locally-sourced ingredients. For example, here in the U.K. we have some amazing maltsters and often the malted grains don't have to travel far to get to us homebrewers.

The best part about this is that it not only supports local businesses, but it also reduces the environmental impact of shipping ingredients long distances or even overseas. Look for local farms and breweries that offer ingredients and brewing supplies. It also lessens our carbon footprint since the ingredients have far fewer miles to travel to reach us.

I realise this isn't always practical - sometimes you just want to brew a Hazy IPA with banging US and New Zealand hops, and that's totally okay! That said, many other beer recipes can substitute and use local ingredients - think of Saison's, lagers, etc. Many of these styles can be brewed with ingredients that reflect the terroir of your country instead of the exact ingredients that need to be flown in from Europe.

Reuse Yeast

Rather than buying new yeast for each batch of beer, consider reusing yeast from previous batches. This not only reduces waste, but it can also save you money.

I've been doing this for a few years now and it is a game changer. If you aren't familiar with how to do this, there are some amazing videos online that will walk you through the process.

With the correct sanitisation and handling procedures, you can reuse your yeast again and again. To give you an idea of how much, it's worth considering that Harvey's Brewery located in Lewes, UK has reused the same yeast for over 50 years!

Reuse your water

My brewhouse is a Grainfather G30 and I use the counterflow chiller that comes with it. I love this piece of kit - during the winter months I can cool my wort to pitching temp in no time. That said, I still use a lot of water during this process!

To cut down on waste, I try to save the warm water that comes out during chilling, especially if I know I’ll be brewing again soon. It’s perfect for heating up strike water for the next batch. If that’s not an option, you could repurpose it for cleaning up after your brew day—or even use it to water the garden. It’s a small change, but finding ways to reuse water wherever possible can make a big difference over time.

Brew with the seasons

One of the most innovative yet underappreciated approaches to sustainable brewing lies in aligning yeast selection with the natural rhythms of the seasons. By choosing yeast strains that thrive in ambient temperatures, brewers can significantly reduce the energy required for heating or cooling fermentation environments. For instance, during the warmer summer months, traditional Kveik yeast offers a perfect solution. Known for its ability to ferment cleanly at temperatures as high as 35–40°C (95–104°F), Kveik eliminates the need for active cooling, making it ideal for summer brewing. Its fast fermentation time and high alcohol tolerance also contribute to overall efficiency.

Conversely, in the colder months, brewers can take advantage of naturally lower temperatures by using lager yeasts such as Saccharomyces pastorianus, which prefer fermentation ranges between 7–13°C (45–55°F). This reduces the need for artificial heating and aligns perfectly with winter conditions. Additionally, Brettanomyces strains, often used in farmhouse ales and Saison's, can tolerate a wide range of temperatures and are well-suited for transitional seasons like spring and autumn.

By embracing this seasonal approach, brewers not only reduce their carbon footprint but also reconnect with traditional, terroir-driven brewing methods that celebrate the natural ebb and flow of the year.

Compost Your Spent Grain

If you search online for "things to do with spent grain," you'll often come across ideas like dog treats, bread, or crackers. And while those are great ways to repurpose grain, there's only so many times you can bake the same batch of grain-based snacks before it starts to feel a bit repetitive. The reality is, most homebrewers and even small-scale breweries produce far more spent grain than they can reasonably cook with.

A simple and highly sustainable alternative is composting. Spent grain is rich in nitrogen, making it an excellent addition to compost piles where it balances out carbon-heavy materials like leaves, cardboard, or wood chips. Once broken down, it becomes a nutrient-rich compost that can be used to fertilize your garden, houseplants, or even community green spaces. Not only does this reduce the amount of waste heading to landfill, but it also supports healthier soil ecosystems and promotes circular brewing practices. It’s a low-effort, high-impact way to close the loop on your brewing process.

Buy in Bulk

We've discussed using local ingredients to reduce your carbon footprint, and it might be worth considering buying your grains and hops in bulk. For example, some homebrewing stores allow you to buy a 25kg sack of grain. Its a great way to save money and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time. Here in the UK, I save a decent amount if I buy a sack of grain instead of ordering multiple smaller amounts at a time.

The Brulosophy team wrote a brilliant article entitled The Beauty of Bulk and covers some of the useful things you need to know when buying in bulk.

One of the best things about keeping bulk ingredients on hand is the fact that you can brew whenever you want— no waiting for ingredients to arrive, fewer shipping fees and more environmentally friendly - I'll take that!

Choose Organic Ingredients (or grow your own)

Organic ingredients are grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, which means they’re gentler on the environment and better for long-term soil health. By choosing organic malts, hops, and other brewing ingredients, you're supporting more sustainable farming practices and helping reduce the amount of harmful chemicals that end up in our soil and waterways.

These days, it’s easier than ever to find organic options—many homebrew stores now stock them, and there are plenty of online retailers that do too. And if you’re up for a bit of a challenge (and some fun), why not try growing your own hops? If you’ve got a bit of garden space and some patience, hops are surprisingly hardy and rewarding to grow. Plus, there’s something incredibly satisfying about brewing a beer with ingredients you’ve grown yourself.

If you'd like to learn more, I wrote an article on this blog about it.

By following these tips, you can make your homebrewing more sustainable and eco-friendly. With a little effort and creativity, you can reduce your environmental impact and brew great beer at the same time. Cheers to that 🍻