Stevenage brewery invests to get to net zero emissions

Fans of craft beer can look forward to a new era in sustainable, locally produced brews with a major investment by Six Hills Brewing.

Launched in Old Town in Stevenage in 2017 by local businessman Paul Clinton, Six Hills Brewing has grown from a modest 40 litre brewing capacity on a previous site to its new location with a tap room at Basils Road. The brewery has now grown to a capacity of 2500 litres of beer a week.

The new steam boil kettle means Six Hills Brewing will no longer need to rely on the use of gas as a fossil fuel. The new equipment is powered by electricity and with a national grid rapidly undergoing decarbonisation, this means customers can be confident that the beer on offer is made with a very low environmental impact.

As owner Paul Clinton explained; “Brewing is often a very energy-intense industrial process. Our new steam boil kettle means Six Hills Brewing will no longer be dependent on gas for heating the brews. It will offer us a significant saving in terms of gas use; we will rely only on electricity which is far more sustainable. The new equipment will also allow us to scale up production without an associated increase in emissions.”

Six Hills Brewing’s commitment to the environment also includes other steps in production. The company uses locally produced malts and all spent grains are given to a local farmer who uses them to feed his pigs. The final product is also only canned rather than using glass bottles which have a far higher carbon footprint. Paul outlined that the quality of can is now far superior to previous generations, which often left a metallic aftertaste.

One of the main ways the company takes emissions seriously is also in informing its customers about beer itself. “When you look at one of our pints of locally-made beer, I explain to customers that you are looking at a product which has around half the carbon footprint of an imported lager,” said Paul.

Six Hills Brewing is one of a number of Stevenage-based companies that is taking real steps to help our town reach its vital goal of getting to net zero emissions by 2030 by defeating the climate emergency.

For more advice on how to transition your business to net zero emissions, please visit Hertfordshire Growth Hub