CO2 recovery in breweries is becoming an essential strategy for improving both sustainability and cost-efficiency. Brewing beer naturally generates carbon dioxide (CO₂), particularly during fermentation, the stage where yeast transforms sugars into alcohol. In fact, fermentation can produce up to three times more CO₂ than is required for brewing, packaging, and bottling combined. On average, each pint of beer brewed releases about 15 grams of CO₂. To put that into perspective, the British Beer & Pub Association reported that over 8 billion pints were consumed in the UK in 2019—resulting in the release of a substantial amount of CO₂ into the atmosphere.

Large, global breweries have long invested in carbon dioxide recovery systems, using their financial resources to capture and reuse CO₂ during production. While CO2 recovery in breweries has been more common among large-scale producers, newer technologies are making it accessible to smaller craft operations. In contrast, many craft brewers have viewed CO₂ recapture technology as too costly, often releasing excess gas into the atmosphere. However, this approach is both economically and environmentally inefficient—since CO₂ must later be repurchased to carbonate beer, purge oxygen from tanks and lines, and transfer beer into bottles or cans.

Carbon dioxide purchases are a recurring expense that reduces craft brewers’ profit margins.

Capturing and Reusing Carbon Dioxide

The good news is that recent technological innovations, driven in large part by companies working with NASA on space exploration and investigation, have led entrepreneurs to an awareness that CO₂ recapture may in fact now be seen as a relatively affordable, and certainly environmentally friendly, option for craft breweries. The technology involves capturing the CO₂ that has accumulated during fermentation and purifying the gas to make it suitable for reuse and/or sale.

The Washington Post has reported that Texas-based Earthly Labs has created a product called “CiCi” (for “carbon capture”), a refrigerator-sized unit that enables brewers to trap and reuse accumulated carbon dioxide. Captured CO₂ is piped from the fermentation tanks to a “dryer” to separate water from CO₂gas. The gas is next purified and chilled to a liquid for ease of storage and subsequent use.

Brewers can reuse their stored carbon dioxide to carbonate new batches of beer, as well as in the canning and bottling processes for the new beer. Craft Brewing Business, a trade website dedicated to the business of commercial craft brewing, reports that breweries can reduce monthly carbon dioxide expenses by 50 percent or more, and CO₂ emissions by up to 50%, via carbon capture technology.

Breweries that capture more CO₂ than they can use, may elect to sell the surplus to other breweries, bars, restaurants, and any other businesses that also use carbon dioxide. For instance, the State of Colorado, Earthly Labs, the Denver Beer Co., and The Clinic announced in early 2020 a pilot program in which Denver Beer Co. would sell its surplus CO₂ to The Clinic, a medical and recreational cannabis dispensary, which would then pump the carbon dioxide inside its grow rooms to stimulate and enrich plant growth.

Oxygen Monitors Can Mitigate Unseen Dangers of Carbon Dioxide

Brewers and others working around carbon dioxide need to be aware of the potential risks associated with CO₂. Carbon dioxide is an odorless and colorless oxygen-depleting gas. Since it deprives the air of oxygen, CO₂ use presents a potential health hazard for brewery personnel.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an environment in which oxygen levels fall below 19.5 percent is considered an oxygen-deficient atmosphere and should be treated as immediately dangerous to health or life. When there is not enough oxygen in the air, persons working in the affected area may become disoriented, lose consciousness, or even suffocate due to the lack of sufficient oxygen. Because CO₂ is devoid of odor and color, individuals working around it might well, in the absence of appropriate monitoring equipment, be unaware that a risk situation has developed.

As such, The National Fire Protection Association recommends that gas monitoring equipment be placed in storage areas or any place where carbon dioxide is used or stored.

PureAire Dual O₂/CO₂ Monitors

PureAire Monitoring Systems’ Dual Oxygen/Carbon Dioxide Monitor offers thorough air monitoring, with no time-consuming maintenance or calibration required. A screen displays current oxygen and carbon dioxide levels for at-a-glance reading by brewery employees, who derive peace of mind from the Monitor’s presence and reliable performance.

In the event of a carbon dioxide leak, and a decrease in oxygen to an unsafe level, PureAire’s Monitor will set off an alarm, complete with horns and flashing lights, alerting brewery personnel to evacuate the area.

PureAire’s Dual Oxygen/Carbon Dioxide Monitor is well-suited for facilities where carbon dioxide is used, such as breweries, bars, and restaurants. Our Dual O₂/CO₂ monitor includes both a non-depleting, zirconium oxide sensor cell, to monitor oxygen levels, and a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor cell, to monitor carbon dioxide levels. PureAire’s O₂/CO₂ monitors can last, trouble-free, for over 10 years under normal operating conditions.

Saving money, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and ensuring employee safety…that is certainly something to which we can all raise a glass.

Implementing CO2 recovery in breweries not only reduces emissions but also enhances workplace safety when paired with PureAire’s gas monitoring systems. To ensure safety in environments where CO₂ is present, it’s crucial to monitor gas levels effectively. Products like the PureAire Oxygen Deficiency Monitor and the PureAire Monitoring Systems Carbon Dioxide Monitor are designed to detect hazardous concentrations of gases, providing alerts to prevent potential health risks. These monitors are essential tools for breweries implementing CO₂ recovery systems, ensuring both operational efficiency and worker safety.