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02 Jun 2017

Conventional Beer vs Organic Beer

Few things beat the relaxing feeling of drinking a cold, crisp beer on a hot day or opening one to unwind after work, however drinking conventional beer could negatively impact your health and the environment.

Conventional beer is made with hops, barley, fruit and spices that have been grown with the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Other additives used in conventional beer making may include preservatives sodium metasulfite (SMB) and potassium metasulfite (PMB), which have been linked to allergies in certain people, and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) a preservative that may cause allergic skin reactions, is a known endocrine disruptor and may be linked to cancer.

If you believe organic food is important then beer should be no exception. Organic beer is made with certified organic hops, barley, fruit, spices and other ingredients so there is no toxic pesticide, synthetic fertilizer or chemical residues in the final product. Organic beer can be certified in two different ways, either as “100% organic beer” which is made with only organic ingredients, or as “organic beer” where 95% of the ingredients are organically produced. Beer may not contain any GMO ingredients for it to be certified organic.

Some brewers believe that the use of organic ingredients may give the beer more flavour and is certainly healthier for the consumer and the environment. Organic farming preserves the biodiversity of the farm and microclimate of the soil which allows the food to grow in a healthy environment without the need for toxic pesticides and fertilizers. Organic farming reduces chemical runoff into groundwater and waterways, air pollution and dangerous chemical exposure to wildlife and farm workers.

Using organic ingredients is just one of the ways that a brewery can reduce their impact on the environment. The packaging used and the distribution process all affect their carbon footprint and should be taken seriously by the producers and consumers.

If you find that organic beer is more expensive, remember that prices will fall as the demand for organic rises so talk to your local bar, restaurant and store about stocking organic beer and encourage friends and family to do the same by educating them on the benefits of organic beer.

Drinking organic beer in moderation may have some health benefits. For example, one study showed that those who drink beer had 30% more vitamin B6 in their blood than people who did not. Another study showed that beer is a good source of antioxidants and the darker the beer the higher the antioxidant content.

You can find brewers and distributors of fine organic beer, lager and ale in Australia here.


Sources

http://naturallysavvy.com/eat/are-you-drinking-organic-beer-why-beer-ingredients-matter