Australia: Fosters-owned Cascade brewery produces 'green' beer

Feeling green after drinking alcohol has taken on a new meaning in Australia with a brewer launching a beer that it says helps fight global warming, Straits Times reported March 5.

All the greenhouse gases produced through the life of a Cascade Green, from the picking of the hops to the empty bottle landing in the recycling bin, have been offset, the company said.

This is done by purchasing certified carbon offsets from the government-accredited Hobart Landfill Flare Facility, which captures and recycles gases, in Tasmania, where the Fosters-owned Cascade brewery is based.

Cascade Green's marketing manager Ben Summons said all of the carbon offset costs of the new beer will be absorbed by the company and will not be passed on to consumers.

The beer, which is also low carbohydrate and is classified as a 'premium' beer, will sell for US$17.99 (S$25) for a six-pack of 330ml bottles.

'Innovation plays a very important role for growth within the premium beer market,' said Mr Summons.

'Cascade Green is a great example of innovation that taps into consumer trends but also from a Cascade perspective it's a natural evolution for us.' -- AFP

05 March, 2008