Guinness Drinks To Growing Sustainable Barley For Cleaner Brewing Process

Guinness, one of Ireland’s most popular exports, has announced a brand-new regenerative agriculture plan to brew beer with sustainably-grown barley.

The drink’s parent firm, Diageo, says that in the next three years, it will be exploring how to grow the crop using more eco-friendly agricultural practices, with the first phase slated to begin in Spring this year. 

According to Green Matters, at least 40 farms will be taking part in the initiative. The company hopes that eventually, it’ll be able to grow all the barley used in its brews with reduced carbon emissions.

Plus, Guinness claims the program could help farms improve soil health, sequester carbon, boost the land’s biodiversity, require less synthetic fertilizer, improve water quality, and create better work conditions for farmers.

Business Green reported that one of the farmers involved in the pilot project, Walter Furlong Junior, praised it for the “simplicity of the approach.” 

“It’s not a complicated process—it works in harmony with nature whilst providing a commercial benefit for farmers. We already use regenerative agricultural practices and have seen a marked improvement in the quality of soil on our farm,” he said.

“It is a highly effective approach that leads to much better outcomes.”

To ensure the success of the program, Guinness has enlisted the help of various experts, including local agronomists, nutrition specialists, and partner suppliers to develop the most effective practices for farmers. 

“We will openly share the results from the pilot program so that other farms can learn and adopt practices that have demonstrated the highest potential impact from an environmental and farm profitability standpoint,” promised John Kennedy, President of Diageo Europe. 

“Like the Irish farming community, we are ‘all in’ for the long haul—for our people, products, partners, and planet,” he added. 

[via Green Matters and Business Green, cover image via Diageo]