Coors: The Banquet Ethanol?

Molson Coors is brewing more than just beer out in the great Rocky Mountains.  In partnership with Merrick Co., Coors produces some two million gallons of ethanol per year using waste beer and spent yeast from their Golden, CO brewing operation.  The E85-ready ethanol needs no further refining, and is shipped directly to local refineries to be blended with gasoline.

Coors Brewing Co.’s production matches well with Colorado’s thirst for alternative fuels–the state uses about 100 million gallons of ethanol per year.  This is largely because their clean air laws mandate that ethanol be blended with gas during the winter to reduce vehicle emissions.

Environmental Benefits
According to Ethanol Producer Magazine, the ethanol facility helps the brewery to eliminate approximately 70 tons of volatile organic compounds from its emissions annually. In addition, Coors and Merrick have been able to return nearly 20 million gallons of fresh water to Clear Creek in the Front Range region of Colorado during each year of operation.  Company officials say that the process of stripping off the ethanol from waste products significantly reduces wastewater treatment costs.

To highlight their environmental efforts and promote using alternative fuels, Coors donated thousands of gallons of their E85 ethanol to the 2008 Democratic National Convention in August.  This fuel powered the hybrid fleet vehicles used by delegates, members of the news media, and convention staffers.

Not to get too far off-subject, but some might say Coors Light tastes like waste-ethanol converted into beer.  But I’ll continue to buy from this socially-responsible company–at least they have tasty Blue Moon in their arsenal.

Additional Resources
Video – Beer Brewer Converts Waste to Fuel

For more details on the ethanol facility:
“Making Due with Waste Brew” - Ethanol Producer Magazine