Will other brewers be green with envy?

June 2, 2008: Draught Adnams East Green, the UK's first carbon neutral beer, will be available from today.

East Green (4.3% ABV) is brewed in Adnams' groundbreaking new brewery, which has an energy recovery system that recycles 100% of the steam created during the brewing process and uses it to heat 90% of the following brew.

The beer is made with high-yielding barley, grown in Suffolk, which subsequently greatly minimises CO2 emissions from transportation. Boadicea Hops are also used — they are naturally aphid-resistant and reduce the use of pesticides significantly.

To ensure carbon emissions were as low as possible, Adnams worked with the University of East Anglia's carbon reduction (CRed) team throughout the project.

Rob Flanagan, Adnams' sales director, said: "Following the successful launch of East Green in the bottle last month we were keen to make the beer available in pubs.

"The reaction to this beer has been fantastic, with consumer demand exceeding all our expectations. This is undoubtedly our most successful beer launch to date

"The draught version is even more environmentally efficient because it is packed in casks rather than bottles. We know that there is a growing demand for ethical products and we believe that our commitment to reducing our environmental impact and, in particular, East Green, is exactly what our customers are looking for."

He added: "We've reduced the carbon, but we certainly haven't compromised on the flavour. Light golden in colour, with subtle citrus and grassy hop aromas, East Green is a beer with all the quality and taste that Adnams is famous for."

Dr Simon Gerrard, manager of the CRed programme, said: "CRed's independent expertise has enabled Adnams to understand the complex nature and range of carbon emissions arising from the production and distribution of East Green beer.

"The carbon lifecycle assessment from farm to delivery helps Adnams target key elements in the process and reduce the emissions of the overall product. As consumers become more carbon literate, so the requirement for authoritative and independent information becomes more important."

Adnams' dedication to the environment is exemplified by the many environmental awards it has received. In November 2007 it won the National Business Award for corporate social responsibility and other recent awards include The Carbon Trust Innovator of the Year 2007 and The Good Corporation Ethical Business Award in June 2007. Adnams is a finalist in Business in the Community's Awards for Excellence to be announced in July.