Sustainable Sharp's turns to lightweight bottles

October 3, 2008: Sustainable Cornish brewery Sharp’s has become the first in the South West to switch to new lightweight glass bottles, removing 150 tonnes of weight per year from the brewery’s distribution fleet and reducing CO2 emissions by almost one tonne over the same period.

The new 500ml bottle is 11 grams (12%) lighter than its predecessor and is already on the shelves with Doom Bar, and will be used for other bottled beers such as Eden Pure Ale and Atlantic IPA in the coming months.

Joe Keohane, director of Sharp’s, said: “By transferring to the lighter bottle we are cutting down on raw materials and reducing our road freight, using less fuel and creating a significant reduction in our carbon output.

“The slimmer taller lightweight bottle also looks great and enhances the Sharp’s bottled range, making it easier to hold, pour and store.”

Sharp’s generates 45,000 brewer barrels (13 million pints) per annum, with a year-on-year growth of 30%, its new eco-brew house yet to reach capacity.

Over the past five years Sharp’s has lead the way in sustainable brewing in the UK, implementing a range of energy saving and waste reduction procedures that are fundamental to its beer production process and well ahead of its competitors.

Joe said: “I am not aware of another UK brewery that has implemented such a range of integral sustainable processes and systems as Sharp’s and seen such a reduction in raw materials used, waste and the need to recycle.

“For example it takes the beer industry, on average, 7.5 litres of water to make one litre of beer; at Sharp’s we can produce a litre of beer using just 3 litres of water. This is probably the lowest ratio throughout the brewing industry and demonstrates how seriously we take our sustainable processes.”

A constant monitoring process takes place at the brewery, which means that initiatives will be revised and adapted depending on efficiency, environmental impact and economics.

“Up to eight months ago our fleet ran on biodiesel, but a combination of efficiency issues, significant CO2 emissions and damage to the environment in terms of land being turned over to monoculture biofuels, meant it didn’t sit well with our ongoing sustainable programme," said Joe.

In recent years the brewery has won awards for its sustainable approach, including the Cornwall Sustainability Awards in 2006. This comes on top of its joint work with the Eden Project producing Eden Pure Ale, where the brewery had to comply with a range of rigid environmental and ethical criteria.