How to Decarbonise a Brewery: Practical Steps for Brew Teams

You’ve measured your footprint. You know where your emissions are coming from. Now what?

For many small and mid-sized breweries, this is the hard part - not because they don’t care, but because time and resources are limited, and most advice is too generic to be useful.

This guide is different. It’s practical, specific to brewing, and built on real emissions data. We focus on the changes that will have the biggest impact - not just the easiest ones.

1. Tackle the Big Stuff First

Let’s start with what matters most.

If you’ve measured your footprint, you’ve probably seen the same pattern as most breweries: the biggest emissions come from packaging, ingredients, and energy use.

So start there. Small wins are great, but they won’t move the needle if you’re still bottling in single-use glass or burning gas inefficiently.

2. Packaging – The Biggest Lever You Can Pull

Packaging is often the single largest contributor to a brewery’s carbon footprint - especially if you’re using glass bottles.

What to do:

• Switch from glass to aluminium cans - especially those made from recycled content
• Use larger formats like kegs where possible - they generate far fewer emissions per litre
• Explore reuse models - from reusable glass to stainless kegs with return systems
• Work with packaging suppliers who track and report carbon data

Even a partial shift from glass bottles to cans can cut your packaging footprint by more than 50% per litre.

3. Energy Use

You don’t need to install a solar array tomorrow. But you can reduce energy emissions with small, practical steps that improve efficiency.

What to do:

• Insulate vessels and pipework to reduce heat loss
• Recover heat from wort or fermenters using heat exchangers
• Switch to a renewable electricity tariff
• Consider solar PV if you own your building and use enough electricity to justify it
• Track electricity and gas use per litre brewed - spotting inefficiencies is half the battle

Reducing energy use cuts both emissions and operating costs. It’s often the easiest win on your carbon reduction plan.

4. Water and Cleaning – Tweak Processes, Save Carbon

Water and cleaning chemicals aren’t always top of mind when it comes to emissions - but they add up, and they’re very fixable.

What to do:

• Optimise CIP (clean-in-place) cycles - don’t over-clean out of habit
• Use lower-carbon cleaning chemicals - some enzyme-based products are more efficient and less intensive
• Reclaim and reuse water - for cooling or initial rinse cycles
• Review cleaning schedules and logs - can any cycles be skipped or shortened without compromising hygiene?

Small process tweaks can reduce Scope 3 emissions and lower your water and energy bills.

5. Ingredient Choices – Local and Lower-Input

Your grain bill and hop contract choices make more of a difference than you might think.

What to do:

• Source barley from lower-input or regenerative growers
• Ask maltsters and hop suppliers about their carbon data
• Buy locally where feasible - less transport means lower Scope 3 emissions
• Explore alternative grains or adjuncts that require fewer inputs

Even if you stick with traditional ingredients, switching to a supplier that uses renewable energy or more efficient processing can have an impact.

6. Smarter Distribution

Transport isn’t usually the biggest part of your footprint - but it’s one of the easiest to improve.

What to do:

• Consolidate deliveries to trade customers wherever possible
• Review your delivery routes - optimise for efficiency, not just habit
• Track mileage and fuel use - small improvements compound quickly
• Consider EVs or biodiesel for short-range or local drops

If you use third-party logistics, ask them for carbon data - especially if buyers are starting to ask you for Scope 3 reporting.

7. Don’t Forget the “Non-Brewing” Stuff

Some emissions come from the parts of your business you barely think about.

• Team commuting
• Festivals, events, and travel
• Merchandise, printing, office operations

These might not be your biggest categories, but they’re easy to address - and worth doing if you’re aiming for B Corp or Net Zero.

8. Track Progress, Not Just Targets

It’s easy to set a carbon reduction goal. Harder to actually stick to it.

What to do:

• Choose 1–2 priority areas to focus on first
• Track progress monthly or quarterly - use data from your own operation, not estimates
• Share your goals and progress with your team
• Build emissions checks into your ops reviews - not just your sustainability reporting

You don’t need to decarbonise overnight. But you do need to start, and keep going.

Final Thoughts: Make Your Emissions Plan Brewable

Decarbonising a brewery isn’t about chasing perfection - it’s about practical changes, grounded in real data, that make a difference.

At Seedling, we help breweries measure their footprint, identify their biggest opportunities, and build a roadmap they can actually deliver on.

You don’t need a sustainability manager. You just need a clear picture and the right tools.

Want help building your brewery’s carbon reduction plan?
We’ll guide you through the process - no jargon, simple process, practical advice.
You can book a demo to see how Seedling works, or send us a message and we'll get back to you.