Friends of the Earth, Stroud Brewery and Toast Ale collaborate on ‘sustainable’ ale

Friends of the Earth, Stroud Brewery and Toast Ale have joined forced on a new beer that demonstrates the potential for “sustainable” brewing.

Flour Power – credit Friends of the Earth

Called Flour Power, the beer uses unsold organic bread from Hobbs House Bakery which would otherwise have gone to waste. It is brewed in Stroud’s organic brewery, where the aim is to “support the environment and reduce their carbon footprint.”

According to an emailed statement, 5% of the proceeds from the beer’s sale will be donated to Friends of the Earth’s climate campaign, which will then be distributed to the charity’s “most urgent needs.”

The drink will be rolled out nationally in Abel & Cole from 9 May.

Flour Power is a “heavily hopped, organic amber ale” which uses Citra and Azacca hops, which the brewer hopes will give it a “fruity finish.”

Mike Birkin, campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “With Flour Power we’re aiming for a craft ale that proves that the things we enjoy can be produced in more considerate, sustainable ways.

“The climate change situation can seem dire, but the solutions are out there and some are on display right here with Toast Ale and Stroud Brewery. We hope to see more businesses, including further breweries, respond to the climate emergency.”

Chloe Brooks, production manager of Stroud Brewery, commented: “Stroud Brewery is dedicated to producing great organic beers with production helping to support local farmers and the ecosystems they manage. The organic standards we adhere to support our ambition to be a business that cares for people and planet.”

Stroud brewery, based in Gloucestershire, launched a crowdfunding round last year to raise £300,000 to kit out a new brewery and bar, with investors set to receive a 10% discount on beer purchases during the period of the bond.

Chris Head, collaborations manager at Toast Ale, said: “At Toast Ale, we’re reviving one of the oldest traditions in the world by using surplus bread as a grain for beer. In the UK, (an estimated) 44% of bread is never eaten. We’re on a mission to change that by working in partnership with breweries and bakeries all over the world to create great-tasting beers that are better for the planet.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Friends of the Earth to raise awareness of climate change and to support the great work they do. Food production, one-third of which we waste, is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, so they are a powerful ally to our mission.”

Toast Ale, which is stocked in the Co Op, Tesco Express and Waitrose, was launched in January 2016 by Tristram Stuart, founder of food waste charity Feedback, in collaboration with Hackney Brewery. All profits go towards tackling the issue of food waste and the company has given nearly £15,000 of profits to charity.

Friends of the Earth covers 75 countries, with roughly 5,000 local activist groups and over 2 million members and supporters worldwide.