San Diego International Airport (SAN) and The East Village Brewing Co. celebrated the release of two beers made with purified condensate collected through the airport’s water stewardship program. Hoppy Travels IPA is a West Coast IPA with flavors of grapefruit and guava and Pre-Flight Pils is a German-style pilsner with bready and lemon zest flavors. The beers are currently on tap at The East Village Brewing Co. and will be available at San Diego International Airport’s Terminal 2 in the coming weeks.
The water used in the beers is the condensate that dripped from the bottom of air conditioning units attached to jet bridges at SAN. The captured condensate was then purified using reverse osmosis and ozone disinfection and transported to The East Village Brewing Co. for its use. The condensate water has a pure water profile with little mineral content, making the reclaimed water an ideal base for brewers. In addition to making beer, the water is used to clean equipment and vehicles at SAN as well as in the cooling towers that control the temperature in the terminals.
“We first partnered with the brewers of The East Village Brewing Co. in 2019 when they brewed a beer called SAN Test Pilot using the condensate while working at another local brewery,” said Kimberly Becker, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority president and CEO.
“The beer was very successful, selling out almost immediately, and since then we’ve been interested in collaborating again. The East Village Brewing Co.’s focus on sustainability aligns with our efforts at the airport and we are happy to have the opportunity to showcase this reclaimed water innovatively with their help. Cheers to another successful collaboration,” Becker said.
“Wholesome ingredients, sustainability, and community are the core tenets of our brewery,” said Aaron Justus, The East County Brewing Co. owner and brewer. “This collaboration checks all three boxes. It’s great to partner again with the airport, a pillar within our community filled with passionate and fun people. The condensate water is superbly pure and ideal for brewing. Plus, it’s no secret that California is in the midst of a long-term drought, so water reclamation is a creative way to reduce our water footprint here in San Diego.”
The East Village Brewing Co. has an emphasis on sustainability, ensuring its operations, brewing practices, and final products limit the impact on the environment. Some examples include sourcing hops and malt ingredients from certified Global GAP and Salmon Safe farms, providing their spent grain to a local farm for cow and pig feed, and sourcing all raw materials from companies located on the West Coast of the U.S.
In addition, all water that runs through the heat exchanger is reclaimed and used for cleaning and brewing, lights are low energy LED and have either timers or motion sensors, cleaners, and hand soap for the tasting room and bathrooms are earth friendly. The brewery is paperless and does not use shrink wrap or other single-use plastics.
To learn more about The East Village Brewing Co., visit eastvillagebrew.com.
Hoppy Travels IPA
Style: West Coast IPA
ABV: 7.0% | IBU: 75 | SRM: 3
Aroma: Guava, orange juice, fresh-cut basil.
Flavor: Grapefruit, guava.
Mouthfeel/Finish: Dry, sharply bitter, resinous.
Brewer’s Beer Description: Hoppy Travels was brewed with water from air conditioner condensate collected at terminals in San Diego International Airport. This water is extremely soft and clean to allow for a pleasantly dry finish in this beer. El Dorado, Mosaic, and Citra hops were layered throughout the brewing process to create a textured flavor and aroma. Citrus and tropical fruits are immediately on the nose. Pithy grapefruit and ripe guava are dominant on the palette. This beer has a bitter, dry, and resinous finish that is the hallmark of West Coast IPAs. It’s a delight to drink.
Pre-Flight Pilsner
Style: German-style Pilsner
ABV: 5.7% | IBU: 40 | SRM: 2
Aroma: Freshly baked bread, lemon, apricot.
Flavor: Lemon zest, bready.
Mouthfeel/Finish: Effervescent, dry, crisp, medium bitterness.
Brewer’s Beer Description: Preflight Pils were brewed with water from air conditioner condensate collected at terminals in San Diego International Airport. This water is superbly clean with low mineral content, which is perfect for lagers. Malt from Admiral Maltings in Alameda provides the traditional soft-bready flavors found in Pilsner. Saaz hops sourced from Elk Mountain Farms in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, is delicate with subtle citrus and floral notes. This beer has a sharp bite up front, but finishes crisp, dry, and clean – it’s sure to delight beer drinkers of all kinds.
