Beer

Cool Brews: New Beers Made From Airport's Purified A/C Condensation

Beer lovers can now enjoy the new brews at The East Village Brewing Company

NBC Universal, Inc.

One local brewery has collaborated with the San Diego International Airport (SAN) to release two new beers made with a surprising source.

SAN and The East Village Brewing Company celebrated on Tuesday the release of Hoppy Travels IPA and Pre-Flight Pilsner – two new beers made with purified condensate collected through the airport’s air conditioning units.

According to the airport, the beer was made specifically with condensate that dripped from the A/C units attached to jet bridges. Once collected, the condensate was purified via reverse osmosis and ozone disinfection.

“The East Village Brewing Company’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,” Kimberly Becker, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority President and CEO, said in a press release. “Cheers to another successful collaboration!”

The Hoppy Travels IPA boasts flavors of grapefruit and guava, and is a traditional west coast IPA. With an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 7%, this brew has a bitter and dry taste to it.

As for the Pre-Flight Pilsner, its bready and lemon zest-like flavor leaves a dry and crisp taste in your mouth. It’s a German-style pilsner with an ABV of 5.7%.

“Wholesome ingredients, sustainability, and community are the core tenets of our brewery,” Aaron Justus, The East County Brewing Company Owner and Brewer, said in a statement. “This collaboration checks all three boxes. It’s great to partner again with 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.”

At this time, beer lovers can enjoy the new brews at The East Village Brewing Company. There are plans to make them available at SAN’s Terminal 2 in the near future, but a definite date has not been released.

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