Craft Beer for Dogs and Brewing With Food Waste Ingredients

The year 2018 has been one of the most interesting in the history of North American brewing, and two of the latest news headlines in this regard underscore the interesting times that beer drinkers are living in. One of these headlines originates in Texas, where a couple from Houston has crafted a special brew for dogs.

According to a report published in the Houston Chronicle, Good Boy Dog Beer is a new craft brewery born out of an idea related to canine health. Megan and Steve Long, a Texan couple whose dog Rocky began experiencing digestive issues a few years ago. The couple tested a few recipes to feed Rocky, most of them involved chicken broth with a few herbs known for their medicinal properties; eventually this idea expanded beyond the kitchen and a canning facility in Austin was contracted to package “Lot in the Yard,” the first beer brewed for canine consumption.

As expected, the first brewing product from Good Boy Dog Beer is non-alcoholic, it does not even feature traditional beer ingredients such as yeast and hops; the recipe is mostly chicken and beef broth with natural herbs such as turmeric to make it more palatable for dogs. This beer is perfectly fine for human consumption, but the lack of sodium and carbonation will certainly make it taste flat.

Lot in the Yard beers are sold and served at dog-friendly Texas bars; however, the brewery plans to open a special space for dogs to enjoy its products, which would essentially make it a canine bar.

Old Bread is Turned Into Craft Beer in Canada

Another interesting beer headline is coming from Canada, where a British Columbia craft brewery is not letting food go to waste. A community food bank in Mount Begbie prevented over 150 pounds of discarded bread from ending up in the garbage; the resulting product was “Our Daily Bread,” a craft beer made with surplus bread.

Our Daily Bread was inspired by Toast Ale, a craft beer created by a British brewery that was happy to share the unique recipe with the Food Connect program of Mount Begbie. When used for brewing, bread byproducts break down into sugars, which make craft beers slightly sweet. The reviews by local beer drinkers have been positive; a hint of cinammon spice is noticed and the finish is crisp. Our Daily Bread is actually a tasty choice to pair with certain meals.