PRODUCEDINKENT
SUSTAINABILITY AT
RAMSGATE BREWERY
RAMSGATE BREWERY CONSISTS OF A TEAM OF 10 , HEADED BY EDDIE GADD , OPERATING A BREWERY , A SHOP , AN OFFICE AND A COUPLE OF DELIVERY VANS . THEY PRODUCE AROUND 1 MILLION PINTS OF BEER A YEAR AND DELIVER TO PUBS , CLUBS AND RESTAURANTS THROUGHOUT EAST KENT . RAMSGATE BREWERY BREW DISTINCTIVE KENTISH BEERS , USING YEARS OF KNOWLEDGE , EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING – IN THEIR OWN WORDS : ‘ WE ’ VE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT WE ’ RE DOING , AND NOT SO LONG AS TO BE OLD FASHIONED ’.
What are the big challenges to tackle in the brewing industry when you want to become more sustainable operationally ?
Brewing involves a lot of heating to high temperatures and finding a sustainable source of power for this is a major challenge . There are engineering solutions to help reduce this demand , and we can use biomass boilers which are considered carbon neutral . Frustratingly the very technology that should be becoming cheaper , such as solar , is actually becoming more expensive with rising demand . Furthermore , many small brewers lease their premises and landlords are all too often reluctant to look at co-investment on solar . When your lease is shorter than the payback period for a fairly unmovable technology like solar it becomes difficult to justify . Deliveries too are tricky , with very few vehicles suitable to take the payload , and those that are come at a premium . All that said , with enough money at hand there ’ s no reason we can ’ t introduce all these technologies , but sadly not many small brewers have that money .
Explain how Ramsgate Brewery started its net-zero journey – what made you take action and where are you now ?
We ' ve been looking at energy losses , and the possibilities of energy production , since at least 2009 and we now have a pretty effective solar array on the brewery roof , with additional installations on our warehouse and bottling hall in the pipeline .
We are also installing a carbon dioxide recovery system on the fermentation vessels in June ( the first for a small brewery in the UK ), and we have started on an electric vehicle program for deliveries , albeit with a small van for local use . The brewhouse is undergoing a rebuild , with an upgrade to our previously homemade energy recovery system , and this should yield some significant reductions in energy consumption . While there is an awful long way to go , the technology is available , so we can make a serious contribution .
Put your rose-tinted glasses on and describe a sustainable Kent in 50 years ’ time – what does it look like ?
There ’ ll be high quality , well-insulated homes requiring very little heating for everyone , with bicycle lanes connecting those homes to local shops , hospitality and entertainments . Windmills and solar arrays will power food production and food miles will become food meters . Large tracts of connected land will be given over to rewilding , and the natural world will be freely available to all . The seas around Thanet will be teeming with life , and I ’ ll still be alive to see it all , with a pint in my hand .
www . ramsgatebrewery . co . uk
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