Explaining that only 10% of the ingredients used to brew beer come out as beer, ReGrained co-founders Jordan Schwartz and Dan Kurzrock note abundant leftover malted barley and other grains.
In the US, they add, around 200m barrels of beer are produced each year using 6m pounds of grain, and while larger brewers can sell it to farmers as fertilizer or livestock feed, a lot is thrown away.
“This grain is not garbage…spent grain is loaded with fiber, protein, and is uniquely tasty, making it an ideal baking ingredient,” Schwartz and Kurzrock say.
On average, one cup of spent grain contains 6g of dietary fiber and 3.5 grams of protein, they add.
‘Grain is not garbage…’
ReGrained uses the spent grains – sourced from local microbrewers – to make products ranging from granolas to breads and cookies, cereals and chips.
Beer Grain Granola bars on sale include ‘Honey Almond IPA’ (India Pale Ale) using spent grain from the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company and ‘Chocolate Coffee Stout’ using a dark malt grain.
A 12-pack of 63.4g bars - will set you back $22.
“By bringing the grains full circle, our products are inherently sustainable, and we also feel that ReGrained’s impact on the sustainability of our community can extend beyond curving the inefficiency of the local beer industry.”