Sustainable Brewing Taps Into Water Reuse Technology
Key Highlights
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Epic Cleantec’s beers demonstrate practical, real-world applications of advanced onsite water reuse systems
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The collaboration showcases sustainable ingredient sourcing alongside water efficiency
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The initiative helps raise public awareness of how reclaimed water can safely serve new purposes in commercial and industrial settings
VISTA, CA — A San Francisco firm known for pioneering onsite water reuse systems is showing how innovation can flow from the unlikeliest of places—the drain. Epic Cleantec (Epic) has introduced two new beers, Shower Hour OPA and Laundry Club Kölsch, both brewed using highly purified recycled water recovered from the showers and laundries of commercial buildings.
The beers were developed in partnership with Devils Canyon Brewing Company of San Carlos, CA, marking the first wide release of beers made entirely from recycled water resources.
Epic previously made headlines with a small-batch beer crafted from fully purified water, recognized by Time and Fast Company in 2022 as one of the year’s most innovative products. This new release brings that concept to a broader audience—and with it, a message about the future of water efficiency in the built environment.
Promoting Smarter Water Use Through Brewing
“These beers are not only made from recycled water, but one—Shower Hour OPA—also promotes sustainable agriculture techniques,” says Klaus Reichardt, CEO and founder of Waterless Co., Inc., an early leader in commercial water conservation.
That focus on sustainability extends beyond the reclaimed water. Shower Hour OPA is brewed with:
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Azacca hops, which require less irrigation and offer greater disease resistance than traditional hop varieties
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Fonio grain, a drought-tolerant African cereal that grows quickly and improves soil health
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Kveik yeast, a fast-fermenting strain that thrives at higher temperatures, reducing the brewery’s energy demand
Highlighting Efficiency in Commercial Water Systems
“One reason these new beers are so significant is that more than 15 percent of the world’s potable water used in commercial buildings is wasted,” Reichardt explains. “Our goal at Waterless Co. has always been to help building owners and managers cut that waste through smarter, water-efficient solutions.”
He adds that Epic’s innovation helps bring the conversation full circle: showing that even water once considered waste can be reclaimed, treated, and reused safely—in this case, with a creative twist that connects directly with the public.
“We congratulate Epic for finding even more opportunities to use water more efficiently and protect our country’s water resources,” Reichardt says.