Environmental Repercussions of Craft Beer Production in Northeast Brazil

Abstract

Beer is the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage in the world, and the craft beer market has been continuously growing in recent years. The objective of this study is to detail the production of craft beer and quantify its environmental impacts. The microbrewery is located in João Pessoa, northeast Brazil, and produces 180,000 L/year. The life cycle assessment methodology is employed, and 16 environmental indicators have been selected. Two environmental impact assessment methods are used: IPCC 2021 GWP 100y and ILCD 2011 Midpoint. The results indicate that the best packaging options (lowest environmental impacts) are 10 L stainless-steel kegs and 330 mL aluminum cans. The primary hotspot is the distribution to the points of sale, which employs diesel vehicles. When electric vehicles substitute diesel ones, the environmental impacts are three times lower. The adoption of electric mobility and increasing the consumption of local products are two strategies that can be explored to further mitigate the environmental impacts associated with craft beer.