OnTap Magazine

W ho would have thought that one day we would be drinking beer from a paper bottle – or at least one made entirely from plants. The real innovation lies in converting sugar from plants into a new type of plastic. This plant-based plastic, like paper, is fully biodegradable and recyclable and is reported to outperform all other plastics used in the packaging of carbonated drinks. But what is really exciting the beverage industry, aside from its sustainability credentials, is this new material's barrier properties. The quest to find alternatives to fossil-based polymers such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) – the versatile plastic widely used in food and drink packaging – merited a closer look at plants. PLASTIC FROM PLANTS While searching amongst a host of ‘bio’-polymers in plant materials such as carbohydrates, lignin, lipids, proteins, and vegetable oils, one such polymer, polyethylene furanoate (PEF), is receiving great interest, not least because it resembles PET. As a barrier to oxygen and carbon dioxide, PEF is ten times better than PET; and has a water-resistant barrier that’s three times as good. Keeping oxygen out Mad Giant’s founder Eben Uys, a chemical engineer, has a passion for science and flavour. He’s also mad keen on cycling, scuba diving, and loves nature. But not everyone around him has the same respect for their surrounds. “You just have to walk outside and you’ll see discarded plastic on the side of the street, in the countryside, in the rivers; and just as plastic is very good and serves a multitude of purposes, it’s equally very bad for nature”. Eben mentions the final episode of BBC’s Blue Planet II, which showed the impact of plastic waste on marine habitats and caused widespread shock to viewers. “Anything that’s single-use puts pressure on the environment and those who put things in plastic should be the ones who need to deal with where it ends up,” he says. The alternative is paper, but this too, says Eben, has its challenges, namely the energy and water use needed to make it. But with ingenuity and collaboration we can do the right thing. Mad Giant has reduced its plastic use by 96%. Since opening a new tap room in Jo’burg’s suburbs, Mad Giant has also introduced the concept of ‘Extra Fresh’. “Fresh unpasteurised beer from the brewery is delivered direct to the consumer ‘milkman-style’. We cut out distributors, save on logistics, and serve our local community,” Eben explains. The empty bottles are collected and reused for up to 40 cycles, there’s no need to put labels on them, the plastic crates last more than 10 years with over 1000 cycles, and the kegs have a lifespan of around 13 years. “Jo’burg is big enough for us”, says Eben, “I don’t see the point of sending my beers to faraway places”. Keeping it local may defy business models on globalisation but it’s one giant step for environmental sustainability. And Mad Giant isn’t the only South African brewery to be conscious of what goes into their packaging. Jack Black Brewing Company uses paper for its secondary and tertiary packaging: cardboard for their four- and six-packs, and paper for bottle labels – initiatives that have already led to a reduction in plastic use of over seven tonnes annually. The company is happy to share their learnings with their suppliers and other businesses in the hope that they too embrace change. SOUTH AFRICA’S ECO-CONSCIOUS BREWERS Mad Giant's Extra Fresh initiative features 500ml returnable bottles delivered "milkman style" ontapmag.co.za | Winter 2021 | 27