Beer has always brought people together. Pubs have long been gathering places to meet friends, get to know new neighbors, and support local businesses. And now, with urban gardens providing similar connections within many inner-city neighborhoods, the growing tie between these and breweries makes a lot of sense.
Crops for Brewing
While rooftop gardens may not be ideal growing spaces for the grains involved in brewing, they’re the perfect size for hops varieties. Larger areas, such as city blocks that have been converted to urban gardens, might just have enough room to grow barley. A ten-by-ten plot could yield up to fifteen pounds of grain. Even a little bit can give a craft brewer the pride of saying, “I grew some of my own barley.”
It’s not just the grains and hops needed that an urban garden can provide. Craft brewing also often makes use of citrus, fruits, berries, and gourds, which can be used in a variety of different beer styles and flavors.
Breweries and brew pubs committed to using fresh, local ingredients have turned to urban gardeners to procure the produce needed to develop interesting, delicious beers. Spring and summer brews might boast strawberry hefeweizens, while fall could drown us all in pumpkin ales.
Byproducts for Crops
Brewers aren’t the only ones to benefit from a partnership with urban gardens. In addition to supporting the community with produce purchases, breweries can also provide growing assistance through the use of brewing byproducts.
The spent grain that results after brewing can be added to any compost pile or bin to return to the earth. Just be sure to balance the nitrogen content in the wet grain with dry carbon sources, such as wood shavings, leaves, and even toilet tissue rolls. The result will be a rich compost that aids in growing more food.
Community Impact
We’ve talked a lot about how urban gardens impact the community. With a steady food source, food poverty is eradicated. With surplus produce, communities have the opportunity to earn money they can use to invest in their neighborhoods, their kids, and their futures.
Breweries give similar benefits. They offer the possibility of income sources, of stability in the area, and of a tighter community. Brewing also provides the chance to give back to urban farmers with spent grain that can be used for both crops and livestock.
And both, together, provide local sources for chefs and restaurateurs that bring even more business to areas that have previously been known as food deserts. These small businesses provide even more opportunities to generate income and come together as a neighborhood.
Many resources exist for those interested in developing an urban garden or a microbrewery. If you believe your community could benefit, take advantage of these resources and get started. You could be the catalyst for change your neighborhood needs.