SINGAPORE: At first sip, the drink tastes exactly like what it appears to be - a nice, light craft beer.
Smooth, not overly sweet and with a tinge of bitterness.
But the fruity, foamy drink is not your average tipple. It comprises 95 per cent NEWater, Singapore’s high-grade reclaimed water.
Named NEWBrew, it will go on public sale for the first time, from Apr 12 to end-July, said National Water Agency PUB and local craft brewery Brewerkz in a news release on Friday (Apr 8).
The beer can be purchased at NTUC FairPrice and Cold Storage outlets, as well as online platforms and Brewerkz’s restaurant and e-store. Available in packs of three, it will be priced at $4.50 per can.
Each of the three cans has a different design, featuring vibrant artwork of the Marina Barrage, MacRitchie Reservoir and Singapore River - three “iconic local water landmarks” that contribute to Singapore’s water sustainability efforts.
NEWBrew will also be served at Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) 2022 later this month. This is the second time that the craft beer will be served at the event, where it made its debut in 2018.
This 2022 version will be a “tropical blonde ale”, with a “smooth, toasted honey-like aftertaste”, said PUB and Brewerkz.
Its ingredients include premium German barley malts, aromatic citra and calypso hops as well as kveik, a strain of farmhouse yeast from Norway.
“NEWBrew is possibly Singapore’s greenest beer and the perfect accompaniment to this year’s SIWW, with its key themes of climate resilience, resource circularity and water sustainability,” said SIWW managing director Ryan Yuen.
“We are delighted to partner Brewerkz to bring NEWBrew back again, as it is also part of PUB’s efforts to educate Singaporeans on the importance of water recycling and reuse as a strategy to achieve water sustainability. It also reinforces the message that NEWater is perfectly wholesome and safe for drinking, and can be used to make a great tasting beer.”
Brewerkz CEO and owner Tan Wee Han said that there was “strong interest” from the public when the first edition of NEWBrew was launched in 2018, and “demand” for the beer to return.
Said Mr Tan: “We are delighted to unveil this year’s NEWBrew just as we are emerging from the pandemic. NEWBrew is a showcase of the high quality of NEWater and is proof that sustainability can be delicious.”
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/newbrew-newater-craft-beer-public-sale-first-time-2616121
