"From toilet to tap." It doesn't sound appealing, but as the Earth's population grows and the pace of human-caused climate change accelerates, treated wastewater will likely become a bigger part of the solution to maintaining life as we know it on this planet. John and Sommer Decker of Desert Monks Brewing Company in Gilbert, Arizona are already getting started. John explains that when the city of Scottsdale reached out looking for brewers interested in experimenting with their potable reuse water, they and their business partners made two pale ales and a lager, which became their best-seller. A hefeweizen is next in Desert Monks' lineup.
Left to right: Jose Hinojoa, Arturo Ruiz, John Decker, Sommer Decker, Daniel Rosales-Yeomans are the team behind Desert Monks Brewing Company. Photo by Sommer Decker.
Sommer admits that certain customers need to be convinced to sample the brews made from wastewater but most people are, ultimately, interested in beer that tastes good.
Water treatment, which involves filtration and UV light, has occurred since the 1980s and water is tested multiple times during the process. Sommer says they know more about the compounds in this water than what comes out of the tap.
Sonora Mist, a German-style lager, is one of the beers fermented with wastewater by Desert Monks Brewing Company. A hefeweizen is in the works. Photo by Maria Goldshtein