Ancient grain has potential to revolutionize brewing, Brooklyn brewmaster says
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BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) — Brooklyn Brewery is raising a toast to three decades of brewing history, but they’re not just looking back. Brewmaster Garrett Oliver is launching “Brewing for Impact,” a campaign that shines a spotlight on fonio, an ancient West African grain with the potential to change the game.
Fonio may look like sand “to the naked eye,” said Oliver, but its significance goes far beyond aesthetics. This drought-resistant grain thrives with minimal resources – “no fertilizer, no pesticide, no irrigation, nothing” – making it a dream for sustainable brewing.
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But Oliver sees the bigger picture. Fonio was a staple food in West Africa for millennia, but its importance dwindled during colonial times. “Brewing for Impact” aims to bring fonio back to the forefront, not just as a brewing ingredient, but as a key player in food security and economic empowerment.
Oliver envisions a future where fonio beers are brewed worldwide, similar to the rise of quinoa. He emphasized the grain’s potential to benefit the planet, improve lives, and tantalize taste buds. “If even like 5% of brewing used fonio, you would change the economies for hundreds of thousands of people,” Oliver said.
And Oliver isn’t just preaching to his own choir. He wants to get big brewers like Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors on board. Partnerships with Carlsberg and Guinness are already underway.
“Brewing for Impact” is more than just an anniversary celebration. It’s a toast to a future where fonio becomes a global phenomenon, revolutionizing brewing and empowering African farmers, all while leaving a lighter footprint on the planet. As Oliver raises his glass of fonio beer, he simply says, “It’s just really delicious, I’m loving it.”
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