Saving the planet
When we drink beer we contribute to global warming because fermentation produces carbon dioxide, only some of which is captured by breweries to carbonate their beer.
Sydney brewer Young Henrys, however, is turning the excess into oxygen. It is sent to vats of microalgae, or phytoplankton, which consume the CO2. (Oceanbased microalgae in the likes of seaweed consume about 50% of the world’s CO2).
The brewery estimates that each batch it makes released as much oxygen as about two hectares of bushland.
DB Breweries, too, is reducing its carbon footprint. It has changed from coal to sustainable biomass for heating at the Timaru brewery and is dropping gas for a hightemperature electrical hotwater heat pump at the Auckland plant.
The brewery uses as much gas a year as 1000 households and estimates that changing to electricity will reduce CO2 emissions equivalent to that produced by 2643 return flights from Auckland to Queenstown.
Ingredients
1 cup oats
1 cup milk or plant based
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder tsp baking soda tsp salt
1 tsp ground cardamom or ginger
cup brown or raw sugar
1 egg, beaten
cup olive oil or good quality neutral tasting oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g pears, seeds removed and small dice
100g feijoas, peeled and small dice
Oat topping
Method
Preheat the oven 190degC.
Grease 12 mediumsized muffin tins with butter or oil.
In a mixing bowl, combine the oats and milk together and let sit for 10 minutes. Sift together the flour, baking powder and soda and spice.
Add the oil, egg, sugar and vanilla to the oats and mix well to combine.
Add the dry ingredients and stir to combine lightly.
Add the fruit and stir through gently. Do not overmix as this will cause the muffins to be dense and peak on top.
Spoon into the prepared tin. I like to fill the tins full.
Mix all the ingredients together for the topping and spoon over the top of the muffins.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the centre springs back.
Cool for 15 minutes in the tin, then cool on cooling rack.