We’re Now Recovering Our Own CO₂ – Why This Matters to Me
We’ve installed a CO₂ recovery system at Lough Gill Brewery becoming the first small independent brewery in Ireland to do so. It’s a major step towards reducing our environmental impact,...
A Big Step Forward for Lough Gill Brewery
Over the past while, we’ve been working away on something that most people will never see but it’s one of the most important upgrades we’ve made since starting the brewery.
Our CO₂ recovery system is now fully installed and up and running.
And to be honest, it’s something I’m very proud of.
We’re now the first small independent brewery on the island of Ireland to install and operate a CO₂ recovery system.
For a small brewery in Sligo, that’s a big statement but more importantly, it’s a step in the right direction.
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Backed Locally – Which Matters
We received funding from the Sligo LEADER Partnership, and that backing made a real difference. It’s exactly the kind of support that helps small businesses like ours take on projects that otherwise might be out of reach.
What We’re Actually Doing
In simple terms, during fermentation, yeast produces CO₂ as it turns sugar into alcohol.
Traditionally, that gas just gets vented off and lost.
What we’re doing now is:
- Capturing that CO₂
- Cleaning it
- Storing it
- And using it again in the brewery
So instead of constantly buying in CO₂, we’re now reusing what we naturally produce ourselves.
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Why I Felt This Was Important
For me, this came down to doing things properly. Brewing uses energy and resources, and if there’s a way to reduce waste and close the loop, we should be doing it, this system means less CO₂ released, less reliance on external supply, and a smaller footprint overall. At the same time, we’ve all seen how fragile CO₂ supply can be in recent years, no CO₂ means no packaging, and that’s not a position I’m comfortable with, so this gives us more control and security. What made it possible now is the technology. Dalum Beverage Equipment have developed a system that actually works for smaller breweries, which until recently just wasn’t an option, and that’s what made this the right move at the right time.
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Doing Things for Now and for the Long Run
For you, nothing changes in the glass, same beers, same quality but behind the scenes we’re making the brewery more efficient and built to last. That matters to me. It’s better for us, better for the industry, and better for the future. This isn’t a one-off either we’re looking at everything now: energy, heat, water, the lot with one goal in mind, to build a brewery that’s still here and doing things properly in 10–20 years. It’s not the flashiest thing we’ve ever done, but it’s one of the most important and while being the first small brewery in Ireland to do it is great, that’s not really why we did it.
This is just one step but it’s a step in the right direction.
James Ward
Owner, Lough Gill Brewery
