Brew grain finds second life as pizza base

BUS Whisky recently added a striking new item to its menu: a pizza made with brew grain from MaGie Creations. The distillery in Loosbroek is taking its first meaningful step toward turning production residues into food. The initiative is supported by De Bakkers Combinatie and The Pizza Academy.

Brew grain as a source of nutrition

Grain left over from the distilling process contains more than just residual sugars. “The grains used by brewers and distillers are of exceptionally high quality,” says Dennis Hurkmans, founder of BUS Whisky. “Besides sugars and starches, these grains still hold valuable fibres, proteins and plant-based fats that are of real value to the food industry.” Yet brew grain is still often regarded as waste. “A shift in mindset is needed. And that starts with taste.”

Taste as a driver of change

That taste takes centre stage in the new brew grain pizza. Esther van der Laan, regional product chef at BUS Whisky, explains: “Sustainable food is still too often seen as second-best. With this brew grain pizza, we show our guests that the sustainable choice can actually be the better one.”

Opportunities for industry and foodservice

MaGie Creations, a specialist in processing brew grain into functional ingredients, sees plenty of potential. “By using brew grain smartly, we don’t need to change our eating habits,” says owner Madeleine Gielens. De Bakkers Combinatie has also embraced the concept. “With brew grain products, caterers and foodservice providers can instantly make a strong impact on both sustainability and health,” says director Patrick Tissen.

Magiecreations.com