Brewing Up Sustainable Solutions: Award-Winning Charlotte Beer Crafted with Recycled Water

Susannah Bryant • February 22, 2025

Town Brewing's "Renew Brew" makes waves in local sustainability efforts

If you’ve ever visited a Catawba Riverkeeper Taproom or participated in River Week, you’ve probably heard us use the phrase, “Good Beer Needs Good Water.” The words are emblazoned above the bar at Confluence as we try to drive home the fact that many of our favorite things, like beer, only exist because of good clean water, and lots of it. Beer is made up of 95% water, and it takes somewhere from 4 to 8 gallons of water to make just 1 gallon of beer.

With over 50 breweries in the city of Charlotte alone, there is a substantial amount of water being drawn from the Catawba River for the production of beer. Though water is not currently scarce in the Catawba-Wateree River Basin, the growing population of the region will continue to put stress on our waterways as demand for water increases and development paves the way for more pollution in our drinking water resources.

So, when Town Brewing’s “Renew Brew” was released in February of 2024, we were excited to see the first beer in the Carolinas to be brewed with ultra-sustainable recycled water. Though all water is technically recycled—water is drawn from the Catawba River, treated, used, treated again, put back in the river, and drawn out again downstream—this collaborative brewing project removes a step in the process, allowing the water to go twice as far in one place.

Instead of returning the treated wastewater effluent to the river, project partner and global water technology company Xylem “super treats” the water until it is ready to be used in the brewing process. Following normal treatment at the McDowell Creek Water Resource Recovery Facility, the water goes through many additional purification steps: carbon filtration, reverse osmosis, ozone oxidation, ultraviolet disinfection, and another round of carbon filtration. It is then tested to ensure that it exceeds the EPA’s highest water quality standards for human consumption. Once approved, the water is then crafted into the now award-winning Renew Brew, which was awarded 1st Place in the 2024 Queen City Brewer’s Festival Best in Show.

This collaborative effort between Town Brewing, Xylem, and Charlotte Water is helping to redefine how the Charlotte region thinks about recycling water, crafting beer, and stewarding our environmental resources.

Many thanks to Town Brewing for joining us at Confluence in Cramerton, NC last week to give out samples of their Renew Brew and share about the making of this groundbreaking beer. Want to try the beer for yourself? Head over to Confluence and grab a can from the beverage cooler!

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Catawba Riverkeeper Welcomes Dr. Mo Drinkard as New Executive Director

December 17, 2025

Catawba Riverkeeper is pleased to announce that Dr. Mo Drinkard has been hired as their new Executive Director. A standout among over 100 applicants, Mo was offered the position by the Catawba Riverkeeper Board of Directors search committee on Thursday, November 20th, and she assumed her role as leader of the organization on Monday, December 1st, 2025. Catawba Riverkeeper Brandon Jones, who participated on the search committee, shared that “Mo’s education, experience, and passion are directly aligned with the organization’s mission and needs. We are excited for her perspective and leadership in continuing the critical work of protecting our waters.” Mo is a mission-driven non-profit leader, professor, and scholar with a passion for building strong organizations, nurturing future leaders, and tackling big challenges in conservation, equity, and education. With over 20 years of experience spanning academia (Kent State University, Brevard College, Miami University), community partnerships, and environmental science, she's worn many hats: executive director, grant writer, program architect, DEIB strategist, faculty and student mentor, and not often enough, field biologist in muddy boots. Mo's work lives at the intersection of applied research and social change. She specializes in transforming great ideas into funded, functional, and impactful programs, whether that’s designing experiential learning curricula, guiding strategic organizational turnarounds, or helping community-based groups access the resources they need to thrive. From leading national workforce development initiatives to restoring urban watersheds (Doan Brook Watershed Partnership) and mentoring the next generation of environmental scientists, Mo brings an entrepreneurial spirit and deep subject matter expertise in biology, ecology, sustainability, and inclusion. Mo believes that science is for everyone, and that real change happens when we build spaces where all voices can lead. “I am honored and excited to offer leadership for the next chapter of Catawba Riverkeeper’s work. I believe deeply in the mission and am fully invested in the health and future of this watershed. I look forward to getting to work supporting the waterways, communities, and people that make up this expansive and impactful basin,” Dr. Drinkard said. Catawba Riverkeeper, currently one of the ten largest riverkeeper organizations in the United States, boasts over 8,000 members across the 26 counties of North and South Carolina where the waters of the Catawba flow. As the fifth Executive Director of the organization, Mo will bring new and innovative ways to advance the work of her predecessors and the mission of the organization in this new chapter of Catawba Riverkeeper’s leadership. Mo will be supported by 11 full-time staff and 22 volunteer board members to preserve, protect, and restore the Catawba River so that it sustains plentiful, clean water for generations to come.