Distillery at Ninefold

How does the alcohol industry impact the environment?

Producing and distributing alcohol has a huge environmental impact. On average, 7.5 pounds of carbon dioxide are produced for each 750ml bottle of liquor. 8-15 litres of wastewater are produced for every litre of booze. Nearly 20% of the carbon footprint comes from the agriculture required for base materials. Ninefold Distillery is trying to reduce some of those figures while making its rum...and it started by promoting adaptive reuse for decommissioned farm buildings.

Everything we eat and drink has an environmental footprint. Alcohol can be a particularly high-impact choice, especially when we consider the entire supply chain. The agricultural production of grapes, grains, and sugars involves a great deal of water use and greenhouse gas emissions. Distilling requires yet more water and energy. Then there’s the packaging...and transportation. Browse the pieces below to learn more about the alcohol industry’s connection to environmental issues.

Just across the street from Dormont Estate’s passive housing development sits the old home farm. The buildings sat disused for several decades - until climate change researcher Kit Carruthers decided to invest in a micro-distillery for rum. You can learn more about the distillery from its homepage and a podcast story about its first few years.