Poo & Brew Events are a hit

The Young Professional’s Committee “Poo & Brew” series has been quite a hit this year and it’s no wonder why. Who doesn’t want to visit New England wastewater facilities then sample local microbrewery draughts while catching up with fellow industry professionals?

This fall, the event series extended its reach to two new states with tours in Providence, Rhode Island and South Burlington, Vermont. Attendance topped 85 professionals for the two events which have been selling out quickly this year throughout New England.

Co-sponsored by NWPCA, the Rhode Island Poo & Brew started with a comprehensive tour of Field’s Point Wastewater Treatment Facility located on the Providence River. Attendees were guided around the plant including tours of the newly certified administrative building and state-of-the-science Water Quality Sciences building, both recent upgrades to the third oldest Publically Owned Treatment Works in the nation. The event then continued to Foolproof Brewery where attendees met Moe, Larry, and Curly, the 3 hardworking fermentation tanks at the brewery, which bring to life famous flavors such as Peanut Butter Raincloud and Shuckolate (a Chocolate Oyster Stout).

Up north in the Green Mountain state, the Poo & Brew series finished up the year with a GMWEA co-sponsored event that kicked off at the South Burlington Airport Parkway Wastewater Treatment Facility. The event included a guided tour of the State of Vermont Grade 5 facility (the highest level issued) including anaerobic digestion producing Class A Biosolids and methane gas used to power a 65 kW microturbine producing electricity for the plant. Following the tour, the group set out for Queen City Brewery where they peppered the owner and head brewer with home-brewing questions while sampling a variety of traditional ales and lagers from the once home-brewer himself.

If you’d like to host a Poo & Brew in 2017, or help plan an event, please contact Ben Stoddard (bstoddard@kleinfelder.com) or Justin Skelly (jlskelly@tighebond.com), or join the NEWEA YP Committee!