Internet is divided over beer made with recycled toilet water in Singapore

The Singapore blonde ale, which is called NEWBrew, was first unveiled at a water conference in 2018 and went on sale in supermarkets and at Brewerkz outlets in April.

If someone were to make a list of bizarre things on Earth, this new kind of beer would surely make it to one of the top spots. Why, you ask? Well, the beer is made out of recycled sewage water. Yes, you read that right. The alcoholic beverage called NEWbrew is a collaboration between the country's national water agency, PUB, and local craft brewery Brewerkz. The Singapore blonde ale was first unveiled at a water conference in 2018 and went on sale in supermarkets and at Brewerkz outlets in April.

NEWBrew uses NEWater, Singapore's brand of drinking water recycled from sewage, which first flowed from treatment plants in 2003 to improve the island's water security. PUB says the new beer is part of an effort to educate Singaporeans on the importance of sustainable water use and recycling.

NEWater is made by disinfecting sewage with ultraviolet light and passing the liquid through advanced membranes to remove contaminant particles. So, the key to expanding the technology is to persuade the public that, once the water has been processed, it's just water.

NEWBrew triggered a plethora of reactions from people. While some people liked the taste of it and couldnt make out that it was made out of recycled sewage water, others were not very impressed with the creation.

"I seriously couldn't tell this was made of toilet water," said Chew Wei Lian, who had purchased the beer from a supermarket to try after hearing about it. "I wouldn't mind having it if it was in the fridge. I mean, it tastes just like beer, and I like beer."