A handful of Australia's regional brewing companies are doing their bit to support farmers affected by the drought.
The Great Northern Brewing Company has pledged to help raise more than $1 million for the cause through a fundraising effort with participating pubs and clubs.
The brewer will donate 1000 kegs to venues across Queensland, NSW and Victoria for Let it Pour, an event that will see Australians unite to help farmers facing record-breaking conditions.
Great Northern general manager Mick McKeown said venues will host Let it Pour events from 24-26 August, and all sales proceeds from the 1000 donated kegs will be given to the Drought Relief Fund, administered by Rotary Australia.
Illawarra Brewing Company is also doing its bit to help cattle farms during the drought, according to Fairfax Media.
Three Illawarra brewers are sending a byproduct of its beer production to cattle farms in the region to feed stock.
Early in the brewing process, the grain – mostly barley, sometimes wheat – is cooked to extract the sugars, and cows will benefit from the leftover softened grains, which will be used as an alternative feed source.
Five Barrel Brewing owner Phil O’Shea, for example, said he gave about 600 kilograms of the byproduct a week to a cattle farm in Gerringong, with used yeast and hops mixed in for added protein.
