At a lot of restaurants the only decision you’re required to make about water is whether you want sparkling or still. Things are a little different when you’re dining at Gust’eaux.
Gust’eaux is located in Kuurne, a small Belgian town about 70 kilometers west of Brussels. The restaurant draws rave reviews for its signature mains, delicious nachos and refreshing sangria. But while finding nachos and sangria on the menu in a Belgian town of just over 12,000 might be a bit of a surprise… what fills your water glass may be an even bigger shock.
It’s water from the restaurant’s sinks and toilets.
You see, Gust’eaux is not connected to the municipal sewer system. That could be less than ideal for a restaurant, but Gust’eaux saw it as an opportunity. With a little help from Ghent University, BOSAQ, and other water experts they set up an on-site purification system.
The five-stage system produces water that’s so clean and pure that it would probably taste a little odd to most people. It’s mineralized before serving to give the water a more familiar (and more pleasant) taste.
Those who really want to wet their whistle can also try the Labo from Brouwerij De Mederie in Ghent. It’s a spicy, hopped Belgian tripel that’s brewed with the same purified water.
This isn’t anything new in Belgium. A few years back a team from Ghent University kicked off a major “sewer to brewer” venture at the Roskilde music festival. Urine was collected from the festival’s porta-johns and processed.
In addition to the purified water that was produced, brewers also used barley that had been fertilized by nutrients (like potassium, nitrogen, and ammonia) that had been stripped out.
Given Belgium’s long and proud brewing heritage, it’s a natural development. With 260+ breweries crafting some 530 million gallons of beer a year, Belgium’s researchers and brewers are focused on a sustainable future.
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