Can you fit Arizona's water future into a glass? We brewed a beer to find out

Have you ever had a beer – or any kind of food or drink – that speaks to you?

Something so delicious, so interesting that you had to know more about what went into making it?

That feeling is what spurred us at azcentral.com to brew a beer.

Actually, let’s clarify that. We didn’t brew the beer. The experts at Wren House Brewing in Phoenix created a crisp, refreshing dry-hopped lager we’re calling Hydrolager.

Our idea was simply to use something as everyman as beer to tell more folks about the state’s water future.

Here's how to taste what we mean

We all know we need water. We live in a desert. We also know water is limited and, therefore, precious. Because (say it with me) we live in a desert.

But how does our desert state keep said water flowing, even as drought, climate change, population growth and myriad other pressures tax our limited supply?

That’s the conversation we hoped to start with every ingredient in our beer.

First, if you want to taste what we mean: 

• Go to Wren House, 2125 N. 24th St. in Phoenix, and order a Hydrolager, or
• Visit the One Water Brewing Showcase Nov. 8 at the annual Canal Convergence event in downtown Scottsdale, where our beer will be one of several on tap.

Now, to deconstruct this beer and the issues it represents:

1.     Why water conservation matters

Let’s start with water conservation, because that should be the start of any debate on water. If we know we’re going to have less water in the future, we should focus on using less of it.

It’s been two decades since the state has updated its conservation requirements and best practices for metro Phoenix. We’re way behind where we should be and working to catch up.

But it’ll be at least a year before new requirements for farmers and major turf users like cities and golf courses are in the books. And even then, these requirements are incremental – more of a placeholder for what likely will be more sweeping measures in coming years.

What will that look like? Good question. The debate is just beginning.

How our malt illustrates that

We opted to brew with Sinagua Malt because it helps save water in the Verde Valley. The concept behind the malt is simple: Get farmers to grow barley in the late winter and spring, instead of corn in the summer, leaving more water in the river during the months when it needs it most.

The project is still relatively small, malting the barley grown on 120 acres this year. But it has potentially saved more than 324 million gallons of water since 2016. And business is good: There is more demand than supply for this malt among Arizona brewers, who are eager to use something locally grown and produced in their brews.

It proves conservation doesn’t have to be all pain for users and no gain. And that even small actions can add up.

2.     Why new water sources matter

We can do more to save water, and we should. But we also can’t simply conserve our way out of a water crisis.

For all that we do to use less, Arizona will still need to find new sources of water to meet long-term demands, particularly as water shortages at Lake Mead grow more severe. (The Colorado River water stored there comprises nearly 40% of the state’s water supply.)

The state is evaluating whether to desalinate groundwater that otherwise would be unusable and partner with Mexico to de-salt ocean water. None of these options are cheap.

Meanwhile, Scottsdale is the first city in the state – and the third in the nation – to use recycled water for potable use. For now, the city is using the water for demonstration purposes, not to fill customers’ taps.

Why we used recycled water

But Scottsdale wants to prove that recycled water – yes, the stuff that was once flowing through your drain – can be treated to standards even cleaner than tap water. And that it can be done economically, creating a renewable supply of drinking water for cities.

After all, Scottsdale has been recycling water for 20 years, though until now, the water was used for aquifer recharge, not drinking.

The need for such investments could come sooner than we expect, especially in rural communities that rely on a finite and ever-dwindling supply of groundwater.

But there’s a public perception to overcome, which is why Scottsdale created the One Water Brewing Showcase – to show folks that recycled water can be tasty, especially when it’s the main ingredient in beer.

It’s also why we brewed Hydrolager to be light and clean – to showcase the quality of Scottsdale’s recycled water inside.

3.     Why agriculture matters

If we’re talking about the future of water, we can’t leave out the state’s largest user – agriculture, which uses 74% of available supplies.

Farmers often get a bad rap for this, particularly from folks who say a desert state like Arizona shouldn’t be using so much water on agriculture, particularly water-intensive crops like cotton and alfalfa. But farmers grow those crops because there’s a market for them (and because, particularly with cotton and alfalfa, Arizona yields more per acre than almost anywhere else in the nation).

It would be a mistake to let agriculture tank. Arizona still needs efficient, local growers.

But not all farms will survive as water grows more expensive. And a growing number of farmers are realizing that in addition to adopting smart irrigation practices, like laser-leveling fields and installing drip systems, their survival may very well depend on their ability to find niche markets for crops that use less water.

Why we chose locally grown wheat

That’s why we sourced Sonoran white wheat, a drought-tolerant form of the crop, from a farmer in Queen Creek.

Padre Kino is said to have brought the varietal to these parts in the 1700s, and for many years, it was a staple in Arizona fields. But it fell out of favor after World War II to other varietals that produced higher yields.

Now, Grain R&D is bringing the water-wise wheat back – and finding a booming niche market with bakers and brewers who prefer its depth of flavor.

The operation is relatively small, growing roughly 100 acres of Sonoran white wheat this year, but it’s a win-win for the larger Sossaman Farms, which has farmed the land continuously for 100 years.

The wheat has proven to be an excellent rotation crop for its alfalfa fields, because its deep roots draw out the nitrogen that alfalfa deposits so heavily into soil. It generally requires less water than alfalfa and grows easily without herbicide or pesticide.

How we solved the hops problem

It was this same story of experimentation that drew us to Rhiba Farms in San Tan Vally for hops.

Hops are not necessarily a water-wise crop. And most varietals thrive in cooler weather – which is probably why almost no one in Arizona grows hops. Except Rhiba Farms, which is experimenting with three varietals.

The most exciting is neomexicanus, a hop native to the Southwest that uses less water and can tolerate more heat than what’s grown in the Pacific Northwest. We had intended to use them in the beer – in part, to highlight how climate change is eradicating this species from many of the Arizona mountainsides where it once grew wildly.

But the neomexicanus hops were not ready to harvest by our brew date. The other varietals suffered heat damage and were mostly a loss, though the roots are healthy and should grow back for another experiment next year.

So, we substituted Centennial hops from Crosby Farms in Oregon that were certified Salmon Safe, a designation that ensures growers use water-wise practices. They give the beer some wonderful floral notes.

And we have a case in point for why it's so important to work out the kinks now, before the water runs out.

The stakes are high to rethink how we use water – and not just for farmers. The more we can encourage new, bold thinking, the stronger Arizona’s water future will be.

Reach Allhands at joanna.allhands@arizonarepublic.com. On Twitter: @joannaallhands.