Beer is known for fueling ill-advised hook-ups and spontaneous bar brawls, and now the waste that breweries produce can result in fuel for operating the plants.

The AP reports an MIT graduate has created a method to transform beer-manufacturing waste into energy that powers breweries. His product extracts power from used hops, barley and yeast, creating natural gas.

A smallish Vermont brewer utilizes the technology with a $4 million structure. In the long run, the method can more than pay for itself, shaving $2 off costs per barrel brewed.

The inventor hopes to get the technology into larger brewing operations.

MIT grad’s invention turns brewery waste to fuel [AP via Boston.com, Fark]

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