I recycle my beer bottles, but I thought that was the full extent of any possible beer-related environmentally friendly activities.  But oh how wrong I was.

The Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, already on the forefront of many ecological efforts such as fuel cell power plants and solar panels on top of its new parking lot, has found a new way to help mother Earth: make ethanol out of beer by-products!

The company is testing coke-machine sized portable refineries (see above) made by a company called E-Fuel, which can take the leftover yeast from the beermaking process (currently sold as feed for livestock) and turn it into ethanol.   Sierra Nevada can then use this fuel to power, at least partially, its fleet of vehicles!  The company even expects, if all goes well, to end up with a surplus of ethanol that can be provided to employees.

So, if you ever think you smell beer coming out of a passing car or truck, you’re not crazy.  And if you want to support this kind of effort, head for your local adult beverage store and pick up a six-pack of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.  I plan to!

(from cnet)