In what is being called a world’s first, a California-based craft brewery has developed a beer carbonated with carbon dioxide (CO₂) captured directly from the air.

Aircapture, a company focused on direct air capture (DAC), worked in conjunction with the Almanac Beer Co. to develop what is called Flow — Clean Air Edition (Flow — CAE).

Source: Aircapture and Almanac Beer Co.

Using Aircapture’s DAC technology — which was placed within Almanac’s brewery in Alameda, California — CO₂ is pulled from ambient air and then refined to beverage-grade quality before it is fed into the brewing process.

According to its developers, the unit manufactures liquid CO₂ at 99.999% purity, surpassing standard beverage requirements, while also reframing the gas as a localized input instead of a volatile byproduct.

This is important for brewers, the developers explained, because it reduces exposure to supply disruptions and price fluctuations. Likewise, it offers a more predictable production environment.

“Until now, CO₂ has been a volatile byproduct of fuel and chemical production,” the company added. “With Flow — Clean Air Edition, we’re making high-purity CO₂ from the air right where it’s needed, and delivering it at a cost that works for business owners.”

The team noted that the process is an early sign of a greater shift in how industries source CO₂. Rather than relying on fossil-fuel-linked production, companies can produce CO₂ onsite from ambient air.

Further, there is potential across a variety of sectors for the technology, including food, refrigeration, concrete and agriculture.

For more on the process, watch the accompanying video that appears courtesy of Aircapture.