A new collaboration between Aircapture and Almanac Beer Co is bringing direct air capture (DAC) into an unexpected setting: the brewery floor. The partners have launched what they describe as the first commercial beer carbonated using carbon dioxide sourced directly from the atmosphere.
Produced in Alameda, California, the release, Flow – Clean Air Edition, uses CO2 captured onsite via a modular DAC system installed at the brewery. The unit extracts carbon dioxide from ambient air and refines it to beverage-grade quality before feeding it directly into the brewing process, eliminating the need for external supply.
The concept addresses a longstanding vulnerability in the food and beverage sector. Carbon dioxide is a critical input for carbonation, yet most commercial supply is tied to fossil fuel-based industrial processes such as ammonia and ethanol production. Disruptions in those sectors, such as the shortages seen in 2022, can quickly cascade into higher costs and supply instability for manufacturers.
Onsite capture reshapes CO2 supply chains
By generating CO2 at the point of use, DAC systems offer an alternative model – one that decouples supply from traditional industrial cycles. In this case, the technology was integrated into existing brewery operations within weeks, without requiring new facilities or major infrastructure investments.
For producers, this localized approach could provide both cost stability and supply security, particularly as demand for carbon dioxide continues across industries ranging from food processing to construction materials.
The companies position the project as an early signal of a broader shift: treating carbon dioxide not as an industrial byproduct, but as a manufactured input that can be produced on demand. Beyond brewing, this model could extend to sectors such as refrigeration, agriculture, and concrete production.
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The launch also carries a policy dimension. A portion of proceeds from the beer will support Carbon180, a nonprofit focused on advancing carbon removal frameworks in the United States.
While small in scale, the initiative highlights how modular DAC systems can move beyond large infrastructure projects and into distributed, commercial applications.
If replicated more widely, such systems could help reconfigure how industries source CO2, shifting from fossil-linked supply chains to circular, air-derived alternatives.
Read more: Skytree Can Now Produce Beverage-Grade Pure CO2 On Site
