Meet Bevolution Creator in Bev Grantee Delorean Wiley
Water is crucial to making beer. In fact, pending the style of beer, up to 95 percent is water, and the actual production process of making beer requires even more water. The Brewer’s Handbook says, “Inside the average craft brewery, it takes seven liters of water to produce one liter of beer.” And Delorean Wiley, who has a Master’s in Sustainability and experience in both the wine and beer industry, is focused on educating breweries on how they can do their part when it comes to water conservation. The Fermentation Renewal Initiative is collaborating with breweries and educating the public about the importance of beer’s main ingredient. Wiley’s priorities right now are graduating this fall and finishing her dissertation, yet she still finds time to offer consulting to breweries and engage with the community including events like “Talk Water. Drink Beer” hosted by Celestial Beerworks with the purpose to offer education about the relationship between water and beer.
Learn more about Wiley and her goals for the Fermentation Renewal Initiative below and follow along at @Ferm_Renewal_Initiative.
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Ethnicity: Latina
Homebase: San Antonio, Texas
Instagram: @ferm_renewal_initiative
How did you get into brewing? What inspired you to do so?
While I do not brew myself, I love the craft beer industry. I started in the wine industry, moving from Texas to California in 2008. I had been working on Pierce’s Disease research in Fredericksburg, TX, for Texas Agrilife Extension. I relocated to San Luis Obispo, CA, with the intention of continuing my career in wine. When I went apartment hunting, I tried a Firestone-Walker Double Barrel Ale at the local pub. Over the course of a year, I changed my research focus from wine to beer and have yet to look back. I’ve worked with small fermentation producers in various capacities, but most recently consulting on water conservation at Texas breweries.
What is something you’re proud of in your craft beer journey so far?
I’m proud of the direction my action research dissertation project is moving. I worked with five breweries in the large metroplex areas of Texas to provide a process that increases their measurable contributions to water conservation in Texas watersheds. The type of advocacy employed has spanned events, cause beer releases, donations, grant sponsorship, and R&D projects.
“I’m proud of the direction my action research dissertation project is moving. I worked with five breweries in the large metroplex areas of Texas to provide a process that increases their measurable contributions to water conservation in Texas watersheds.”
How will you use this grant opportunity to further your craft beer journey?
This grant was budgeted as a social media marketing line item in the scholarship application. I will continue to allocate it as such in future grant and scholarship applications. The funds will be used to help document the five breweries’ water conservation journey, specifically the spring and summer operational process improvement and measuring programs that get implemented as the Phase 2 part of my research. If the demand for the consultation and process continues, my research assistant and I want to create a non-profit.
I anticipate graduating in December 2023. Without a paycheck in the fall, it will be hard to finish without having to work at the same time. Any work unrelated to my dissertation puts me at risk of not finishing my Ph.D. or needing to push graduation. Mentorship from this group of rockstars would be such an opportunity and would help me continue applied sustainability research with craft breweries, a goal I have worked towards for 12 years.
Any favorite brews or other beverages you enjoy? Breweries or bars that are your favorite that you’d like to share?
Shout out to Nomadic Beerworks, Roughhouse Brewing, Vista Brewing, SpindleTap Brewery, and Celestial Beerworks…and so many more!
Is there a mantra or quote you live by?
Serving people and solving problems.
About the Fermentation Renewal Initiative:
Fermentation Renewal Initiative is the project name for a Ph.D. action research dissertation being conducted out of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Texas State University led by Delorean Wiley. Action research is a methodology and philosophy that seeks real-world change by learning through doing. Wiley and her research assistant, Lindsay Smith, are working with several groundwater conservation districts and water conservation non-profits to reach at least one brewery in each of the 16 water planning districts across Texas.
Learn more about Wiley’s work and the Fermentation Renewal Initiative by going to the links below!