The first ever Scottish beer to be made from leftover bread has been created using unsold morning rolls.

Older readers may remember the stock cube advert which was based around the line ‘Pea and ham? From a chicken?’

However, thanks to a new initiative from Glasgow’s Aulds bakery and Jaw Brew micro-brewery, it seems that we can now go one better and make Scottish beer from morning rolls.

The collaboration has come about in a bid to reduce food waste in Glasgow.

Hardtack, a blonde beer, is made by Jaw Brew in partnership with Aulds using surplus rolls that are baked fresh each morning.

Aulds supplies it bread on a sale or return basis. This means there is often a large surplus of bread at the end of each day.

The majority of this goes to foodbanks. The remainder is given to Jaw Brew to ensure any waste is recycled.

Scottish beer from independent brewery

The independent micro-brewery, based at Hillington Park, found that the bread could be mashed without adding fermentable sugars. This creates a low-alcohol beer with a flavour and texture reflecting its 2.2% ABV.

Leaving aside the important environmental issue for a moment, this is a canny move. For a number of reasons – think health concerns and reductions in the drink driving limit – many people want to cut down their alcohol consumption.

Smart brewers are responding to this demand. Just check the rapidly expanding size of the low alcohol and alcohol-free section in your local supermarket.

Mark Hazell, owner of Jaw Brew, said ‘We were delighted to partner with Aulds to produce a sensational beer which is also helpful to the environment and fits well with Jaw Brew’s ethos.

‘We have had a lot of interest from specialist beer shops, as well as local golf and rugby clubs that are keen to offer a low alcohol alternative to the current on-sale market.’

The collaboration was set up by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and Zero Waste Scotland as part of an effort to create a circular economy for the city.

A circular economy is one in which every product is created with the intent of zero waste. The idea is that all raw materials can be recycled or upgraded to extract every possible usable element.

Hardtack has been packaged in 33cl cans and can be found in local pubs and specialist beer shops, as well as Jaw Brew’s website.