Now You Can Drink And Drive (Sort Of)

Tanked up: the beer-based petrol was unveiled last week (Caters)

A brewery has become the first in the world to use BEER as petrol.

Giving a whole new meaning to the phrase tanked up, DB Export have produced the first biofuel using lager by-products.

And like many great ideas, it was the brainchild of a few lager-fuelled mates!

The New Zealand-based brewer started supplying the biofuel – named DB Export Brewtroleum – at over 60 sites across the North Island.

Made from mixing 30,000 litres of ethanol with 300,000 litres of premium petrol, it was unveiled last Monday.

Brewtroleum emits 8% less carbon than traditional petroleum and delivers the same performance when compared.

A petrol station in New Zealand shows off the new greener fuel brand (Caters)

Sean O'Donnell, head of domestic beer marketing at DB, said: “Like many great Kiwi inventions, DB Export Brewtroleum was an idea sparked over a few beers.

"This is a genuinely exciting opportunity. It’s a world first. We’re helping Kiwis save the world by doing what they enjoy best – drinking beer.

"We saw the opportunity to take the natural by-product of the brewing process and turn it into something that can genuinely help the environment.

"To now be selling it through a major petrol retailer like Gull shows the power of not just having smart ideas but turning them into reality.”

The first batch is expected to last about six weeks and is a test to see if it’s feasible in the longer term.

David Bodger, general nanager of Gull New Zealand, said: “We’ve been making biofuels since 2007 and are always keen to help out anyone interested in producing cleaner fuel.

"We applaud DB Export for showing a bit of Kiwi ingenuity – it just goes to show how many opportunities are out there to make viable biofuels and help the environment.”