Breweries have the power to move the industry toward a more climate-friendly future by making beer with more regenerative and organic ingredients. Patagonia Provisions, the food and beverage division of outdoor apparel company Patagonia, has been championing the use of regenerative organic ingredients in beer, specifically with Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) Kernza.
This championing went into overdrive last summer, when Patagonia Provisions launched its pilot brewery partnership program with 11 independent craft breweries across the U.S. Each brewery crafted regional-specific lager-style beers made with Regenerative Organic, including Allagash Brewing Company, Odell Brewing Company, and Rhinegeist Brewery. Certified Kernza and organic ingredients, and each beer was co-branded with Patagonia Provisions.
But the regenerative brewing didn’t stop there. Aslan Brewing Co., a B-Corporation with a USDA certified organic brewery in Bellingham, Wash., and a participant in last year’s program, just launched what they and Patagonia Provisions are calling the World’s First Regenerative Organic Certified IPA.
To become Regenerative Organic Certified, the highest standard for organic agriculture in the world, this beer had to meet stringent requirements for soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. Along with Patagonia Provisions’ Kernza, Aslan sources Regenerative Organic Certified Pilsner Malt from Breathe Deep Farm in New York’s Hudson Valley, and organic Chinook Hops and Strata Hops from Washington’s Roy Farms. The beer (6.6% ABV) boasts bold flavors of berry and pine, and finishes crisp and refreshing with a balanced bitterness. Expect tropical aromas with hints of sweet orange and berry.
What is Kernza? Developed by Kansas-based research non-profit The Land Institute, Kernza is a deeply rooted perennial grain. Whereas most grains are planted and harvested annually, Kernza stays in the ground year after year, developing roots up to 12 feet long. Perennial grains like Kernza stabilize soil, require minimal tilling, increase soil organic matter, and improve soil structure and water-holding capacity. When used in beer, Kernza adds a deliciously rich but subtle nutty flavor.
Patagonia Provisions is confident that ongoing research will also confirm that Kernza draws down and stores more carbon in the soil than annual grains. Patagonia Provisions is also exploring ROC rye and ROC barley for future beers.
This year’s crop of Kernza lagers
This April, 10 more breweries joined Patagonia Provisions in the movement to scale regenerative and organic ingredients, improve soil health, restore ecosystems, and help fight the climate crisis.
- Anderson Valley Brewing Company (Boonville, CA)
- Atlas Brew Works (Washington, D.C.)
- Fieldwork Brewing Co. (San Francisco Bay Area, CA)
- Half Acre Beer Co. (Chicago, IL)
- Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (Richmond & Charlottesville, VA)
- Lawson’s Finest Liquids (Waitsfield, VT)
- Map Brewing Company (Bozeman, MT)
- Pure Project (San Diego, CA)
- TALEA Beer Co. (New York, NY)
- Tröegs Independent Brewing (Hershey, PA)
This year’s releases showcase the diversity in flavors and the extra commitment to organic ingredients.
The Kernza Lager from Roadhouse Brewing Co., a Jackson Hole-based B Corp., is brewed with all-organic ingredients including organic barley from Great Western, organic New Zealand hops, and certified organic Kernza. The beer is a crisp and refreshing light-bodied lager for easy drinking. Notes of biscuit and bread with light caramel hints are complemented by light orange and citrus zest, making it the perfect companion for outdoor adventures and celebrating the beauty of nature.
“15% of this beer needs to be Kernza, but we decided to go for 20%!” says Max Shafer, Roadhouse Brewmaster. “We used organic barley from Great Western to produce a full body, slightly hoppy lager, combined with organic New Zealand hops – Moteuka and Nelson – to give this beer a little more pop.”
“At Roadhouse, we’ve always believed in the power of great beer to bring people together while making a positive impact on the planet,” notes Roadhouse and Pure Madness co-founder Gavin Fine. “Teaming up with Patagonia Provisions allows us to further that mission by showcasing the potential of regenerative agriculture and highlighting the urgent need for sustainable practices in the brewing industry.”
In Vermont, the Kernza Lager from Lawson’s Finest Liquids has a spicy, piney aroma with a clean, refreshing finish, making it easy to drink and easy to love, clocking in at 5.6% ABV and 27 IBUs.
“Lawson’s Finest is a leader in community giving, environmental initiatives and employee-first workplace efforts. Their SIP, or Social Impact Program, is a role model for the industry,” said Paul Lightfoot, General Manager at Patagonia Provisions. “We’re proud to have Lawson’s Finest as a partner in our movement to use more organic and regenerative ingredients in beer.”
In San Diego, Pure Project is introducing Kernza Lager, brewed with organic Admiral Pils malt from Admiral Maltings, organic Motueka hops from NZ Hops, and certified organic Kernza. The beer is light and crisp, with aromas of fresh bread and toasted coconut, and flavors of bright citrus rind and brioche.
“At Pure Project, we’ve always considered beer an agricultural product,” says Winslow Sawyer, Co-Founder and Brewer of Pure Project. “With my background in sustainable agriculture, I am especially excited about this partnership with Patagonia Provisions, as it provides an opportunity to expand the conversation about how beer is created, moving the industry towards brewing with organic and regenerative ingredients that are better for the planet.”
To date, partner breweries have sourced more than 50,000 pounds of certified organic ingredients, including 12,000 pounds of ROC Kernza. As consumer demand has grown for Kernza Lager across the country, the limited supply of ROC Kernza has been almost entirely utilized. So much so that other partner breweries have shifted to certified organic Kernza until the next harvest of ROC Kernza becomes available in 2025.
Meet the farmers
The ROC Kernza is sourced from A-Frame Farm and Prairie Grass Ranch. Farmer Luke Peterson, along with his wife Ali, own and operate A-Frame Farm, a 1,200-acre ROC farm in Dawson, Minnesota, where they grow grains without the use of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, or other chemical growth-enhancing or inhibiting substances.
Family-owned and operated Prairie Grass Ranch is a 7,400-acre ROC crop and livestock operation in the foothills of the Bears Paw Mountains in north central Montana. Fourth generation ranchers, Jody and Crystal Manuel, and their children grow Kernza alongside perennial crops while the grass-fed cattle herd serves as an integral part of the holistic farm system. Both farms are members of the Perennial Promise Grower’s Cooperative, a farmer-led ingredients company working to grow the impact of Kernza by empowering more farmers to plant it, and ensuring a high quality product for the brands that source it.
Through a partnership with Mad Agriculture, Kernza farmers in the cooperative are able to scale their growing operations and connect with more brands like Patagonia Provisions.
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