Iowa breweries team up to clean, protect waterways

Beer requires a lot of water, so it’s always nice to see breweries take up the responsibility to protect and clean local water supply. Maine breweries formed an alliance to protect their local water. Arizona Wilderness, featured in our Cheers to 10 Years series, is entirely dedicated to talking about the dire situation of the water supply in the Southwest. There are a ton of other examples, such as…

This month, Iowa craft breweries Big Grove Brewery, Toppling Goliath Brewing Co., and Lua Brewing collaborated on Project Hop Fisch IV, a double hazy IPA featuring a combination of new and experimental hops from around the world.

But Project Hop Fisch is more than just a collaboration between talented brewers. It’s a movement that supports a worthy cause: protecting Iowa’s most valuable resource, water. Each batch of Hop Fisch supports the effort to clean and protect Iowa’s waterways. And this year, all three breweries are donating to Project A.W.A.R.E, a non-profit organization dedicated to cleaning up Iowa’s waterways.

“Breweries rely on water quality to make beer. We need to do more whether it’s supporting water causes or employees,” said Scott Selix, Co-Founder of Lua. “We (as breweries) need to make sure to not use more water, and try to use less.”

For one week each summer (in July this year), hundreds of kids and adults converge on a river to pick up trash during Iowa’s largest volunteer river cleanup event.

“We’re excited to collaborate with Project A.W.A.R,E. this year and make a difference in our community by cleaning up Iowa’s waterways,” said Matt Swift, CEO at Big Grove Brewery. “We are not just producing a delicious beer, but we are also contributing to the greater good.”