Craft brewing is a resource-intensive production process – a fact that is not lost on many craft breweries. From reusing spent grain to installing solar energy, craft breweries of all shapes and sizes are constantly implementing earth-focused initiatives to lessen their business’ impact on the environment. As Earth Month winds to a close, let’s celebrate with this small sample of sustainable craft beer business ideas — gifts that keep on giving the whole year.
We start with Allagash Brewing in Maine. In 2023 they increased their Maine-grown grain usage by 25.9% over the prior year to 1.89 million pounds. The brewery also continues to reduce their water consumption per gallon of beer, now down to 3.1 gallons of water per gallon of beer, which is half the industry average.
Allagash celebrated Earth Month with various staff team-building sustainability-minded activities throughout April, including: a clean-up of Portland’s East End beach, a Portland Trails Clean Up at Riverton Trolley Park, not to mention an earth-friendly barbecue.
Allagash is also one of a growing list of breweries working with Patagonia Provisions, the food and beverage division of outdoor apparel company Patagonia, to championthe use of regenerative organic ingredients in beer, specifically with Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) Kernza. Perennial grains like Kernza stabilize soil, require minimal tilling, increase soil organic matter, and improve soil structure and water-holding capacity.
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)
Read more about that here.
Pure Project in San Diego is renowned for its environmental initiatives, teamed up with five other eco-conscious brands this month for an Earth Month Giveaway. The winner will receive $600 worth of gifts from the brands (Pure Project, Patagonia Provisions, Mamma Chia, The Bountiful Bag, Mizu, & Rustek). The Pure Project team also sent over an update on their Beer For Good initiatives to date:
- We’ve donated $356,000+ to environmental non-profit organizations working to protect the planet’s resources through 1% For the Planet giving.
- Planted 40,000+ trees in partnership with The National Forest Foundation.
- Sourced and in the process of transitioning all of our shipping boxes to 100% recycled cardboard.
- Our case trays are now made with 99% recycled cardboard.
- We’ve moved to printed cans for our core beers, so there’s no more plastic and they are fully recyclable without needing to remove a label.
For the printed cans … “We are currently working with Canworks locally, and Cask for our larger runs of core beer cans,” they tell us. “In addition to being fully recyclable, the price per unit is less than the cost of labels plus brites, but the order minimums are higher. The order minimum for the larger runs is one pallet.”
Vermont’s Lawson’s Finest Liquids (a certified B Corp.) is a founding member of the Vermont Brewshed Alliance, which highlights the importance of clean water; and in 2023, they completed a campus-wide solar project in Waitsfield that will offset the complete electricity needs of the brewery. The system produces a total of 570,000 kWh annually through four photovoltaic solar arrays.
Lawson’s released its first ever Impact Report earlier this month, which offers a transparent look into the company’s various Social Impact Program (the SIP) initiatives. Our favorite is the Sunshine Fund — In lieu of tipping, Lawson’s Finest Liquids Taproom guests are encouraged to donate to the Sunshine Fund, which benefits local nonprofits. (Also, this is only possible when you pay employes a living wage, of course). Through the Sunshine Fund, the brewery presented $312,025 to 24 Vermont nonprofits in 2023.
Upslope Brewing in Boulder, Colo. (another B Corp.) announced that its main production facility, the Flatiron Park brewery and tap room that also houses its offices, is LEED Certified as of February 2024. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the world’s most widely used green building rating system. LEED certification provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings, which offer environmental, social and governance benefits. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement, and it is backed by an entire industry of committed organizations and individuals paving the way for market transformation.
Uplsope’s Flatiron Park facility is certified under the LEED Operations and Maintenance (O + M) path – a certification for existing buildings who focus on operating in a way that’s energy efficient, promotes good indoor air quality, reduces emissions, reduces waste, etc. Retrofitting and optimizing existing buildings is one of the most important things we can do to decarbonize the building sector, but it’s not done nearly enough—so we’re very proud of this project! The bulk of the work we did toward this certification was writing policies that make building operations more efficient and improve occupant health.
Schilling Cider in Seattle brought back its annual KEEP IT WILD initiative. Throughout April, 5% of sales from Excelsior Imperial Apple and Local Legend cider cans or draft pours will help support seven non-profits dedicated to preserving wild spaces across nine states: WA, OR, CA, CO, MN, AZ, ID, MT and AK.
Funds from the campaign will amplify the reach and impact of each organization’s vital work protecting delicate ecosystems and endangered spaces in their areas. The selected partners this year include Washington Wild, Oregon Wild, Wildlands Conservancy, Western Resource Advocates, Voyageurs Conservancy, WildEarth Guardians and Alaska Conservation Foundation.
“Sustainability is at the core of everything we do. We aren’t just about making great drinks; we’re about doing so responsibly, ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come,” Colin Schilling, CEO and Co-Founder of Schilling Cider, emphasizes.
Beyond KEEP IT WILD, Schilling Cider operates an all-electric sales vehicle and forklift fleet, utilizing 100% recyclable packaging, sourcing local ingredients, and using highly efficient packaging processes that cut CO2 emissions by up to 50%.
Zoe Malia, Sustainability Manager with Allagash said it best: “We tend to treat every month like it’s Earth Month, but April is a great time to take stock of how we can continue to strive to do even more to give back to both the environment and our Maine community.” So, do not let our sustainability coverage end here! If you implement a new eco-focused program or business practice — at any time of year — let me know about it.
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