When you think of industries that are good to the environment, which ones do you think of? Well, if you didn’t say “craft brewing,” then you might want to think again. Craft breweries are some of the greenest companies around, many are ahead of the curve when it comes to implementing sustainability and environmental initiatives. Maybe it’s the fact that the beer industry has razor thin profit margins so waste costs too much. Or, maybe it’s just the culture that many brewers and craft beer brewery owners come from that make them more inclined to enact environmentally friendly plans. Perhaps, since most breweries are fairly local enterprises, they don’t want to pollute the very area where they have their most loyal market. Regardless, brewers are a green bunch and we’re not talking envy. Check out how the following breweries do their best to do right by our planet.
Note: This is the first in a series of several articles that will highlight breweries with green practices. Each article will focus on one or two different methods for sustainability, such as recycling or wind power, and then highlight one brewery that has gone above and beyond the call of duty in protecting our world. Enjoy!
In Part 1 of Craft Beer Brewers Go Green, we'll focus on breweries that use wind power, including Allagash Brewing Company and Brooklyn Brewery. Then, you'll get an in-depth look at many of the amazing steps Sierra Nevada has taken to truly be one of the greenest breweries, if not companies, in the United States.
Anytime we hear Ron Jeffries is working on something new we get exited. For any of you who haven't tried Jolly Pumkin's beer, you're missing out. What has us really excited is something very new though. Ron has started Northern United Brewing Co (NUBC). NUBC will be comprised of three new Jolly Pumpkin cafe's, one in Dexter (next to JP brewery), one in Ann Arbor and one on the Old Mission peninsula just north of Traverse City. In addition to the cafes they are adding two breweries, North Peak and Grizzly Peak, the top two brewpubs in Michigan. Both North Peak and Grizzly peak have been around for over a decade, we're excited to see some expanded distribution since we haven't tried their beer. 
We've been fans of Somerville, Massachusetts' Taza Chocolate for a while now. We did a 
Alex Whitemore, of Taza Chocolate, was on hand for the release. While this beer is amazing on its own, we were lucky enough to pair the beer with the chocolate which really brings it up another notch. While we can't guarantee the brewpub approves, bring in some Taza with you to the bar and do the pairing yourself, trust us on this one. The Chocolate Mexicano Salted Almond goes especially well with the chocolate in the beer, creating an almost peanut butter and chocolate experience.
not just sitting around with friends while you have a few beers. It’s not barbecuing or relaxing and ordering pizza. The ingredients cost a lot of money and you have to know you can sell it. There is no down time, there’s always work to be done. I went on and on about how it’s different and it’s a job…
Guinness Draught
On Monday, March 1, 2009 I got out of bed at 6am. I proceeded to dig my car out of more than a foot of snow, with more still falling, so that I could drive an hour from downtown Boston to Plymouth, MA… only the drive took me two hours as I inched along at 25 mph on a 65 mph highway. You may ask, “Why the early morning? Why drive through a dangerous blizzard when the governor has told all non-essential workers to stay home?” Well, on this day I was going to Mayflower Brewing Company to brew with Matthew Steinberg, Director of Brewing Operations, so that I could see what a day in the life of a professional brewer is really like. The first thing I learned is that brewers can’t work from home. Also, in most cases, nobody can fill in for you. Beer has to be brewed and packaged, so you have to brave the elements and get to work. Have you ever had to drive two hours in a blizzard because you HAD to get a batch of homebrew done? 
