Sustainable Craft Breweries

Oktoberfest celebrations are popping up all over at this time of year. Yet, with the beer industry's notable water footprint-a pint of beer requires about 44 gallons of water-and its substantial generation of wastewater, byproducts and solid waste, critics have long been outspoken about the popular beverage's environmental impact.

- OLIVIA BAKER

Innovators, though, are constantly working to shift the status quo in favor of the environment. From solar panel water heaters to donating spent grains to local farmers for animal feed and from mass tree-planting initiatives to generating water via reverse osmosis, the following craft breweries are making efforts to shave down the industry's impact. Drink these brews-and enjoy the season-knowing that they were made ethically, with Earth in mind. 

Offsetting Ale
Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn, New York

In the heart of what was the historical powerhouse of beer production, this brewery is known for its Brooklyn Lager, now celebrating its 35th anniversary. In order to make their beer production more sustainable, they purchased and planted 375 acres of CO2-converting trees in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley in 2016, from their Williamsburg operations each year.

01 Carbon Recovering 
Alaskan Brewing Company JUNEAU, ALASKA

Never mind this brewery's magnificent views overlooking Thunder Mountain, ABC crafted the first CO2 recovery system in the U.S. to clean the carbon produced during the fermentation process. Operating since 1986, the brewery is likewise the first in Juneau since Prohibition. Peer onto icy mountain caps as you down a Kölsch.

02 Drought Friendly 
Anderson Valley Brewing Company BOONVILLE, CALIFORNIA

Running on 100 percent solar power, using recycled cans and reusing water to combat the California droughts, this brewery-known widely for their malty Boont Amber Ale-also boasts an 18hole frisbee golf course within its 26 acres of green pastures, open to the public with no charge.