A Better Way to Brew

We are very fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful areas of the world and to be able to brew amazing beer for a living. With that in mind, we have a responsibility to address the environmental and societal challenges of today to help prepare a better tomorrow for the next generation of Northern California brewers and beer drinkers. We subscribe to the “3 P’s” of Sustainable Business: People, Planet, and Prosperity. What does this mean?

People

We do right by our PEOPLE. What should be common sense, is not always common practice. We are proud to pay our hourly workers a legitimate living wage, cover 100% of employee healthcare costs, offer 401(k) benefits and we have a culture which fosters both personal & professional growth.

Planet

We do right by our PLANET. We owe it to the next generation of Californians to preserve the natural beauty of Sonoma County. We designed our brewery and brewing processes to maximize water & energy efficiency, so that we can bring you world-class beer in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Prosperity

We do right by our COMMUNITY. By partnering with local businesses and other organizations, we help drive economic PROSPERITY at home. Whether it’s a small business that brings jobs to the community or a group that shares a similar ethos which is working to preserve the environment, we are proud to support those that are similarly invested in Sonoma County.

Outdoor scene with trees with fall colors

Sustainable Partners

Our sustainability efforts don’t end once the beer is brewed. We are proud to collaborate with many other great organizations that have invested in sustainability to help bring our delicious beer to the market.

Packaging

Beer quality is priority #1, which is why we package the majority of our beer into kegs. The beer that is not destined for draught, is packaged into cans as opposed to glass because cans protect the beer from light and oxygen, and they chill faster than glass. The environmental benefits (reducing fossil fuel usage, requiring less energy to chill, and higher likelihood of recycling) are some of the main reasons that we can our beer.

Tap Handles & Apparel

It wasn’t easy locating tap handle and apparel manufacturers that made their products here in the U.S., but we found a few, and their products are top shelf! Hoptown Handles designed and crafted our Seismic tap handles from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood, the gold standard in sustainable forestry management.

Think Globally, Act Locally

One brewery’s waste is another’s treasure. We donate our spent grain to a local rancher, who uses that spent grain as a nutrient-rich form of animal feed. We also partner with the Russian Riverkeepers and Clean River Alliance by donating our specialty malt bags to aid their watershed cleanup efforts. Through these strategic partnerships, we are able to divert potentially costly waste streams, while helping other great organizations reduce their costs. It’s nice to have friends!

“LEED” By Example

When designing our taproom space, we wanted it to be a true reflection of the brewery and the values that guide our company. To help convey this message, we decided to pursue LEED certification for our taproom, designing and constructing the building with the environment and our community in mind. Everything from materials sourcing, waste side-streaming, onsite power generation, to advanced HVAC systems and even acoustics and occupant comfort were all taken into consideration at the taproom. We are undergoing LEED certification currently and strive to be a leader in the sustainable building space.