Wolaver's

Organic beer is beer that uses ingredients, supplies, and production processes that abide by the rules of the National Organic Program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Organic” is distinctly defined as a system of agriculture and food production that emphasizes the building of healthy ecosystems by avoiding manufactured chemicals known to be destructive to humans and other living things. Instead, “organic” relies on natural processes such as composting, and systems like inter-cropping, that channel the strength of biodiversity to increase productivity and decrease pests and disease.

Only beers established by independent certifiers meeting the legal organic standards are allowed to boast the USDA Certified Organic logo.

The guidelines for organic beer are the same as for all organic foods. The ingredients must be grown without toxic chemicals or pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and in soil that has been free from chemicals for at least three years. No genetically modified (GMO) organism can be used in the brewing process. Many brewers use Certified Organic malt and/or hops but haven’t had their facilities and processes certified. In fact, these beers are not organic and are prohibited from being marketed as organic.

Now days, there are even more ways a beer can be considered “green”. For example, it can be brewed in an environmentally friendly brewery like solar-powered breweries, or made with “green” ingredients. There are so many emerging “green” beers, that Planet Green decided to break them down by region for us, starting with the East Coast.

If you are a beer lover like I am, this is quite exciting. Make sure to head on over and read the full article. We’ll make sure to keep you posted as they add other regions to their list.