Consumers have spoken: They want to know that the brands their dollars support are committed to sustainability and environmentally responsible business practices. That goes for what they drink when they’re at a bar or restaurant, and that means they want you to stock and use beer, spirits and wine from producers that meet their sustainability expectations. So, while you’re taking steps toward becoming a more sustainable operation, don’t forget to check out the business practices of the brands on your menu.
Get started with the brands featured below!
Read this: Close the Loop: Become a Sustainable Bar Today
Heineken
The famous Dutch brewer returned to Coachella as a sponsor, marking the 16th year of this sponsorship. Heineken brought back the Heineken House for the 2018 Coachella festival, and with it came the Sustainable Dance Floor. The concept was simple: festivalgoers partying at the Heineken House got down on the dance floor, their movements were converted into energy, and that energy was used to power light beams and charge people’s devices. Pretty slick!
Upslope Brewing
In terms of beer production, the industry average is 7 gallons of water used for every gallon of beer produced. Boulder, Colorado, craft beer brewer Upslope Brewing uses just four barrels, reducing their water usage to almost half of the industry average. The brewer is in the midst of installing flow meters in the brewhouse, kegging machine, centrifuge and canning line so they can collect data and set further reduction goals.
Full Sail Brewing Co.
This brewer located in Portland, Oregon, has also implemented dedicated water conservation practices. In Full Sail’s case, the use of high-efficiency equipment means that they can produce a gallon of beer using less than three gallons of water. They’ve also cut their annual water consumption by 3.1 million gallons, compressed their work into four 10-hour shifts to reduce power and water usage by 20 percent, and purchase enough wind power each month to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 168 tons, an amount equal to planting well over 30,000 trees.
Bacardi
Ditch your plastic straws. That’s part of Bacardi’s Good Spirited campaign, an environmental initiative designed to raise the bar of sustainability and build a more sustainable future. Plastic, as you know, isn’t biodegradable. As the experts will tell you, every piece of plastic ever made still exists, and most of it ends up in the ocean. In fact, much of what goes into making plastic is bad for the planet, such as the extraction of fossil fuels, toxins released into the environment, and the damage done to organisms that live in the sea. So, Bacardi says skip the straw. They’ve committed to doing so for company events, and they encourage bars to follow their lead.
Read this: Patrón Tequila’s Secrets to Sustainability
Greenbar Distillery
The producer of TRU Vodka, Slow Hand Whiskey, Grand Amaro and Bar Keep Bitters has planted more than 700,000 threes in 10 years. Located in Los Angeles, Greenbar Distillery is committed to several sustainability initiatives, the best known of which is that they plant a tree in the rainforests of Central America for every bottle of their spirits sold. The distillery also uses only ingredients that are certified organic, and they reduce packaging waste and pollution by using lightweight bottles and fully post-consumer waste recycled labels. Greenbar also claims that consuming just two ounces of one of their spirits will make you carbon negative for the day, an interesting tidbit you can share with your guests.