Small Green Business Tuesday: Beer Edition

Not only are restaurants (like Mitchell's) jumping on the green bandwagon, so are breweries.

3 Great Local Green Breweries

1. East End Brewing Company
This local brewing company believes in sustainable practices in every area of their business. They only sell beer by the re-usable keg or growler, and their re-use plans extend to their pre-used brewery equipment and building materials and actual building which was formerly a warehouse. They give their spent grain as feed to a local farm and recycle pretty much everything else. Most importantly, they're made right here in Pittsburgh.



2. Appalachian Brewing Company
This Pennsylvania Brewery based in Harrisburg recently became Pennsylvania's first certified organic brewery. Currently, they only have one organic brew - the Trail Blaze Organic Brown. Its Harrisburg brewpub/brewery is located in a great historic building. Additionally, they're proud to report that they recycle 24 tons per year.



3. Great Lakes Brewing Company
This brewery is based out of Cleveland, Ohio. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by to visit their brewpub and take a tour of their green building. In the winter, they have a warehouse-sized refrigerator naturally cooled and taking advantage of Cleveland's less-than-tropical climate. Additionally, they have oodles of natural light in their remodeled building minimizing their electricity usage. According to their website, they've found some incredibly varied uses of their waste products from bread in their restaurant to growing mushrooms to vermicomposting.

Next time you're at the bar (or beer distributor), keep your eye out for Appalachian Brewing Company, East End Brewery, and Great Lakes Brewing. And make sure you don't drive after drinking - it's bad for the environment and your health.