January 3, 2009

Updates to Organic Beers

Since I was just at Tuck on New Year's Day, I thought I'd update their organic choices since I discovered they had far more than I remembered.

I am not going to be able to list all the one-offs by the various breweries but I believe from here on out we'll find them more numerous as a number of smaller breweries will begin to put out one or more certified organic brews. On those coat-tails, you will also begin to see the big boys put out a few organics from their lineup to cater to the growing demographic. Expect the Michelob Organic Stone Mill Pale Ale to be around sooner rather than later. SABMiller and MolsonCoors won't be too far behind.

Eel River Brewing Company



Eel River Brewing Company's website describes themselves as the first certified organic brewery in America. They brew out of Humboldt, California which makes me say 'No wonder'. I mean we all rightly or wrongly associate California with all sorts of weird non-Midwestern values like organic foods, not destroying the planet and retreats with New Age demagogues. However California has brought us some wonderful beer inventions like Microbreweries, Imperial IPAs and over-hopping beers until our eyes bleed. It just makes so much sense that they'd have America's first certified organic brewery.


Butte Creek Brewing Company



Butte Creek Brewing is another brewery out of California producing organic beers. They are located in Chico which you might know as the home of Sierra Nevada which is a mighty brewer in its own right. Butte Creek was founded in 1996 but appears to have been purchased in 2005 or so by a group called Golden West Brewing. They are apparently looking a producing a pilsner under the moniker of Blue Marble Brewing designed to appeal to a broader market which is odd since they already produce a pilsner under the Butte Creek brand.

Anyway both of these breweries have offerings at Friar Tucks and possibly other shops locally.

1 comment:

doggettmeister said...

Update: I picked up a six pack of Eel River's Amber Ale. It was standard in taste and appearance with nothing unusual to note. It was a thoroughly tasty and I could easily fit it in as my standard go to Amber.