A central piece of our environmental commitment is the reduction of fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. We employ a wide range of energy-saving techniques throughout the brewing process, including the following:
Bio-diesel Boiler
Several years ago we became the nation’s first brewery to switch our boiler fuel source from diesel to B20, effectively reducing our CO2 emissions by 120,000 pounds per year. Now we’re aiming even higher, with plans in the works to build our own onsite biomass boiler and power generation facility, which will allow us to draw our energy entirely from local Vermont wood chips and our own spent grain left over from the brewing process.
Heat Recovery
As the wort is cooled from boiling point to room temperature for fermentation, its heat is absorbed by cold water in our heat exchanger. This water leaves the exchanger having absorbed a lot of heat, so rather than waste the energy inherent in the hot water by dumping it, we recapture it by diverting it to our boiler, to be turned into the steam that heats our brew tanks and our brewery.
Free-Air Refrigeration
Most refrigeration systems continually cool the same air, using a condenser and a lot of electricity. To save energy, we have installed a Free-Air refrigeration system that takes advantage of Vermont’s cool climate to minimize condenser use. Whenever it is colder outside than in our beer warehouse, our system simply pulls outdoor air into the beer warehouse rather pour energy into cooling the air that’s already inside.
Energy-Efficient Lighting
Our entire brewery has been outfitted with a state-of-the-art energy-efficient lighting system designed by Efficiency Vermont. The fluorescent bulbs we use reduce electricity usage and waste heat by more than 85 percent.
Local, Low-Emissions Electricity
The electric power we purchase is generated almost entirely from local, low-emissions sources including hydro, wind, and nuclear. So what energy we don’t save through reductions here at the brewery still contributes many fewer than normal greenhouse gasses and fossil fuel particulates to the atmosphere.
Local Ingredients
Whenever possible, we work to source our beer ingredients and packaging materials locally. The shorter the distance our ingredients have to travel, the less energy is required for their transport, and the smaller the carbon footprint of the final bottle of beer. When ingredients aren’t available locally, we work with local farmers to push for increased local cultivation of these crops.
