FORT BRAGG, Calif. — In honor of its 30th anniversary, North Coast Brewing Company is proud to present the One Pint at a Time Initiative. This ongoing initiative was established to shine a light on the brewery’s sustainably-driven, philanthropic efforts and formalize its commitment to making the world a better place, one pint at a time. North Coast Brewing’s One Pint at a Time Initiative is presented in conjunction with the release of the brewery’s 2018 Sustainability Report.
Social equity and environmental responsibility have been at the core of North Coast Brewing since its founding in 1988. The One Pint at a Time Initiative encompasses all of the ways North Coast Brewing minimizes its footprint and gives back every day.
“Every person at North Coast Brewing Company is personally invested in our mission to make a positive impact on our community and the world,” said North Coast Brewing CEO, Sam Kraynek. “We were one of the first two breweries to become a Certified B Corporation. This spirit of leadership and innovation differentiates us from any other brewery. The One Pint at a Time Initiative is a way for North Coast Brewing to showcase the numerous ways we’re setting a sustainable standard for the industry, while directly supporting the causes close to us.”
Brewing for a Better Planet
North Coast Brewing consistently leads the craft beer industry with its unwavering commitment to sustainability. The brewery is TRUE Zero Waste Platinum Certified and diverted 98.7% of its solid waste away from landfills in 2018. North Coast Brewing is also in the top 25% of breweries in the United States for energy efficiency, with its solar array producing almost 120,000 kWh last year. In addition to waste diversion and energy efficiency, the brewery is focused on using only high-quality, honest ingredients and has 14 of its core beer brands Non-GMO Project Verified.
North Coast Brewing’s innovative partnership with a local farm, Fortunate Farm, on the implementation of a closed-loop composting system, is a key aspect of the One Pint at a Time Initiative. The brewery works closely with Fortunate Farm Manager, Gowan Batist, on carbon sequestration and carbon farming projects while providing the farm with spent grain to grow the heirloom vegetables served in the brewery’s taproom and restaurant. In 2018, Fortunate Farm composted 1.65 million pounds of North Coast Brewing’s spent grain.
“The carbon sequestration and carbon farming research projects we’re executing with North Coast Brewing Company have a direct, positive impact on our local community and the health of our planet,” said Batist. “My family and I had been looking at this farm but didn’t see it as something that was possible for us. Through working with North Coast Brewing we were able to make it a reality.”
Good Beer Gives Back
With its home along the northern California coast, North Coast Brewing is in close proximity to the migratory path of gray whales and the southern habitat of orcas. The declining population of Steller sea lions inspired the creation of North Coast Steller IPA, which directly supports the research and rescue of marine mammals. For every bottle and keg of North Coast Steller IPA sold, North Coast Brewing makes a contribution to the North Coast Brewing Company Marine Mammal Research Fund, a project of The Ocean Foundation. In 2018, North Coast Brewing donated more than $55,000 to the Noyo Center for Marine Science, The Marine Mammal Center and the UBC Marine Mammal Research Unit through the project.
“We are in classrooms teaching kids about marine mammals in their oceans. We’re out in the tide pools doing surveys to see how our oceans are changing. These are the kinds of things that our partnership with North Coast Brewing will help us continue to grow and build,” said Sheila Semans, executive director of the Noyo Center for Marine Science.
Another aspect of North Coast Brewing’s philanthropic mission is shown through its deep love of the vibrant Jazz community and its support of Jazz education. Jazz education has always been a focus for North Coast Brewing, and this year the brewery announced that it will donate a portion of proceeds from every bottle and keg sold of Brother Thelonious Belgian style abbey ale to the year-round Jazz education programs of the Monterey Jazz Festival. North Coast Brewing is the longest continuing sponsor and the Official Brewery Partner of the Monterey Jazz Festival. In addition, the brewery sponsors the North Coast Brewing Company Jazz Education Stage for young performers at the annual festival.
“The Monterey Jazz Festival is so fortunate for the long-standing partnership with North Coast Brewing Company, a company that demonstrates its sincere commitment to making the world a better place. Together we are transforming the lives of thousands of young people through Jazz music,” said Colleen Bailey, executive director of the Monterey Jazz Festival.
The One Pint at a Time Initiative is an ongoing program that will continue to highlight the brewery’s impressive accomplishments in sustainability and company-wide dedication to philanthropy. To read North Coast Brewing’s full 2018 Sustainability Report, please visit: northcoastbrewing.com/sustainability/sustainability-report/.
About North Coast Brewing Company
North Coast Brewing Company is an independent craft brewery producing sustainably crafted beers in Fort Bragg, CA for over 30 years. Known for its award-winning lineup of high-quality beers available in 48 U.S. states and internationally, North Coast Brewing also releases barrel-aged ales and popular seasonal offerings, including a Berliner Weisse series. A pioneer and innovator in the craft brewing industry, North Coast Brewing is a Certified B Corporation – committed to making the world a better place, one pint at a time. North Coast Brewing’s status as a B Corporation is provided by B Lab, a third-party independent nonprofit that verifies the social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability of the companies it certifies. For more information on North Coast Brewing’s beer roster and philanthropic mission, please visit: https://northcoastbrewing.com/. Follow along with North Coast Brewing Company on Instagram @NorthCoastBrewingCompany, Twitter @NoCoastBrewCo and Facebook @NorthCoastBrewingCompany.