In an effort to become more environmentally friendly, several Texas breweries have taken steps to reduce their impact on the planet. Since breweries require an enormous amount of energy and water to operate, interest in creating a great product while remaining environmentally responsible has skyrocketed in the area.
Visit these three eco-friendly breweries to see for yourself how green brewing practices can produce quality ales while remaining eco-friendly.
Lone Pint Brewery
Image via Flickr by adambarhan
Lone Pint Brewery, located near Magnolia, Texas, creates distinctive, full-flavored Texas brews while taking care to reduce its environmental impact. Not only is the brewery powered by renewable energy, but it also donates the spent grain it produces to local dairy farmers who use it in their cattle feed.
Lone Pint hosts a tasting and tour every Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. The cost is $10 and includes the tour, a pint glass, and three tasting tokens.
Travelers interested in touring Texas’s eco-friendly breweries should consider staying in a hotel in the Magnolia area for convenient access to Lone Pint as well as to other area breweries. Magnolia is home to several nice restaurants and shopping venues as well, so when you’re not on a tour, you can explore all the other options the area has to offer.
Franconia Brewing Company
The Franconia Brewing Company, located in McKinney, Texas, is committed to using green brewing practices. The eco-friendly operation is powered by the sustainable energy company Green Mountain Energy, and the brewery pays a significant amount of attention to how much water waste it generates. The brewing process requires almost 31 gallons of water to produce just one barrel of beer. To offset this, Franconia collects and reuses the water waste created during brewing.
To further its eco-friendly efforts, Franconia recycles its mash into cattle feed for local farms, another important waste-reduction practice. Moreover, by operating in an energy-efficient, high-tech building, the brewery greatly reduces its carbon footprint.
Franconia offers tours every Saturday at 11 a.m. Visitors will get a first-hand glimpse into how the brewery makes its ales during the two-hour tour.
Save the World Brewing
America’s first 100-percent philanthropic craft brewery, Save the World Brewing in Marble Falls, Texas, is on a mission to give back. By supporting a variety of charities, including Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, and Food for the Hungry, it’s well on its way to achieving its goal of donating every penny of its profit.
While Save the World prides itself on its charitable giving, the brewery doesn’t stop there. It goes a step further by taking impressive strides to minimize the environmental impact the company has on the planet. The brewery uses LED lighting, solar-powered energy, and 55-gallon barrel drums, which catch rainwater that is used to irrigate the brewery’s landscape.
Tours are offered every Friday and Saturday at 4 p.m. Don’t worry about making a reservation. Just sign up when you get to the tasting room to reserve your spot.
Support sustainable brewing practices by visiting these three Texas breweries. While they’re not the only breweries in the state using eco-friendly practices, they offer a unique peek into the industry of sustainable craft beer.
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