Easy Peasy Tip: Buy Local(ish) Wine & Beer!
By tinychoices | February 16, 2008
The further any product has to travel, the bigger its carbon footprint. So unless you’re a full-blooded oenophile or hop-head, then think about where the beverage was made and how much energy it took to get it to you. Those bottles and liquid are heavy, and shipping cases of them halfway around the world is a pollutant we can cut back on by making a point of buying from our most local(ish) producers. And you’ll be supporting your neighboring winemakers and brewers in the process!
[Image by dailydog via Creative Commons]
Topics: EasyPeasyTips |
Local beers tastes so much better! Also, at some breweries when you buy a growler (the glass jugs), you can bring back the jug and get a discount on your next growler. So there ya go, you’re recycling the big glass jugs too!
I’m a Guinness drinker, which for me is local because Dublin is quite close to where I live :) Wine would be more difficult to get local as the Irish climate isn’t exactly the kind needed to grow grapes! So France would be the closest for me, and fortunately I love French wine. Thank’s for raising this issue, it’s an aspect of climate change and my carbon footprint that I never thought of.
Great point! You don’t need to shell out the extra for organic, just buy local! So now it is my duty to inform your readers that if you are anywhere near Delaware, you must, must, must try Dogfish Head beer. It is so good. Brewed in Milton, Delaware, with a bar and restaurant in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and other restaurants in Gaithersburg MD and NoVA, it is really a great place with great food and great beer. They also make spirits.
Cheers!
Lynn
http://www.organicmania.com
My husband loves Dogfish Head beer! I don’t think any other beer makes him happier, hee hee. Maybe one day we’ll have to make a trip to Delaware and check out its birthplace.
When we lived in Arizona, we often went to the beer festival. It was a great way to sample local and semi-local beer.
Also I learned that our indoor farmers market coming up will have wine, didn’t know farmers markets sold wine too! Many ways to get local stuff.
We’re lucky to have some kick-ass beer in Baltimore (Brewer’s Art anyone?), and also some great ones in PA. Unfortunately MD is NOT the place for local wine, a lot of it is way too sweet. I have had some great home brewed mead, though.
[…] Easy Peasy Tip: Buy Local(ish) Wine & Beer! […]
Does this mean I should *really* celebrate the fact that my husband is a homebrewer ?? :) We love local microbrews . . . but his stuff is just as good. And, I guess, even more environmentally friendly! He’s also tried his hand at winemaking, too, so there’s never a shortage at our house!!
Also, often local-local beer comes in 1/2 gallon growlers (glass reusable bottles), so less packaging and depending on how local, you may also be able to bring it back to the brew pub & get it refilled. New cap everytime, but saves so much packaging.
Plus, bringing a growler to a party makes you look like the hero!
I’m currently (this month, not this moment) rocking through Mt Carmel beers, local to Cincy and gosh darn delicious.
(I just reread the comments and see Suzy’s stuff on growlers, but it does stand to be repeated!)
Also, imported beer is often quite old by the time you get it, so local beer tastes better just for being fresher.
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