It should come as no surprise that the men who produce brews with names like Holy Moses, Edmund Fitzgerald and Burning River would be just as creative when it comes to sustainability. As part of their triple bottom line to be socially and environmentally responsible while turning a profit, Great Lakes Brewing Co. owners Dan and Pat Conway have found many opportunities to reuse and recycle.
The cinnamon sticks from the company’s Christmas Ale usually find their way into the beer garden’s fireplace, after being rolled in old cardboard. Solar panels on the roof of the brewery heat the water used in the brewing process. To assist the company’s efforts, the Conways also introduced a process called vermicomposting, which uses worms to make fertilizer by feeding old shredded paper to the worms. The Pint Size Farm, as the company calls it, uses old vegetable scraps and waste from the worms to fertilize its crops. And 40 percent of the produce served by the Great Lakes Brewing Co. brewpub in the warmer months comes from the farm.
After eating at the brewpub, patrons can hitch a ride on the company’s bus, affectionately called the Fatty Wagon, to a Cleveland Cavaliers or Cleveland Indians game. The Fatty Wagon runs on filtered vegetable oil. The company plans to begin an employee-controlled water efficiency system and anaerobic digestion to remove yeast from the brewery’s water supply. They also plan to expand the use of solar panels. As owners of the first and largest microbrewery in Ohio, the Conways find it very important to be a responsible, contributing part of the community. The company held a meeting called Future Search to map out causes to focus on in the coming months and years. At the meeting, employees organized into 15 groups to concentrate on specific issues in the community.
The Conways realize their actions in social and environmental causes do not necessarily lead directly to greater economic gain, but they are paying off — Great Lakes Brewing Co. is the 23rd largest brewery in the United States, with products selling in 12 states.
How to reach: Great Lakes Brewing Co., (216) 771-4404 or www.greatlakesbrewing.com
