Photo / Courtesy Allagash Brewing
Zoe Malia is the sustainability manager at Allagash Brewing.
Updated: April 19, 2024
Allagash Brewing, Patagonia team up to toast Earth Month with soil-friendly beer
Photo / Courtesy Allagash Brewing Co.
Kernza Lager, by Allagash Brewing in collaboration with Patagonia provisions, is made from a deeply rooted regenerative perennial grain with numerous environmental benefits.
Allagash Brewing Co. has joined forces with Patagonia Provisions, the outdoor apparel maker's food and beverage business, to release a limited-edition beer made from organic ingredients and a perennial grain called Kernza.
Kernza Lager is being sold throughout April, Earth Month, in cans and on draft at the Portland tasting room of Maine’s largest brewer. The beer was first brewed in June 2023 but only available on draft.
Kernza is the trademarked name for a grain harvested from a form of wheatgrass, with long roots that protect soil from erosion and help sequester carbon. One plus is that minimal tilling is needed.
“Even though our environmental initiatives are ongoing, we really enjoy celebrating Earth Month with additional initiative and special calls to action,” Zoe Malia, Allagash’s sustainability manager, told Mainebiz.
She touted success stories including a coop launched by the brewer in 2023 to support the recycling efforts of small breweries and other businesses.
“There are now 17 members and last year together we recycled over 40 tons, including hard-to-recycle items like grain bags, PakTek carriers, shrink wrap and more,” Malia said. Allagash also collects recyclable materials from tasting room visitors so the waste can be properly disposed of.
Allagash, led by founder and 2019 James Beard Award winner Rob Tod, is ranked as Maine's largest brewer in the 2024 Mainebiz Book of Lists, based on 2022 production. Patagonia Provisions is based in Sausalito, Calif.
'Dry-hopped pilsner'
Touting the limited-edition Kernza Lager as delicious and accessible, Malia said, “I think we achieved our goal of experimenting and understanding how Kernza can be used in the brewing process.”
“The beer is a dry-hopped pilsner featuring organic grains — including Kernza, which is also highly sustainable — and organic hops,” she said.
While Allagash will be selling the beer all month, it also has a special tasting room event this Saturday.
The event will include a sidewalk sale of Allagash-branded Patagonia gear, a sampling of Patagonia Provisions delicacies, and a "Patagonia Worn Wear Pop-Up" that will provide quick fixes and non-sewn repairs on damaged but laundered gear. All brands, not just Patagonia, will be accepted for hole fixes and zipper adjustments.
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