Patagonia, Hopworks team up for sustainable beer
Outdoor apparel company Patagonia is loud about its commitment to protecting the environment. Now, through its Patagonia Provisions offshoot, the company is teaming up with Portland Brewer Hopworks Urban Brewery to brew up a West Coast IPA made with organic ingredients and the Kernza perennial grain called Patagonia Provisions Long Root IPA.
In 2016, Patagonia Provisions’ partners at The Land Institute in Salina, Kansas, made a breakthrough in organic and regenerative agriculture with Kernza, the perennial grain used in Patagonia Provisions’ inaugural beer: Long Root Pale Ale. Released in October 2016, it was the first commercially available beer made with Kernza. The perennial wheat is ideally suited for organic and regenerative agriculture practices. Its long perennial roots thrive without pesticides, require less water than conventional wheat while helping to reduce erosion and remove more carbon from the atmosphere. Kernza also makes delicious beer. Patagonia Provisions believes the future of farming and our planet lies in organic and regenerative agriculture – a practice that restores soil biodiversity, sequesters carbon, and grows crops without chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
Patagonia Provisions chose Hopworks Urban Brewery to create its series of beers made with Kernza due to the brewery’s strong commitment to organics and sustainable brewing practices. Hopworks, experts in organic beer, is a B Corporation and is on a mission to revolutionize the brewing industry for the better. This refreshing West Coast-style IPA, at 6.2% ABV, has flavors of citrus and evergreen hops with a subtle bitterness and malty aroma to round out the experience. It’s light with a vibrant pop from the carbonation.