Technically Speaking
DISTILLING FOR THE FUTURE Through sustainability efforts, craft distilleries strive to protect the environment and their communities. BY JON PAGE
When the staff at Montanya Distillers started making to-go cocktail kits at the start of the pandemic, founder Karen Hoskin immediately noticed a big problem: plastic. The distillery in Crested Butte, Colorado, takes pride in its many sustainability efforts, including not using “single-use anything unless it’s 100% recycled,” says Hoskin. So at the first sight of cocktail garnishes and ingredients in plastic containers, she instructed staff to use twisted packets of aluminum foil or Mason jars, instead. The message about sustainability was clear: “There are no compromises, even in the middle of a pandemic,” Hoskin says. Montanya is one of many American craft distilleries placing a strong emphasis on sustainability. Whether it’s through adaptive reuse of space, recycling energy and resources, or laying the groundwork for an environmentally-friendly business designed to last for generations, there are seemingly
“To be a sustainability company, it infiltrates every single aspect of business.” —Karen Hoskin of Montanya Distillers endless ways that craft spirits producers can foster sustainability in their businesses. At Montanya, Hoskin sees sustainability as an all-encompassing mission, and there is proof all around. The distillery, barrel room, warehouse and tasting room are 100% wind powered. The distillery offsets carbon output from natural gas fired stills, airline travel, freight shipping, Amazon shipments and more. The distillery and tasting room are heated by recycled heat produced from the stills. The company is closing in on becoming a zero-waste facility, and employees travel with reusable glass kits to avoid using plastic
products at tastings. And those are just a few of the distillery’s sustainability efforts. “To be a sustainability company, it infiltrates every single aspect of business,” says Hoskin. Partially because of those efforts, Montanya is on a short list of distilleries that have earned status as a Certified B Corporation, which is a business that meets the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. Other distilleries that are Certified B Corporations include Headframe Spirits of Butte, Montana, and Fair
John and Courtney McKee of Headframe Spirits
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SEP T EM BER 2020
C R AF T S PI R I T S MAG .CO M