The phrase “save water, drink beer” is typically used facetiously, but for these five beer, wine and spirits producers in Northern Virginia, there may be some truth to it.
Resource conservation is a top priority at the following facilities, so you can feel good about imbibing here on Earth Day and every day.
Catoctin Creek Distillery
Catoctin Creek has been a regular Platinum Award winner in the Loudoun Green Business Challenge because of their commitment to sustainability. They source local, organic ingredients and are a zero-waste production facility, meaning every byproduct of the distilling process is utilized in some way. They also get 80 percent of their power from the solar array on their roof, offsetting the electricity they use from the grid, which is sourced from coal or natural gas. On very sunny days, the array generates the equivalent of five households’ worth of energy and actually returns energy to the grid. // 120 West Main Street, Purcellville
Eavesdrop Brewery
This newly opened brewery plans to implement a water recycling program to use the standing water collecting on their property to irrigate their gardens. They covered the grounds with pea gravel and dug a small trench leading downhill to the base of the property. This helps filter the water and facilitate flow. Once the water collects, they then pump it back up to provide irrigation to the hop yard and the fruit and herb gardens. // 7223 Centreville Road, Yorkshire
MurLarkey Distilled Spirits
A common practice among distilleries and breweries, spent mash from MurLarkey finds a second home to prevent it from being wasted. The non-alcoholic corn and barley mash is rich in nutrients and is a valuable resource for farmers, so the distillery donates all of it to Smith Family Farm in Gainesville, where it is happily consumed by livestock. They’ve been diverting their mash from the waste stream since they started the operation in January 2016. // 7961 Gainsford Court, Bristow
North Gate Vineyard
North Gate is a LEED Gold certified winery that is also frequently recognized for their environmental efforts with awards, including the Loudoun Green Business Challenge Platinum Award, among others. The wine has an impressively small carbon footprint thanks to the eco-friendly tasting room and production facility made from recycled and renewable building materials. Their solar array generates all of the power needed to run the building. In addition, they participate in local and national monarch butterfly conservancy efforts by planting native host plants and collecting eggs and caterpillars to raise and release. // 16031 Hillsboro Road, Purcellville
Sunset Hills Vineyard
Sunset Hills Vineyard likes to say they are “turning sunshine into wine” with the solar panels on their rooftops. These supply 80 percent of their electrical needs, producing 70,000 kilowatt hours of electricity every year. The excess power produced by their panels is offered to electric car owners for free. They also use minimal chemical pesticides and herbicides in their vineyard, reuse vineyard waste (such as spent grape skins and pomace) for fertilizer and weed control and cultivate habitats for bluebirds and beneficial insects. // 38295 Fremont Overlook Lane, Purcellville
