The New Hampshire Sustainable Craft Beverage Recognition Program Adopted Throughout New England

Concord, NH – Today New Hampshire and neighboring New England states launch the BetterBev Green Craft Beverage Recognition Program (BetterBev), a sustainability initiative built on the successes of New Hampshire’s Sustainable Craft Beverage Program (NHSCB).

The craft beverage industry has been growing quickly across the country and New Hampshire is no different. According to the New Hampshire Brewers Association (NHBA), more than 100 breweries call New Hampshire home, and this does not include other craft beverage producers such as distilleries, wineries, cideries and meaderies. These businesses bring jobs and tourists to the state and promote economic development, but they also use a lot of energy and water. Beverage producers are constantly heating, cooling, and cleaning equipment, activities that provide excellent opportunities to maximize efficiency and reduce waste. Similarly, side-streaming, reuse, and recycling strategies can minimize the environmental impact of spent grains/produce, wastewater discharge and packaging materials. 

In 2022, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Pollution Prevention (P2) Program, using partial funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, worked with the NHBA to launch the Sustainable Craft Beverage Recognition Program. The program was created to amplify technical assistance provided to manufacturers to improve energy efficiency, conserve water, minimize waste, and reduce the volume and strength of wastewater, as well as provide recognition as an “environmentally sustainable” business. The program publicly recognizes producers who are making sustainable choices and also encourages other producers to implement environmentally conscious practices that protect the environment and the bottom line. To date, 11 craft beverage producers have joined the program and are featured on the New Hampshire Sustainable Craft Beverage Program Member Map. Additionally, these producers are identified as a “sustainable business” on the NHBA Breweries website. 

Soon after NHSCB’s launch, state P2 programs in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island worked together to modify New Hampshire’s program to create BetterBev. This sustainability recognition program for craft beverage producers throughout all of New England has the potential to increase visibility, drive business participation and disseminate environmental best practices.

“We were all moving in the same direction, working on similar initiatives, so it only made sense to partner and work together,” said Kathy Black, P2 Program Manager for NHDES. “The BetterBev Program amplifies the work each state is doing and raises awareness about how businesses can care for the environment and worker’s health and safety while making tasty craft beverages.”

Like the NHSCB Program, BetterBev recognition can be earned after a beverage producer’s state oversight organization works with them to perform an on-site audit and assessment of their environmental practices and impact. Beverage producers reaching specific performance thresholds over the 10 areas will earn the BetterBev recognition. Those that don’t reach the required thresholds will be supported by their state oversight organization and receive the technical assistance necessary to improve their performance and receive recognition. The goal of the BetterBev program is to place every business on the path of continuous improvement, whether they are beginners looking for some basic tips or high achievers that want to invest in the latest green technologies.

About BetterBev
The BetterBev program is managed by a group of state and university environmental organizations that provide a free sustainability assessment to craft beverage producers in New England, including but not limited to breweries, wineries and distilleries. The goal of the program is to help companies improve environmental performance, reduce operational costs, and build recognition from peers and customers. Companies that meet the BetterBev sustainability criteria are eligible for BetterBev recognition, which includes a certificate, logo window cling or decal, use of the BetterBev logo, and inclusion on a web-based BetterBev map. Learn more about the BetterBev Green Craft Beverage Recognition Program, including how a producer can participate, by visiting the BetterBev program page at: https://betterbev.org.

Supporting quotes:
"We are excited the New Hampshire Sustainable Craft Beverage Program has been adapted to create the New England BetterBev Program where breweries will be recognized for being proactive in reducing their environmental impact, as well as finding innovative and sound methods of reducing costs. An outcome that is mutually beneficial to both our planet and small businesses." CJ Haines, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Brewers Association.

"Hermit Woods is proud to have collaborated with the New Hampshire Sustainable Craft Beverage Program to advance our sustainability initiatives at the winery and raise awareness about the program's significance. Sustainability has been integral to our mission since our establishment in 2011. We are grateful for the recognition from the New Hampshire Sustainable Craft Beverage Program and delighted to learn about their expanded efforts through their partnership with BetterBev.” Bob Manley, Co-Founder, Hermit Woods Winery and Eatery. Meredith, NH
 
“Sustainability and conservation are at the core of what we do at North Country Hard Cider. We are grateful for our partnership with the New Hampshire Sustainable Craft Beverage Program and for their acknowledgement of our dedication to the environment. Their guidance has supported our ongoing commitment to sustainability, and now that the program is part of the New England BetterBev Green Beverage Recognition Program, we're excited for the increased awareness and support of these efforts.” Ron Dixon, Co-founder/Owner, True North Country Hard Cider, Dover, NH

For more information visit the NHSCB webpage, or contact Kathy Black, NHDES Pollution Prevention Program Manager at Kathryn.Black@des.nh.gov or call (603) 271-6460.