One of the things that I like about craft breweries are the myriad ways they are embedded within and engage with their communities. This can range from naming a beer after a local event of historical significance to hosting a weekly yoga class to raising money for a local non-profit. As noted on the website of the Brewers Association a defining characteristic of craft brewers is that they “tend to be very involved in their communities through philanthropy, product donations, volunteerism and sponsorship of events”. In a 2023 paper published in the Annals of the American Association of Geographers, Colleen Myles and colleagues at Texas State University examined the different ways in which craft breweries across the United States engage in what they term advocacy. Their findings reveal breweries engage with their communities in a wide variety of ways, with environmental and social issues being particularly important to them. Indeed, 43% of the breweries sampled engaged in some form of social advocacy, while nearly a third engaged in environmental advocacy.

Examples of both types of advocacies abound. Brewability, a brewery in Englewood, CO hire employees with a disability, while Metazoa Brewing Company in Indianapolis, IN donate 5% of their profits to animal and wildlife organizations. With respect to environmental advocacy, SaltWater Brewery in Deray, FL use edible, biodegradable six-pack rings made from barley and wheat remnants — an innovation that helps combat the pernicious impacts of plastic pollution on both oceans and marine life. Meanwhile, Portico Brewing in Somerville, MA have a comprehensive environmental stewardship program that includes a reduce, reuse, recycle initiative, adding pollinator plants to their patio, and, in 2024, collaborating with the Massachusetts River Alliance to raise awareness of river restoration initiatives by hosting a trivia night.

I recently had the opportunity to experience firsthand an event where a craft brewery’s support for both social and environmental advocacy overlapped. The event was a collaboration between one of my local breweries, Quenched & Tempered Brewing Co and Metroparks Toledo, in support of the latter’s Good Natured Membership Program. The mission of the Good Natured Program is “to help break down the barriers that prevent historically underserved individuals, groups, and communities from experiencing, engaging with and benefiting from our area’s natural resources”. Funds raised in support of the Good Natured Program are used to support programing which provides fun ways for underserved communities to connect with nature and the outdoors. The Metroparks system is one of the Toledo region’s greatest assets. It comprises nineteen parks that encompass ~12,000 acres of protected natural land. Its vision is the “conservation of natural resources; strengthening of community; and the activation and promotion of spaces that enhance physical and mental health”.

The evening was billed as a “Paddle and Pint” event. The “paddle” part of the evening (in which I did not participate) involved kayaking on the Maumee River from Middlegrounds Metropark to Glass City Metropark – a distance of under a mile. The second part of the evening (which I did attend) was the release of Quenched & Tempered’s Saw-Whet Sangria Ale, a portion of the sale of which will go towards support of the Good Natured Program. The beer release took place in “The Garden” section of Glass City Metropark, where entertainment was provided by one of my favorite local bands, Chloe and the Chloe and the Steel Strings.

The Glass City Metropark provided a spectacular setting for the beer release. Opened in 2023, on a former brownfield site, the park provides a multifunctional space which includes a mini waterpark, a nature-based playscape an adventure playground, a kayak cove, an ice-skating/roller skating ribbon, and a locally owned restaurant. The park is located on the east side of the Maumee River just across from downtown Toledo.

What I really enjoyed about this evening is that it was happening in a beautiful new Metropark that has, since its opening, made a considerable contribution to enhancing the quality of life for Toledo residents. The beer being celebrated was made by a locally owned brewery, the food available was from a locally owned restaurant, and the entertainment was provided by a local band. And all of these came together in support of a local charitable non-profit whose primary mission was to create fun and educational opportunities for underserved communities to access, enjoy, and learn about the natural environment. The evening proved to be a resounding success – a good time was had by all and, more importantly, a local charitable cause was showcased and supported.

Further Reading

Myles, Colleen C., Delorean Wiley, Walter W. Furness, and Katherine Sturdivant. 2023. Brewing change: Advocacy in craft brewing in the United States. Annals of the American Association of Geographers, Volume 113, Issue 4, Pages  996-1019.