Somerville breweries Portico Brewing and Remnant Brewing have been recognized as “green beverage producers” by the recently launched BetterBev Recognition program. The distinctions are being awarded by the UMass Boston Green Brewery Project as part of a coalition of New England states receiving support from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Pollution Prevention (P2) Grants. Just 50 or so of the region’s more than 600 breweries have earned recognition so far.

Portico Brewing believes business should be a force for good, especially when it comes to the environment. The community-focused brewery’s Environmental Handprint initiatives range from adopting dozens of newly planted neighborhood trees to working toward official bike-friendly business certification to raising money and awareness for its local watershed associations. In honor of Earth Month, Portico recently released Earth Hour Hazy Pale Ale, an environmentally conscious beer featuring 100% local ingredients that was thoughtly brewed with a significantly lower carbon footprint than most other beers.  

Remnant Brewing has undertaken a number of environmentally focused efforts as well, highlighted in its Malt Memoirs blog. In addition to recently brewing its own 100% local ingredient beer, an earthy Table Saison called Petite Pepite, its all-electric brewhouse produces significantly fewer Scope 1 emissions (those created on-site from fuel combustion, for example) than most breweries. The brewing staff has also decreased its use of caustic and acid cleaners and sanitizers through highly efficient SOPs, and its canned beer is packaged with rescued and reused can carriers as a result of the taproom’s highly successful consumer take-back program.

BetterBev was created to help beverage producers fully understand their environmental practices, principles, and impact, with the goal of reducing production inefficiencies, improving health and safety, and conserving natural resources. Recognition is earned after a beverage producer’s state oversight organization works with them to perform an audit and assessment of their environmental practices and impact. The process covers criteria ranging from water use to energy efficiency and conservation to waste reduction and even environmental culture.

Together, through operational efficiencies and environmentally conscious decision making, the two Somerville breweries have decreased their hazardous chemical use by some 75 pounds and lowered their emissions by more than 30 Metric Tons of CO2e annually. The former helps to lessen the load on Metro Boston’s wastewater treatment facility while the latter equates to the amount of carbon sequestered by 35 acres of U.S. forests in one year, according to the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.

For a list of the oversight organizations responsible for managing the BetterBev program in each of the New England states visit the BetterBev website: https://betterbev.org/

About Portico Brewing

Portico Brewing is inspired by architecture and design of all kinds, and its approachable beers are made for everyone to enjoy. Its focus is to rethink traditional styles and create beers with classic ingredients and careful technique. Formerly a contract brand, Portico debuted its own brewery and community focused taproom near the Somerville-Cambridge line in Massachusetts in spring of 2023. Committed to environmental values, it’s part of the movement that believes in business for good.

About Remnant Brewing

Inspired by the history of Somerville’s Union Square, as well the history of the craft beer industry, Remnant Brewing builds on precedent by creating a variety of unique and flavorful offerings to share with its guests. Their inclusive space in Bow Market strives for both excellent product, beer and coffee, as well as excellent service. Its Satellite location at the former Atwood’s Tavern in Cambridge offers a vibrant café with coffee by day and a fully stocked bar with signature cocktails and Remnant’s artisanal beer at night.