Certified Organic

The beers marked with an asterisk are certified organic. The other listed beers are made using organic ingredients but they are not certified. Breweries that use organic ingredients but choose to not be certified can do so under the restrictions for exempt operators set forth in the National Organic Program (NOP).

Why Brew Organic Beer?

Organic beer is better for you and better for the planet.  Until the 19th century, all beer was organic. Today, the market is dominated by chemical fertilizers used in hops and barley production. The Pinkus-Mueller brewery in Muenster, Germany brewed the world’s first contemporary organic beer in 1980, as the brewmaster was concerned with the declining quality of malting barley grown with chemical fertilizers. Organic beer re-emerged in the US in the mid 90's.  Today, there is a thriving organic beer movement.

Organic ingredients lead to a more consistent, higher quality brew, with the added security of not relying on harsh chemicals and fertizlers.  The end result is pristine beer that is better for you and impacts the environment less.

Organic Information

Organic foods are made in a way that limits or excludes the use of synthetic materials during production. For the vast majority of human history, agriculture can be described as organic; only during the 20th century was a large supply of new synthetic chemicals introduced to the food supply. This more recent style of production is referred to as "conventional." Under organic production, the use of conventional non-organic pesticides, insecticides and herbicides is greatly restricted and saved as a last resort. However, contrary to popular belief, certain non-organic fertilizers are still used. If livestock are involved, they must be reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones, and generally fed a healthy diet. In most countries, organic produce may not be genetically modified. It has been suggested that the application of nanotechnology to food and agriculture is a further technology that needs to be excluded from certified organic food. The Soil Association (UK) has been the first organic certifier to implement a nano-exclusion.

Organic food production is a heavily regulated industry, distinct from private gardening. Currently, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan and many other countries require producers to obtain special certification in order to market food as "organic" within their borders. Most certifications allow some chemicals and pesticides to be used, so consumers should be aware of the standards for qualifying as "organic" in their respective locales.

Historically, organic farms have been relatively small family-run operations, which is why organic food was once only available in small stores or farmers' markets. However, since the early 1990s organic food production has had growth rates of around 20% a year, far ahead of the rest of the food industry, in both developed and developing nations. As of April 2008, organic food accounts for 1–2% of food sales worldwide.