Interview with Jon Cadoux of Peak Organic Brewing Co.

I recently contacted Peak Organic Brewing Company, an organic brewery in Portland, Maine. I asked if I could send some questions about organic brewing to post in this blog and I was excited that the founder, Jon Cadoux quickly replied that he would love to participate. So below are his responses to my questions. I'm hoping to be able to make this a common thing, provided that I get the same kind of response from other breweries. Thanks to Jon for taking the time to participate in this interview.

First off, how long have you been a brewery?
We have been brewing for 10 years, in various different capacities. The last 8 of which have been strictly organic. Just started our wider distribution push a year and a half ago.

How did you get started or founded? One thing really led to another. When we started incorporating organic ingredients into our homebrews, we thought the taste and quality was taken to another level. We were just brewing a lot of beer and giving it away. Folks kept encouraging us to actually start bottling so we went for it! I believe that all of our success has been based on taste. Purer ingredients make better beer, and our organic ingredients are the purest around.

You mentioned that you were an organic homebrewer, did you know you wanted to start a brewery with that goal or niche in mind?
Probably answered that above.

As a homebrewer, its only been the past year or so that organic materials have become easily accessible. On a larger scale, has it been difficult for you to be able to find organic grains and hops?
Not really. We’ve been working with the same farms and coops for years now, so the relationships are solid. The organic farmers we work with consistently grow superior barley and hops, so it makes the relationship fun and rewarding.

What are some things you do at your brewery to be sustainable or minimize your environmental impact?
We start at the source. We are one of the few brewing companies in the world who brews exclusively organic beer. This isn’t a line extension for us. Our commitment to sustainable agriculture is simply the backboard of our company. Also, we partner with great like-minded organizations like the Organic Trade Association, the Chefs Collaborative, Farm Aid, the Surfrider Foundation, etc.

Where do you see organic brewing going, especially with the recent surge in popularity with a lot more organic beers on the market?
As environmentalists, the only end goal is that all beer is organic. To reverse the serious effects of agricultural run-off and soil degradation, its not enough for a small % of barley and hops to be grown organically. It needs to be the majority to reverse the damage. Some of the new organic beers are simply delicious, and more and more consumers are getting behind them. We hope that continues to push larger brewing companies to see the light!

Recently your beers started appearing in liquor stores in the Twin Cities. How far does your distribution stretch? Are you in most states or major markets
We distribute on both coasts and some great markets in the Midwest. There is no formula really, we just get our fine ales to places where people are asking for it. We have been fortunate that a lot of beer and fine food writers have been getting behind our products lately. That seems to have a ripple effect. Also, we have had great luck with some of the top chefs in the country. They seem to be influencers as well. Its really all grass roots at this point.

What tips do you have for organic homebrewers or just homebrewers in general?
Tips are to always innovate. Take a recipe and stretch it in some way. We always like to look at all our recipes and think “what is this adding to the craft beer scene”. If the recipe is just a mimic, then its not adding that much. Be creative.

You can check out Peak Organic Brewing Company at www.peakbrewing.com. Soon, I'll be posting about my recent trip to the East End Brewery in Pittsburgh and maybe some thoughts on the book, Ambitious Beer: The Story of American Brewing that I'm currently reading.
Cheers!
-The Bearded Brewer