Orlio Organic is a division of Magic Hat Brewing Company in Burlington, Vermont. Started last year, Orlio has one year-round offering, Orlio Common, and two seasonals. I sent some questions to Michael Hayes, the "Minister of Fermentation Elation Relations" and these are the responses he sent back:
1. How long has the Orlio Organic line been in operation?
Orlio has been in operation since March 2007.
2. What prompted Magic Hat to create the line?
Magic Hat was prompted to create Orlio Organic in order to address the increasing popularity of organic food products, including alcohol. Orlio is marketed to the organic consumer who seeks excitement through an active and participatory lifestyle.
3. Has it been difficult to get organic brewing materials? Do you use local farmers?
Getting organic malts has not been an issue, yet organic hops, just like all hops currently have been harder to get. We don’t get our barley and hops from local farmers because of the inadequate harvesting and processing operations for such a mass production here in Vermont. In addition, the malting industry is mainly located in the Midwest. If we grew our organic barley here in Vermont they would still need to be shipped to the Midwest, and this would be very insufficient and we continually seek to reduce our carbon footprint.
4. How has the response to the Orlio line been in comparison to your Magic Hat beers?
It is hard to compare Orlio Organic to Magic Hat because it is targeted towards different consumers. However, Orlio has proven itself though winning numerous awards, such as the Orlio Common Ale receiving the 2008 World Beer Cup Gold Medal for the best American Style Amber Lager, as a delicious craft beer that just happens to be organic.
5. How many beers does Orlio currently have and how many more do you plan on adding?
Orlio currently has three offerings, our year round brew is the Common Ale, a Spring/Summer seasonal ale I.P.A., and our Fall/Winter Black Lager. These three beers are all certified USDA organic. (see attached documents for more information on each)
6. Where do you think the organic brewing movement is headed?
The organic food and beverage category is exploding! We believe that the organic beer movement is a rapidly growing segment within craft brewing with the growth rate of 6 times that of the rate of total U.S. food sales. The biggest obstacle for growth right now is the obstacle of organic ingredients. Still, we believe that in the near future this will be less of an issue as there is a growing demand for organic products.
7. What are some things you do at your brewery to be sustainable or minimize your environmental impact?
Some of the eco-initiatives that we have been taken at our brewery include water conservation, and decreased dependency on electricity and gas. The brewery has drastically decreased it wastewater production. In 2004 producing one barrel of ale created 71 gallons of wastewater and 2 lbs. of solid waste. Today, that same barrel creates only 31 gallons of wastewater with only 1.1 lbs of solid waste. More recently, we have also converted our plastic tasting cups into biodegradable corn cups that we compost and the Intervale, our local compost and farm. These cups fully degrade in 2 months.
8. What have some of the challenges been in terms of starting an organic line?
Some of the difficulties we’ve come across while producing an organic line is adjusting to organic standards set forth by the USDA within our brewery. We had to change the way we were doing everyday things, such as the way we clean our tanks, in order to meet organic standards. Organic certification is based not only on the farming practices and where we get our supplies, but also all the way through the entire process, from handling, manufacturing, distribution, and labeling. This entire process might be more challenging, however, we feel us as the producer, and the consumers view it as more rewarding.
9. What tips do you have for organic homebrewers or just homebrewers in general?
Keep at it!! Try to make products that are not only great tasting but also be eco-conscious as well. Most importantly, enjoy your eco-brew!
Great to see another organic brewery enter the market, hopefully their line keeps growing. I liked the idea of the tasting glasses being made from biodegradable corn cups. I found a store in Minneapolis that sells a similar product and plan on using those at my daughter's 1st birthday party and for future Bearded Brewfests. Amazing how much water usage they have limited as well! Sounds like they're doing things well to be organic and sustainable.
Salud!
The Bearded Brewer
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