Why Brew Organic? "I love the organic way of brewing it goes with my way of recycling and why we need to think of us and earth, the things around us and take care of each." -David from Lincoln, Nebraska If you are one of an estimated 3 million Americans who already buy organic food for both health and environmental reasons, you already have several reasons to brew organic beer. Today, organic food products are widely available, but the selection of organic beer and organic brewing ingredients remains limited. Our vision is to change this by promoting the use of organic ingredients by as many brewers as possible, thus supporting producers of organic brewers malts and hops, and encouraging them to expand and increase their supply! The many reasons to choose organic beer can be summed up in three ways: BETTER BEER: After over five years of experience brewing organic beer, we can say with confidence that brewing with organic malt and hops produces excellent beer! Some outstanding features of the beer we have made in our own homes include exceptional clarity without the use of chemical fining agents or filtration, and a clean, flavorful taste. This is no longer just our own opinion... many of the organic home brews our members have brewed have won awards in home brewing contests sanctioned by the American Homebrewer's Association. On a more technical side, organic malts on average have a lower protein content which produces a clear mash and less haze problems in the finished beer. Also, organic malts generally have a higher mash efficiency and a faster fermentation. We have heard from many of our customers, who were surprised with the exceptionally fast starch conversion and better than normal mash efficiencies. Of course, we have experienced this benefit ourselves as well! Fermentation of organic beer is typically rigorous even under less than ideal conditions; over the years, and with at least a hundred organic batches brewed by Seven Bridges members, we have yet to see a stuck fermentation using organic ingredients. Organic malts and hops have no chemical residues to interfere with fermentation to give the organic brewer a clean, unadulterated beer. BETTER HEALTH: By using organic ingredients the home brewer can better control what goes into his or her beer. Even trace residues of toxins present in the barley, hops, water, yeast, or adjuncts used to make beer can have an ill effect on one's health, especially over a long period of exposure. Many of the chemicals used in agriculture and food processing are known to be toxic. Traces of these toxins are sometimes found in the food that is grown, and many more migrate through the food chain and are found in meats, seafood, and dairy products. In agricultural areas many of the chemicals sprayed on the crops eventually filter into the ground water. Concentrations of agricultural toxins in the water supply have been found to be dangerously high in some communities. Conventional growers of barley and hops use chemical fertilizers and pesticides just as other farmers do. Studies have shown that many of the chemicals used by farmers can cause serious health problems such as cancer, reproductive disorders, respiratory ailments, and allergies. FOR A BETTER WORLD! Today's agriculture relies heavily on chemicals and often causes erosion and depletion of soil nutrients through loss of biomass. Organic farming is a growing industry that reduces erosion, pollution, and water shortages by using natural methods to fertilize crops and to fight pests and disease. A well-established organic farm can often produce higher yields than a conventional farm. Organic farming is typically more labor intensive and provides more agricultural jobs per acre than conventional farming. Workers on organic farms are also safe from the health hazards of working with pesticides and herbicides. By using organic ingredients to make your own beer, you not only produce a beer with the highest possible purity, but you also support the small but growing industry of organic farming. Each consumer that switches to organic contributes to the amount of land that is farmed in a chemical free, sustainable manner. We are pleased that our growing business has contributed to the support of organic farmers! To date, we have sold over 12,000 pounds of barley malt, 5000 pounds of barley malt extract, 800 pounds of hops, and 1200 lbs of other organic ingredients. This is a relatively small amount, but it represents many acres of land that are now farmed without chemicals!

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