New Belgium Brewing has announced that their flagship Fat Tire Amber Ale is the first nationally distributed beer to earn carbon neutral certification in the United States.
In addition, New Belgium Brewing is committing to make its entire business carbon neutral by 2030. Fat Tire’s carbon neutral certification is the next major step in New Belgium’s decades-long efforts to make climate action core to their business model, raising the bar for the entire brewing industry.
To drive action and raise awareness, a few like-minded retailers in several markets voluntarily hiked the price of Fat Tire six-packs to $100 on International Beer Day, which was August 7. Fat Tire’s ten-fold price increase was designed to spark customer attention around the growing agricultural disruptions caused by climate change, which will drive the prices of staple products like barley, wheat and rice to unaffordable levels. The temporary price change reflected the potential true cost of beer in the coming decades if climate change isn’t addressed immediately. The entire brewing industry, along with countless other industries, will suffer broken supply chains and rising costs as climate impacts escalate.
“Make no mistake, the climate crisis is an economic and health crisis far greater than the one we’re experiencing now, with even more devastating consequences for marginalized communities hurting most,” said New Belgium Brewing CEO Steve Fechheimer. “We failed to prepare for COVID-19, but we have a historic opportunity to learn from our mistakes and act now to avoid economic catastrophe in the future. Congress should lead the way in creating a powerful, carbon-free engine of prosperity for current and future generations, instead of rebuilding our fossil fuel-dependent past. The future of beer – and everything else – depends on it.”
Since the inception of Fat Tire Amber Ale in 1991, New Belgium has worked to cut its environmental impact by becoming the first wind powered brewery, producing electricity onsite through solar and biogas technology, establishing the first carbon footprint study for beer and donating $17 million to climate and environmental advocacy. To avoid living in a world where a six pack of beer costs $100, Fat Tire’s goal is to inspire other industries to act now and support the fight in ensuring a sustainable future for all.
To learn more about Fat Tire, carbon neutrality and how you can get involved, visit www.drinksustainably.com. Fat Tire’s carbon neutral status is certified by SCS Global Services using the international recognized PAS 2060 standard.