Deschutes Brewery’s Green Practices

Dining Out In The NorthWest is committed to Sustainable, Natural, Organic and Regional (SNOR) products and practices, so every now and then we love to feature a local restaurant which focuses on the environment.

This time, it’s Deschutes Brewery, who values the Northwest environment and backs it up with a number of eco-friendly practices. Deschutes is proud to buy local, recycle, conserve water and energy and much more.

BUYING LOCAL
*Purchases ingredients from hop and grain farms in the Pacific Northwest whenever possible.
*Chefs in Portland and Bend select high-quality, locally-grown produce, meats and dairy products from Northwest farms and change the menu seasonally to take advantage of the best in local produce.

RECYCLING
*The spent grain coming from the breweries is used as feed for Deschutes’ local farm and ranch partners. A small amount of the spent grain is also used in their fresh-baked bread that customers enjoy in the pubs.
*They compost food waste in their facilities, diverting waste from landfills and lowering their costs.

CONSERVING WATER & ENERGY
*Deschutes works with the Deschutes River Conservancy and the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council to conserve water and restore wildlife habitat along the Deschutes River.
*They work to minimize carbon foot print at their locations, purchase renewable energy, and encourage eco-friendly commuting, including electric vehicle charging stations and bike racks.

VOLUNTEERING
*Deschutes employees are involved in their communities and donate hundreds of volunteer hours and more than $300,000 in donations to charities.

MAJOR AWARDS
*Sustainability Award from the Business Intelligence Group
*Gold Certification from City of Portland Sustainability at Work (Portland Pub)
*Large Business Sustainability Award from the Environmental Center in Bend

CANNED WATER
*Did you know Deschutes is canning water too? Canned water helps reduce the amount of single-use plastics in the environment. And, aluminum is easily recycled.

More on Deschutes Brewery
Deschutes Brewery believes good beer helps people spend meaningful time together. You can visit their pubs in Bend, downtown Portland and at PDX Airport.

Fun Links
Deschutes Blog
Pizza & Beer Pairing
Beer & Cheese Pairing
Beer Podcast Recommendations
Celebrating Can-Do Attitudes
Spent Grain Dog Treats Recipe