Untap NY Craft Beverage Sustainability
Untap New York
NYSP2I’s Craft Beverage Sustainability Program
Untap New York: Sustainable Practices for Craft Beverage Makers provides technical assistance to New York State’s vibrant and growing craft beverage industry. We work with breweries, wineries, distilleries, and cideries across the Empire State to help them uncover opportunities to operate more efficiently using fewer natural resources and creating less waste.
A more sustainable craft-beverage sector
New York State’s craft alcoholic beverage sector continues to blossom, with new independent brewers, vintners, and distillers entering the market each year to meet rising consumer demand. This growth represents an industry that, as a whole, consumes considerable amounts of natural resources and energy.
Most traditional breweries, wineries, distilleries, and cideries produce wastewater, use toxic cleaning chemicals, or generate organic waste—all common activities that can be a drain on natural resources and a business’s bottom line. Plus, sustainability matters to craft beverage consumers. In a survey of 1,000 U.S. beer drinkers, most respondents said they are willing to pay more for sustainably-produced beer.
Sustainability for all styles of craft beverages
Untap New York, as a program of the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I), is designed to meet craft-beverage makers where they are. Funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation, our program aims to minimize the environmental impacts associated with the use of water, energy, and chemicals by the craft-beverage sector.
Onsite assessments and consultation
We work directly with businesses onsite across New York State. We offer customized technical assistance to meet the specific needs of each business. Our work includes evaluating processes, conducting audits, identifying and implementing pollution prevention opportunities, and providing staff training. We follow up with clients to monitor progress and identify further improvements.
Tools and Resources
We publish a series of interactive tools and resources that include easy-to-implement best practices and solutions fit for a range of budgets, facility sizes, and sustainability goals. This library was designed especially for craft-beverage makers in collaboration with the Cornell Craft Brewing Institute at Cornell University. Using these, breweries, wineries, distilleries, and cideries of all sizes can not only have a lighter impact on the environment, but save money and time so they can make more of what their customers love using less resources.
Winery Sustainability Workbook
The workbook provides best management practices (BMPs) that wineries can implement to reduce environmental impacts associated with the use of water, energy, and chemicals.
Guidelines for Managing Winery Wastewater
Wastewater is a challenge for wineries, even after steps have been taken to minimize water use. This document offers a range of strategies for managing wastewater sustainably within different contexts.
Best Practices for Sustainable Winemaking: A Fact Sheet
Learn how to operate a more sustainable winery using these proven practices to reduce energy, chemical, and water use, and improve wastewater and solid-waste management.
How to Build a Sustainable Supply Chain for Your Craft Brewery
This guide is an easy-to-use resource with answers to the most common questions breweries have about building a sustainable supply chain—a great starting point.
Best Practices for Water & Chemical Use Reduction
View the webinar replay and hear from key brewery leaders, sustainability subject matter experts, and craft beverage panelists.
Waste Reduction & Energy Conservation
View the webinar replay and hear from key brewery leaders, sustainability subject matter experts, and craft beverage panelists.
Program impacts
In 2008, NYSP2I began working directly with breweries, wineries, distilleries, and cideries across New York State to identify and develop best practices and solutions. Adoption of these has led to reductions in the sector’s overall use of water and chemicals, representing significant cost savings.*
*Statistics were calculated over a three-year rolling period to account for the recurring benefits that NYSP2I’s recommendations provided.
Past Participants
The success stories below showcase New York State organizations that have launched successful sustainability strategies through Untap New York.
Paradox Brewery
Implemented Sustainability practices to reduce waste generation and energy consumption
Buried Acorn Brewing
Sustainable Solutions Help Reduce Environmental Footprint
Swiftwater Brewing Co
Further reduce water, chemistry, and natural gas consumption
Three Heads Brewing
Seeks to Improve Sustainability and Decrease Environmental Impact
Sand City Brewing Co.
Evaluates Water, Chemical, and Energy Usage
Bedell Cellars
Reduces Water Use and Saves on Energy
Channing Daughters Winery
Water, Energy, and Chemical Assessment helps pursuit of Sustainability-Based Opportunities
Glenora Wine Cellars
