Until the 19th century all beer was organic, but chemical fertilizers
and pesticides are now the norm in barley and hop production. The Pinkus-Mueller
brewery, in Muenster, Germany (sample Pinkus beers at the NAOBF) brewed the
world’s first contemporary organic beer in 1980, as the brewmaster was concerned with
the declining quality of malting barley grown with chemical fertilizers. Organic
beer made its debut in the US in the mid 1990s’ and has grown by leaps
and bounds since then, and is now a more than 20 million dollar market in
the US. The festival celebrates the diversity of styles of organic beers from
pilsners, pale ales, porters, and ambers, to stouts, India Pale Ales, and
a plethora of Belgian styles.
The Events History
The first organic beer festival in North America was organized
by Craig Nicholls at Port Halling Brewing Company in Gresham, Oregon in 2003.
Craig Nicholls has since joined with fellow brewer/owner Jason McAdam to open
Roots Organic
Brewing Company, Portland’s first all-organic brewery and Presenters of
the North American Organic Brewers Festival.
The 2007 event poured 50 organic beers to 7000 people and raised
over $2000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and the Oregon Tilth, a
certification body dedicated to organic agriculture. It also brought in hundreds
of cans of food for the Oregon Food Bank. With nearly 3000 attendees 2006's
NAOBF, held at the World Forestry Center, raised over $2000 for local charities.
Organic brewers have carved out a niche for themselves in the
craft beer scene, using barley and hops grown without harmful pesticides,
fertilizers, or fungicides. The festival will feature beers from as far a
field as England and Germany. Oregon's brewers dominate the event with locally
crafted organic beers. Some of the festival's breweries brew exclusively organic
beers, though others will be specially crafting organic beers just for the
event.
Sustainable Practices
In the interest of sustainability the NAOBF is working to reduce
its waste stream and reduce its carbon footprint. This year the NAOBF has
switched from plastic to cornstarch tasting glasses, which are 100% compostable.
Conventional plastics not only take up landfill space, but have been linked
to cancer and are made from foreign petroleum. The cornstarch cups are made
from domestically grown corn by Colorado-based Eco-Products, a zero-waste,
solar-powered company. Onsite compost receptacles will be provided at the
event for the cups and food waste. All food vendors are required to use compostable
flatware and plates. Biodiesel-fueled generator provides the festival’s
energy needs, and attendees are encouraged to take MAX
Yellow line light-rail to the event. Vendors at the NAOBF promote sustainable
living through their wares and services.
NAOBF in the Media:
Portland
Now: Saturdays at 9:30p Sundays at 4:30p on Portland's CW channel
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