The Otter Brewery in Luppitt, near Honiton, has just scooped a prestigious industry award for their market leading green ethos and unrivalled environmental commitment to producing quality beer.
The company has won the ‘Best Sustainability’ category at the 2011 Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) Business Awards in London.
The Business Awards, now in their sixth year, invited entries from SIBA’s 500+ brewer members into a number of categories such as Best Marketing, Best Customer Support and Best Pump Clip.
The brewery’s entry was praised by the judges for a wide range of green initiatives including the use of reed beds to naturally filter their waste water, extensive recycling and the clever design of their bespoke eco cellar to harness the earth’s natural core temperature to chill up to 5,000 cases of beer.
The highly commended green ethos of the Otter Brewery was partially implemented by Gloucester Based consultancy, Sustainable Direction Limited, which worked closely as a consultant with the brewery to ensure it reduced its carbon footprint.
Managing Director of Sustainable Direction Ltd, Dr John Henry Looney said: “We took on the Otter Brewery as a challenge because the wastage there, as you’d expect with a brewery, was quite considerable and the running costs were very high.
“We designed and implemented a series of processes and concepts that we knew would work in this environment.
Clearly the work that we have done has really paid off and we as a company are all very pleased for them. There are always ways to improve the wastage of a company and we will always find them.
“We gave the Otter Brewery the tools and knowledge to go forward with improving their wastage and they have done brilliantly to carry it through and produce amazing results.”
David McCaig, Managing Director of The Otter Brewery said: “To be acknowledged by SIBA in this way as a leading light within our industry is a huge honour as we have spent the last 21 years striving to make Otter as environmentally aware and as socially responsible as possible.”
The judges commented: “Brewing in a remote rural location such as this demands the greatest of sensitivity in approach to environmental effect and long-term sustainability.
“For a company of this size to be shortlisted against the likes of Coca Cola, Unilever and The Co-op for the national Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Award shows just how well that has been achieved.
“Green thoughts underpin every aspect of production, including the UK’s first modern underground eco cellar – saving 6.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions: 8 24/7/365 chillers and compressors (£27k of electricity a year), and “Eco Project of the Year” at the SW Property Awards.
“Its construction spec is highly technical, but its achievement is beautiful in its simplicity – and it’s topped off with a living grass roof that’s a haven for wildlife, absorbs CO2, and blends into its Blackdown Hills AONB surroundings.”
Keith Bennett, Otter Master Brewer, said: “John Henry and the SDL team have provided excellent support to Otter Brewery since July 2009 initially helping address some effluent issues.
“SDL has helped us to reduce our effluent generation per barrel by 25% and they brought with them Government funding for part of the consultancy and the capital cost of the equipment. We continue to work with SDL and would be happy to recommend them”
For more information call Sustainable Direction on 01452 382 218 or email info@sustainabledirection.com.
ENDS
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