After the St. Patrick's Day Dash, will you toast the holiday with a cold pint? Then you might want to re-think the beer you drink. Even if it's labeled organic, there could be more to the story.

Hops make up less than 5% of most beer--so what's the big deal? It's local: More than 75% of our country's hops come from Yakima Valley, an important watershed ecosystem for steelhead salmon and other wildlife that can be affected by pesticide runoff. 

Local breweries are addressing the problem thoughtfully. According to Scott Miller of Fish Brewing Co., "In the three organic beers that we produce, we're constantly trying to find the best ways to find the hops

we need. We search for organic hops when we can, but we also want to support local farmers, and very few local hops are produced organically. We're proud to say that we offer beers that are 97-98% organic--and we're excited to say that the demand for organic hops is increasing all

the time." 

Of course, there's more to brewing green. For example, Fish Brewing supports the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, Save Our Wild Salmon, and other local nonprofits. "Good beer starts with good water," Miller says.

"It's hard not to make an effort to keep it clean."

To support the demand for organic hops, look for beer labeled "100% Organic" (like Roots Brewing) or check the ingredient list for organic hops--just know that the hops may have been imported. Discover new brews at the North American Organic Brewers Festival, and read more about organic certification here.

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