Research done by the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) on the carbon footprint of spirits found that, on average, a 750-milliliter bottle of liquor produces 6.5 pounds of carbon dioxide, the majority of which comes from the distillation process and glass packaging. While “drink responsibly” is a common phrase, you rarely if ever are told to “drink eco-responsibly.”īut there is certainly a reason to sound the call for eco-responsible alcohol. While it varies from spirit to spirit, production methods, distillation techniques, raw ingredients, packaging, shipping, energy consumption and labor standards all influence the foodprint of a bottle of liquor. The process of making alcohol, just like other avenues of our food system, is one that has environmental, social and economic implications. “We can make better liquor.” Why Distillers Choose Sustainability “Once we understood the reason for the change, we realized this stuff is so much more flavorful,” he says. When the farmers switched to organic practices, they began sending Greenbar organic produce, knowing Khosrovian would appreciate the upgrade in quality, but without telling him or increasing the price. Self-described as someone “chasing flavor,” Khosrovian had constantly been asking the farmers he purchased from for “the most flavorful, most aromatic things” they grew.
The problem, it turns out, was the fruit Khosrovian was sourcing from local California farmers.
