March 30, 2023 — To celebrate Earth Day, imbibers can explore conscious at-home mixology with five eco-friendly beverages, including two sustainable spirits that take trash to tipple, a bourbon born in a carbon neutral and zero waste cooperage, a Finnish vodka committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2025, as well as a tart and tangy vinegar that reduces citrus waste.
First up, in Old City, Art in the Age, Philadelphia’s one-of-a-kind tasting room, home bar supply, and bottle shop, and New Hampshire sister distillery, Tamworth Distilling, are known for innovative spirits such as Tamworth Garden Damson Gin, a spirit with roots dating back to 18th century Britain. This small batch spirit is made by infusing tart, sweet damson plums harvested during early fall, into gin. The spent macerated plum waste used to create Damson Gin then find new life: the would-be-waste is utilized in the production of Tamworth Distilling’s Tamworth Garden Plummeau, a tipple inspired by the traditional French spirit of Pommeau. While Plummeau is highly limited and currently out of stock, Damson Gin is available online nationally via Seelbachs and on-site at Art in the Age for $55.
New Liberty Distillery, the South Kensington craft distillery home to award-winning spirit lines such as the revived heritage Kinsey brand, crafted a Liberty Belle American Picon made with smoke-tainted wine salvaged from Napa Valley wildfires. Picon is a French aperitif conventionally sipped before dinner, or used as a beer modifier and is notoriously difficult to find in the US. Inspired by a trip to France, Master Distiller Rob Cassell decided to salvage grapes affected by wildfires raging through Napa. The vineyard harvested a small amount which they made into wine but analytics revealed a trace amount of smoke—not enough to taste it but enough that it didn’t pass quality control. Waste not want not, the unoaked cabernet was shipped to Philly and turned it into Liberty Belle American Picon, a delightfully bitter beverage made with orange peels, gentian root, and cinchona. Liberty Belle American Picon is available at the distillery and online for $24.99.
Coopers’ Craft Bourbon honors the men and women who raise the barrels at the Brown-Forman cooperage, a zero-waste facility. More than 99% of the waste generated at the Brown-Forman cooperage is reused or recycled, including wood waste that is used by other industries for boiler fuel, feedstock for paper mills, or other products like animal bedding. Additionally, the barrels used to make the bourbon are repurposed for other products, such as rum and tequila. When the barrels can no longer hold liquid, they are converted into planters, smoker chips, furniture, and charcoal. Find Coopers’ Craft Bourbon online here.
Finlandia Vodka, the premium, versatile vodka made with Finland’s purest water source and barley grown under Finland’s Midnight Sun, puts sustainability at the forefront of its brand — as a committed member of 1% For The Planet, Finlandia’s donations to have totaled over $600,000. The Finnish brand continues to make strides towards becoming carbon neutral by 2025. From the ingredients to the packaging, every step of the distillation process focuses on putting the planet first. Find where to buy Finlandia here. Press release with more information attached.
Baba’s Acid Trip, a line of tart and tangy kombucha vinegars, offers a sustainable (and more affordable!) alternative to citrus. Citrus prices are rising — buying limes or grapefruit for a cocktail or dish can quickly add up — and most consumers don’t use the entire fruit, leading to astonishing amounts of waste. Just half an ounce of Baba’s Acid Trip kombucha vinegars, including flavors like Raspberry Lime, Grapefruit, Cayenne, and Pear Ginger, can replace most citrus in salad dressing, marinades, and cocktails. Its versatility provides a variety of uses, and its shelf-stable nature provides a diverse, long-lasting alternative to perishable citrus. Baba’s Acid Trip is available online for $12.99/12 oz. bottle.
-Hannah Church
