Chris Asher
Asher Brewing Company
Boulder, Colo.

Colorado is famous for its beer — and we’re not talking about Coors. The state’s 175 registered craft breweries annually produce nearly 12 gallons of beer for every adult of legal drinking age (not to be consumed in one sitting!). Five years ago, Asher Brewing became Colorado’s first certified organic brewery, and remains the only one in the state today.

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co_postIn addition to sourcing its hops, malt, and grain from organic farmers, Asher Brewing offsets its electricity with wind power, and diverts 95 percent of its waste from landfills by composting and giving spent grain to local farmers as animal feed.

On in-state inspiration:

“While I was at business school, I did a case study on New Belgium, the brewing company in Fort Collins,” says Asher. “I saw all the sustainable things they were doing and how successful they were. But their decisions weren’t always based on finance — rather, on what they can do being a sustainable company that’s a good example for others.”

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