Canning O’ The Red

The craft beer scene has seen tremendous growth in the production and distribution of canned brews, so why the paradigm shift? There are a lot of practical reasons behind the craft canning movement; efficiency, recyclability, and consumability to name a few. At the core, it’s cheaper to produce and better for the environment.

Cans are lightweight and easier to move around, in comparison to its heavier and more breakable, bottle counterpart. Distribution wise, a truck-load of aluminum cans proves to be a more portable process overall, as apposed to the glassware alternative. The same notion applies to the average outdoor adventure…canned packaging fits the occasion; light weight, unbreakable (unless you’re really trying) and satisfyingly crunchable once consumed.

But besides practically reasons, “Beer cans also have a certain nostalgic appeal” states Charles Passy of Wall Street Journal, “that retro-chic factor, in other words”.  “That sound of a beer can being opened”, ads Oskar Blues spokesman Chad Melis, “is one we associate with good times”  Namely the 60’s, when cans were also at a pinnacle point in popularity!

According to a study by the Beer Institute, in 2012 cans constituted 53.2% of the beer market, while bottles had a 36.5% share. If you look back to 2006, cans accounted for 48.3% of the market and bottles 41.9%. That’s a pretty significant gap, and it makes sense. Cans are more compact and less packaging means you can move the same amount of product in less trips, reducing your overall expense and carbon footprint simultaneously.

So, there’s clearly reasons behind the…canned-ness…and we thought, what better event than the Bellingham St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a day centered around the showcasing of GREEN-inspired innovations, to announce the arrival of our newest 100% recyclable product! Pick up a 16 oz. can of Boundary Bay Irish Style Red – just $2.25 at pint size! At 4% ABV, it’s the perfect session ale. Crack one and enjoy…wherever you might find yourself. Cheers!

Local Connections – Book Fare Cafe

We’re always looking for new ways to keep our Boundary Bay Brewery blog interesting and engaging.  One of the new ideas we’ve come up with is something we’re calling “Local Connections.”  By now, we’re sure you know that supporting local business has always been important to the way we do OUR business and when we realized that we could extend that outlook to our blog as well, we got really excited!  There are an incredible number of interesting, unique businesses in our little corner of the Northwest who choose to have Boundary Bay beer on tap (see the complete list here) and we’re starting to showcase them on our blog through video interviews at the establishments themselves.

Our very first episode in the Local Connections series was filmed earlier this month at the Book Fare Cafe, located inside Village Books, right here in Bellingham. The owner, Charles Claassen, was gracious enough to turn over his morning to our video camera and questions…check out what he’s got to say about beer, books and keeping business local:

Bocce, Bread and Beer

Our little Bellingham community is lucky to have Sustainable Connections as a guiding force!  Sustainable Connections works with local, independently owned businesses that have the autonomy to make any transformational change in their business that they can imagine… reexamining where we buy goods and services, how we consume energy, grow and distribute our food, build homes, and even, how we define success in business.  They support a community of innovators in green building, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, supporting independent businesses in town centers, and mentoring a new breed of entrepreneurs that have designed their business with a sustainable vision.  One of the many ways they help our community is to hold an annual online auction.  They’ve just opened up the bidding for this year’s auction: the third annual Bidding For Good (aka Bid Local First) auction and you’ve got till December 5th to score your own local goodies!

The Bid Local First auction will run from November 22nd to December 5th, with proceeds going to Sustainable Connections to support the Food and Farming Good Food Challenge! and the Think Local First campaign.  The auction includes ALL local experiences and items – including an assortment of local coffee, a shopping spree at a local plant nursery, one year of locally made fresh pasta and SO MUCH more!  Best of all, there’s lots of one-of-a-kind experiences that are perfect for holiday gifts – AND you get to feel good while buying them!  That’s definitely a win-win situation.

We partnered up with two other awesome local companies to provide a unique local experience:  Bocce, Bread and Beer! Enjoy a day “in town” with 2 or 3 hours of bocce on the original Boccemon bocce court located at the corner of Iron and Carolina streets. Treat up to 8 friends to a few games of bocce, sandwich lunches from Avenue Bread next door on James Street, and wash it down with a glass or two of great brew from Boundary Bay Brewery. Local businesses providing a local experience! Bocce instruction provided for the group as well as a garden setting for your meal.  The estimated value of this experience is $200, but the opening bid is set at $60…hurry and place your bids on this one!

Locally-owned Boccemon is a small family owned corporation that builds Bocce courts and sells Bocce supplies.  The company operates utilizing 100% Green Power and produces at or near Zero Waste capacity. In addition, re-use and sustainability have always been part of their business plan. Approximately 95% of their outbound packaging is utilized directly from post consumer waste items…it all comes from other company’s waste streams and without recycling or modification they are utilized for second use.  The aim of Boccemon is to provide the best ownership experience available from a natural court surface.  The goal was to have a premium roll, reduced bounce, and with minimal maintenance.  We focused on a shell surface initially due our proximity to oyster farms along the Pacific coast.  It soon became clear that rendered shell alone lacks some critical qualities so we concentrated on other natural/organic ingredients to improve the blend.  We have experience with landscaping, construction, design, and perhaps more importantly – we play bocce!

Bellingham based Avenue Bread is a growing and expanding local bakery. They are proud to support other local businesses, whenever possible, by purchasing local ingredients and utilizing local services. It is important to their business to engage in responsible and environmentally-friendly business practices while serving slice after slice, and piece after piece, of the area’s finest breads and pastries. Avenue bread is proud to support local businesses when purchasing ingredients and services.  When you shop at Avenue Bread you support not only one local business, but all those they buy from.  The bakery purchases sprouts from Happy Valley, organic mixed greens and soup ingredients from Double Rainbow Farms, pickles and sauerkraut from Pleasant Valley Farms, hazelnuts from Holmquist Hazelnut Farm, flour from Fairhaven Flour Mill, milk from Edaleen dairy and ham from Hempler’s Meats.

We are proud to work with all of these local businesses and hope that you’ll help us continue to strengthen our local economy and community.  Cheers from all of us here at Boundary Bay Brewery!

Oh, and speaking of Bellingham and Sustainable Connections, don’t forget to tune in to PBS on the Friday after Thanksgiving to catch the airing of “Fixing the Future” – a one hour special about communities (including our very own BELLINGHAM!!) across America using innovative approaches to create jobs and build prosperity in our new economy.   Don’t forget…7pm on channel 9!

Salmon, Beer and Bellingham!

"25 Mile Creek" in 2010 auction

Those of us lucky enough to live in the Pacific Northwest usually love salmon.  And not just to eat!!  If you love salmon like we do, head down to Boundary Bay Brewery (starting June 19th) for Salmon at the Bay, a silent art auction to benefit the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA).

The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association(NSEA) is a community–based nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring sustainable wild salmon runs in Whatcom County since 1990.  They train and organize hundreds of volunteers every year and use education and outreach to engage the community in salmon recovery.  NSEA has well-established school and outreach programs and works on long-term projects to keep working at the job of salmon recovery.

But, like any nonprofit, NSEA has to rely on fundraising to continue their efforts, and this Salmon at the Bay silent auction is a great way to do it!  Each piece of art has been donated by a local artist expressing their passion for salmon, and as a whole, the artwork celebrates the history of Whatcom County salmon and our community’s efforts to ensure their sustainable future.  Proceeds from this silent auction benefit the salmon education and habitat restoration programs of Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association.  The art show will be displayed at Boundary Bay until August 6th and all items will be available for bidding through Online Silent Auction.

"Swirl" in 2010 auction

The other way to help NSEA raise money is to attend the art exhibit opening and salmon BBQ lunch on June 19th in the Boundary Bay beer garden.  Join us to celebrate our personal, cultural, historical, economic, and environmental connection to salmon.  This year’s theme is Earth, Water, Salmon – the elements of our stream ecosystems. Enjoy music from The Warren Street Session and check out the art hanging on the walls inside Boundary Bay. All event and art auction proceeds benefit NSEA programs to restore sustainable wild salmon runs in Whatcom County. Tickets for both events and music are available at the door or at the NSEA office.  Call 715-0283 or email info@n-sea.org to purchase tickets in advance or for more information.

Important Dates:

Saturday June 19th – Friday August 6th

Art Show displayed at Boundary Bay – All Items Available for Bidding Through Online Silent Auction at http://www.biddingforgood.com/SalmonattheBay2010.

Saturday June 19th  10am – 11am

Artists Reception

Saturday June 19th 11:30am – 3:00pm

Salmon Burger BBQ Lunch  –  $10

Friday August 6th  5:30pm – 8:30pm

Salmon BBQ Dinner  –  $25

Friday August 6th  9:30pm – Midnight

Live Music with Lucky Brown and the LB’s – $10 [Line up has changed as of July 26th: and Snug Harbor will now be playing instead of Lucky Brown!]

Tickets for both events and music are available at the door or at the NSEA office.  Call 715-0283 or email info@n-sea.org to purchase tickets in advance or for more information.

St. Paddy’s Day with Boundary Bay Brewery

a pint of Dry Irish Stout from Boundary Bay Brewery

We all know that Saint Patrick’s Day is a big holiday when it comes to beer.  But for us here at Boundary Bay Brewery, it’s taken on a whole new dimension this year.

We’ve always had a long history of being a community hub; often described by locals as “pure Bellingham.”  So, it should come as no surprise that Boundary Bay Brewery and General Manager, Janet Lightner are behind the efforts to get Bellingham’s first St. Patrick’s Day Parade up and running.

Bellingham’s first St Patrick’s Day Parade will hit downtown streets on Saturday, March 13^th at noon. The event, spearheaded by our own Janet Lightner, is being coordinated by an all-volunteer committee and is directly aimed at bringing the community together.  The parade is timed to follow Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department’s Runnin’ O’ the Green Race and Fun Run at Bloedel Donovan Park.  “We’re looking forward to a day full of fun for the entire Bellingham community,” says Lightner.

Her inspiration is the long tradition of St. Patrick’s Day Parades in Chicago, New York, Savannah and New Orleans.  Like those cities, this parade will honor Bellingham’s Police and Fire Department personnel.  Lightner adds, “Especially this year, we want these brave men and women to know that the community supports them.”

Like the traditional parades of Lightner’s inspiration, the Bellingham parade will feature Irish dancers, pipe bands and marching bands.  In a non-traditional twist, however, Bellingham’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is focusing on being green.  The parade organizers are encouraging human and green powered floats representing local businesses, schools, neighborhood associations and groups from all over the community.  Entry into the parade is free and Lightner hopes that will encourage lots of local businesses to come together to participate in this year’s parade.

Want to get involved?  The parade’s website is www.bellinghamstpatricksday.com and the Facebook fan page is www.facebook.com/stpatsbham.  The committee is also using Twitter to build support at www.twitter.com/stpatsbham. Information requests can be emailed to stpatsbham@gmail.com.

the Penk O'Donnell dancers at Boundary Bay, 2009

We’ll be continuing the St. Patrick’s Day fun at Boundary Bay Brewery on Wednesday, March 17^th with our annual Irish shenanigans.  Enjoy a special menu of traditional favorites like Sheperdess pie and corn beef and cabbage (regular menu also available) and kick up your heels to live music from the Paddy Whackers.  Enjoy a pint of Dry Irish Stout and pull up a barstool for the Penk O’Donnell Irish dancers – a yearly St. Patrick’s Day treat at Boundary Bay Brewrey.



What To Do At The GABF

So we love craft beer…that’s no surprise at Boundary Bay Brewery, but even WE were shocked to learn that the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) draws more than 46,000 people to Denver, Colorado over the course of three days.  Why, you may wonder?  Well, it turns out that this festival offers up a lot more than a simple chance to drink A LOT of finely crafted beer. But, as long as we’re speaking of finely crafted beer, here’s which Boundary Bay brews you  can get your hands on in Denver:

• IPA: A style developed during the days of the British Empire, IPA‘s higher alcohol content and big hop character were natural preservatives that protected the beer during its long voyage eastward to India.  As one story goes, a shipwreck washed many cases of IPA to England’s shore and the locals tasted the beverage…the rest is history.  Original Gravity 1.070
• Pilsner: A light, honey-colored lager with a beautiful hop aroma and flavor.  This lager is brewed in a traditional manner using only the finest ingredients: Pilsner, Munich and Vienna malts and Saaz and Gr. Hallertau hops.  This beer is fermented at lower  temperatures  than an ale, creating a drier body, with less fruity esters.  Original Gravity 1.050
• Imperial Oatmeal Stout: Perhaps more than any other beer, Oatmeal Stout deserves to be called “a meal in a glass.”  For many years it was considered so nutritious that it was often served as a health tonic.  Lightly hopped, it is aged for one month to allow the medley of dark malts and oats to celebrate their union.  Try it with dessert!  Original Gravity 1.090
• Cabin Fever: Specially brewed and bottled for the Pacific Northwest winters, this winter warmer‘s dark red-brown color and rich malty flavor will complement any rich, hardy meal as well as your favorite spicy dish.  However, with it’s cold conditioned, smooth, dry-hopped flavor, Cabin Fever is very satisfying all by itself.  Original Gravity 1.072
• ESB: An English style pale ale that is copper-colored ad that emphasizes the subtle blend of imported and domestic malts.  Hops are in the background in this beer meant for everyday drinking.  Although the name is still misleading to some people, this ale is designed to capture the traditional flavor of English “Bitter,” which is a beer of great subtlety, never harsh nor particularly bitter at all.  It really shines as a beer to enjoy with friends and conversation.  Original Gravity 1.054

The Great American Beer Festival not only offers the chance to sample some of the finest beers the world; it offers multiple opportunities to learn about all things beer. You can explore the world of beer and food, learn about the brewers behind your favorite beer, understand what judges look for in a beer or pick up a few books to learn more about our favorite beverage. The Great American Beer Festival goes beyond tasting and delves into the craft beer experience.

All during the weekend, you can head to the Beer and Food Pavillion to learn about pairing beer and food, watch cooking demonstrations and more!  At this year’s GABF you can:

• Learn about the benefits of eating and drinking local.  Get handy tips on how to match local produce, meats and cheeses with the local craft beer in your town while trying delicious samples!
• Find out how to pair beer and cheese.  The pair can be humble farmhouse companions, but they can also offer some very intense and luxurious experiences. Participants will get a lesson in the basics of beer and cheese and leave with a list of can’t-fail pairings.
• Learn about cooking with beer and its numerous uses from brining to making sauces

If buying local and/or the slow food movement is more your thing, check out the Farm to Table Pavillion.  Chefs, local Colorado farmers, and small, independent brewers are joining together to add another option to learn about how well craft beer pairs with local food.  You will discover how much fresh, local foods have in common with craft beer from small and independent breweries.  You can sample craft beers paired with foods sourced from local farms and ranches; especially since the chefs, farmers and craft brewers, will serve ingredients deliberately chosen, prepared, cooked and brewed to showcase the high quality flavors available from small independent producers!  This educational focused Farm to Table Pavilion is arranged to facilitate meaningful discussions with farmers, chefs and brewers, who share similar philosophies on choosing specific ingredients to enhance their products.

Sustainability is a large concern whenever an event of this size is planned.  This year, the GABF is making every attempt to lessen its impact through innovative sustainability programs. Through their partnerships with ZeroHero, Colorado Convention Center, Centerplate Catering, Governors Energy Office, the Colorado Carbon Fun, and Renewable Choice Energy they aim to reduce their carbon footprint and come as close to a zero-waste event as possible.

There’s tons more to do at the festival too, but not enough blog space to write about all of them.  You can catch a glimpse of The Simpsons, participate in a directed tasting to learn how the pros judge beer, visit the GABF bookstore and catch one of the many book signings, sit in with professional brewers to hear what it takes to get into professional brewing,

Local Food, Local Biz

Did you know that locally-owned restaurants create 51% more local economic activity per dollar than chain restaurants?  And, of course, you know that we here at Boundary Bay Brewery are locally owned and run…providing jobs for over a hundred people right here in our own Bellingham community! Those of us lucky enough to live and work in Bellingham know that food plays an important role in this region.  We are surrounded by fertile lands that offer us fresh and local seafood, meats (including local bison!), produce of all kinds and dairy products a-plenty!  We are rich in agriculture…and just plain culture in general.  Here at Boundary Bay Brewery, we are continually working on finding ways to honor our local food industry.

We have pledged to source 20-25% of our food budget from local vendors and to buy consistently from local producers to help support Washington agriculture.  We are fortunate to use ingredients from local businesses like Ralf’s Bavarian Bakery, K & M Farm, Breckinridge Farm, Barlean’s, and Avenue Bread, All items on our menu that include local ingredients are marked with a “Think Local. Buy Fresh” logo so our customers can make informed decisions with their dollars and their forks.  We try to strengthen our local economy through responsible management of our resources as well.  Our spent grains go to local farms for livestock feed, the oil from our Beer Garden fryer is converted to Biodiesel by a local company and we have committed to move Toward Zero Waste within our business.

Within our local food industry, 32 participating farms, food producers, restaurants and retailers make a big difference by composting food scraps, collecting recyclable items and using recycled and compostable to-go containers. You can see real and substantial changes like these when you support Toward Zero Waste participants throughout Whatcom County. To find other local food businesses working Toward Zero Waste, check the Whatcom County Food and Farm Finder for the TZW icon.

This week, the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the Washington State Farmers Market Association (WSFMA) are celebrating Farmers Market Week here in Washington.  There are 140 farmers markets in our lovely state of Washington and our brewery is fortunate enough to be located directly across the street from the Bellingham Farmers Market!  Statewide, farmers markets reported $55 million sales in 2008, up from $38 million in 2006. Most of these dollars go directly to Washington family farmers. According to the WSFMA, farmers markets are located in more than 30 counties in the Evergreen State.  “People are watching their budgets today,” said Jackie Aitchison, executive director of the WSFMA. “They are getting value at farmers markets near their homes as farmers bring fresh, nutritious local foods directly to consumers.”

This week, come down to the Saturday Farmers Market here in Bellingham and support this rich community we are a part of.  Stop in to the brewery and enjoy locally handcrafted beer with menu items containing fresh, local ingredients!  Doesn’t a nice cold Pilsner and a Pesto Salmon Sandwich (with LOCAL wild salmon and LOCAL foccacia!) sound good?!? Celebrate Farmes Market Week by enjoying the best that our state has to offer!  For more information on Whatcom County’s farmers markets, visit bellinghamfarmers.org

One MORE Reason To Drink Craft Beer!

We know that you love craft beer.  And we know that you care about the environment and how your actions affect the greater whole. Well, have we got good news for you!!  It turns out that drinking craft beer is just one more thing YOU can do to help the environment!  Here’s what writer Kyle Cassidy had to say about craft beer and its low environmental impact:

1. Craft brewers buy local: “they support their communities by buying fresh local ingredients.” For this reason, the carbon footprint of the ingredients that go into making that unique local brew is much smaller than would be the case for a big brewer who trucks in base ingredients across a larger distance. [Boundary Bay has pledged to source at least 25% of our entire food budget from local sources and all menu items that contain local ingredients are marked on our menu with the “Buy Local” logo.]

2. Craft brewers sell local: just as they source their ingredients locally, many craft brewers only sell locally, too. While the decision to sell locally isn’t always or strictly an environmental decision–it’s often one based entirely in start-up/small business economics–it has positive environmental benefits, nonetheless.  Like the local sourcing of ingredients, selling locally means that the factory-to-point of sale path is a short one, requiring fewer transportation resources. Also, brewers can more easily reclaim their bottles, reusing them again and again. [Boundary Bay only distributes in Washington, Oregon and Idaho thereby making a relatively small carbon footprint when we deliver our brews.]

3. Craft brewers connect with their communities: because of their emphasis on all things local, craft brewers have a greater tendency than big beer companies to connect with people and issues in their communities.  Craft breweries can support environmental and community building initiatives in collaboration with other organizations and businesses in the area, and have a much better idea about the impact of their operations because their management team doesn’t live hundreds or thousands of miles away. [Boundary Bay has a long standing strong relationship with our community.  We are the business referred to as “Pure Bellingham” and we work diligently to support local economy and other local businesses.]

4. Craft brewers manage their waste effectively: craft brewers, according to Cassidy, often enter into agreements with farmers in their communities to dispose of the grain waste in a manner that’s environmentally friendly.  In other locations where such collaborations aren’t feasible, craft brewers are experimenting with using spent grains as a fuel source to power their own operations. [All of the spent grains from Boundary Bay are picked up and re-used as livestock feed in local farms.  Plus, all of our used oil from our Beer Garden fryer gets picked up and re-used as Biodiesel fuel by a local company.]

We have taken great strides in this last year alone in making what we do even more sustainable:  we’ve pledged to source at least 25% of our food budget from local sources, we’ve undertaken a waste audit, an energy audit and a waste water analysis, we’ve joined a Toward Zero Waste program and we’ve made a number of small changes in-house that collectively move us toward a more sustainable way of life and business.  We are thankful to live in a community that supports local business, local agriculture and environmental responsibility, and we are grateful to customers who make choices with their dollars and supporting us as we grow and change in a more environmentally responsible way.

Green Drinks in Boundary Beer Garden

Green Drinks meets in the Boundary Bay Beer Garden: What is Green Drinks? Green Drinks is an organic networking session that started in London, England and has since caught fire around the world. Like-minded individuals in places from Hong Kong to India, Sweden to South Africa meet every month to catch-up, network and talk about the latest green issues. According to greendrinks.org, these events are very simple and unstructured, but many people have found employment, made friends, developed new ideas, done deals and had moments of serendipity. The best part about Green Drinks is that there is no structure, just good people meeting at a regular place and time.

• Wednesday, July 1st
• 5-7 pm in beer garden
• Admission: always free

Boundary Bay Brewery Takes Fresh and Local Pledge

Boundary Bay Brewery has been a member of Sustainable Connections for years and in 2008 we made a committment to move Toward Zero Waste within our business.  Last week, we went a step further and took a Fresh and Local Business Pledge.  The Fresh and Local Pledge is a demonstration of our commitment to Northwest Washington Agriculture.  We have pledged to make a good-faith effort to soure from local producers.  We already consistently buy from many local producers including K & M Farm, Breckinridge Farm, Barlean’s, and Avenue Bread, but we have pledged that we will strive to add 2 new local vendors each year and attend one or more networking events to meet new producers.  Additionally, we have pledged to source at least 20% of our food budget from local vendors, to track local vs. non-local purchases, and work towards sourcing 25% of our food budget locally.  We believe strongly in buying and using local ingredients for many reasons:  the quality of the ingredients, the limited carbon footprint, and as support to our local agriculture.  All items on our menu that include local ingredients are marked with the Think Local, Buy Fresh icon so our customers can make informed decisions with their fork and their dollar.