Green Daily

It's good to give credit where credit's due, and in the case of the Wolaver brothers, they get serious props for being trail blazers in the organic beer industry. As brands like Anhueser-Busch are just launching their first ventures into the world of organic beer, the Wolavers are celebrating their 10th Anniversary. First brewed as a contract beer at various breweries nationwide, the Wolaver brand was so successful, that they were able to buy out one of the collaborators in 2002.

The Wolavers' statement of purpose is simple -- "Brew the World's best ales in a way that is sustainable- meaning we can keep on brewing and drinking great beer as long as we want to!" I like that. They adhere to this manifesto by using recycled materials as their packaging and utilizing an in-house water treatment facility. They also have the unique goal of buying most of their ingredients locally, like I mean 15 miles away locally. Unlike other brewers, the Wolavers have a notion of beer-crafting that is less tied to a geography, often teaming up with microbreweries like Goose Island to make regional or seasonal organic beers.

The three mainstays of the Wolaver's brand are their Pale Ale, IPA, and Brown Ale, although their seasonal beers are pretty popular. In fact, their brews were so popular at Whole Foods that the organic grocery giant asked them to craft an exclusive 'Lamar Street Pale Ale,' to commemorate the company's original headquarters.

Even greener: Brew your own

Worried that the brewing, bottling and transportation of your favorite beer is upping your carbon footprint? Never fear! It's surprisingly easy to brew your own beer at home -- and, assuming you're not selling it out the back door on the sly, it's totally legal!