PR / Somerville, MA (September, 2026) – Somerville’s Winter Hill Brewing has been recognized as a “green beverage producer” by the BetterBev program. The distinction was awarded by the the Energy Transition Institute at UMass Amherst, which serves as one of the administrators of the BetterBev recognition program through a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Pollution Prevention Program. Winter Hill joins a growing number of beverage producers in Massachusetts and beyond that have earned recognition for their environmentally conscious business practices. While brewing is resource-intensive by nature, there are many opportunities for most businesses to reduce their environmental impact and improve their bottom line.
Among the notable environmental attributes at Winter Hill is its culture of buying and selling locally. In addition to highlighting local ingredients by brewing a number of seasonal special release beers, most of its beer is served on premise or distributed locally. That’s a big deal when you consider that packaging format and distribution is responsible for the most significant environmental impact of beer production.
A commitment to thoughtful standard operating procedures also helped Winter Hill earn recognition. Process water is captured and reused for cleaning, CO2 is conserved by spunding beers to start the carbonation process during late-stage fermentation, and an electric brew house powered in part by renewable energy decreases emissions notably compared to most other breweries.
The BetterBev program was launched to help beverage producers understand their environmental impact, increase efficiency, improve health and safety, conserve natural resources, and improve their businesses. Recognition is earned after a beverage producer’s local BetterBev administrator works with them to assess their environmental practices and impact. The process covers a range of criteria including water and energy use, waste, and even environmental culture. Learn more at betterbev.org.
Winter Hill Brewing
A neighborhood brewery, cafe, and restaurant in the Winter Hill neighborhood of Somerville, Winter Hill Brewing debuted in 2017 with small batch beer, locally brewed coffee, and a seasonally inspired food menu featuring local ingredients. Brewed in Mass., not mass brewed, Winter Hill focusses on unpretentious beer in small batches to bring it to customers fresh.