PR / Falmouth, MA (August, 2026) – Falmouth’s Aquatic 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. Aquatic 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.
A commitment to thoughtful standard operating procedures has helped Aquatic Brewing achieve below average use of water and purchased CO2, resulting in lower operating costs. Among its notable conservation measures is avoiding once-through process water that would go straight to sewer by capturing it for reuse in other brewhouse operations. Another, a technique referred to as spunding, captures CO2 produced by the fermentation process to help carbonate the beer while it’s still in the tank. This reduces the need for purchased CO2 that typically comes from byproducts at ammonia and other chemical plants.
The environmentally conscious brewer is also offsetting all of its electricity use by subscribing to a community solar project through Grasshopper Energy. Pair that with its decision to go with an electric brew house and Aquatic’s emissions are significantly lower than that of similar sized breweries. Additionally, a commitment to side-streaming all of its brewing process by-products (spent grain, hops, yeast, and other organic solids) for donation to local farms that use them to supplement animal feed and create compost, decreases the emissions that would otherwise result at a landfill.
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.
Aquatic Brewing
Founders Alex Bergan and Greg Horning homebrewed together throughout grad school, pursuing Ph.D.s in oceanography at Woods Hole Oceanographic and MIT. Along the way, they learned nearly as much about brewing beer as they did about the oceans. The Aquatic taproom opened in November 2020 and promotes community through collaborations, events, and charity while serving as a meeting place for everyone and a hub to connect to other facets of the Falmouth and Woods Hole Communities. With ties to environmental science, Aquatic Brewing is committed to sustainable practices and doing things the right way, not necessarily the easy way.