Being ‘environmentally-friendly’ is not just a tick in the box for us, it’s about the way we operate and goes far beyond just being as ‘green’ as we can. In fact, it means that we are focussed on building a truly sustainable business for now and for the future.

Our philosophy is ‘if it’s recyclable then we will recycle it’. This is as true of the paper that we use in the office (and yes, we are endeavouring to become increasingly paperless), right through to our beer production. Brewer’s grains are used for cattle feed, our yeast is taken to the local piggery and waste water is returned to the water course through our willow beds.

Our environmental approach is demonstrated in the building of our new cellar in 2007 (for which we were proud to win ‘Eco Building of the Year’ in the South West’s Commercial Property Awards). The top of the cellar is covered with a living sedum roof, which adds insulation and allows us to capture rainwater for the washing of vehicles and barrels. Perhaps, most importantly, two thirds of the ground floor has been built underground to allow us to do away with electric chilling systems and use the earth’s core temperature to naturally cool the cellar to the perfect temperature for storing cask ale. The cellar has significantly contributed to the reduction of our carbon footprint and has saved the business more than 6 tonnes of Co2 emissions per year and a few quid in chilling as well!

Saving Devon’s Treescapes

Otter has always been an ethically minded and family run brewery and we’ve built every part of the business around being as green as possible. After three decades of sustainable brewing we have partnered up with Devon Wildlife Trust in an ambitious new environmental project to take this mindset to another level. The premise is simple: for every brewer’s barrel we sell we will plant a tree in Devon. It really is time for action, not words, and if we all play our part in the challenge to reduce CO2 levels, we will achieve the goal to protect our planet.

‘Saving Devon’s Treescapes’ is a project being led by Devon Wildlife Trust on behalf of the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum to help enable local communities combat climate change, care for Devon’s treasured woodland and support wildlife by planting and nurturing over 250,000 new trees. As part of this, we’ll be working with local schools, sports clubs, pubs and businesses to help plant as many new trees as possible – our first 500 mixed leaf saplings have already gone in the ground and we’re set to plant another 40,000 over the next 5 years. This positive action will also help in the crucial fight against the devastating effects of Ash Dieback which realistically could result in the potential loss of 90% of our native Ash trees in the next 5 years.

For more information on this project please visit: www.devonwildlifetrust.org/saving-devons-treescapes