We are excited to congratulate Peace Tree Brewing Co., out of Knoxville, IA, on joining the ranks of the Iowa Green Brewery Certification! This month, Peace Tree received a gold-level certification at their Knoxville location for outstanding resource management and energy efficiency.  In addition to their original taproom in Knoxville, Peace Tree also has branches located in Des Moines and Grinnell. 

Some unique highlights that contributed to Peace Tree’s gold certification were their custom air exchange system and their use of local ingredients. Peace Tree’s hot exchange system, located at their Knoxville brewery/taproom, is customized to use excess lost heat from their brewing process to heat incoming air before it reaches the furnace, greatly increasing its efficiency. As for use of local ingredients, Peace Tree is currently brewing a beer called “cornucopia” which is a farmhouse-style ale that’s brewed with locally grown sweet corn. This brew is set to release very soon across the state.

Grant Helle, the Iowa Green Brewery Certification’s sustainability intern, says, "Peace Tree has implemented numerous unique sustainable practices to help lower their environmental impact.  We are excited to see another great Iowa brewery strive to achieve a high-level certification!"

Peace Tree is the fifth brewery to earn a gold-level achievement in this award-winning certification program. The Iowa Green Brewery Certification program, now well into its second year, has certified nearly 30 breweries and continues to assist Iowa craft breweries in minimizing their environmental impact while also advocating for sustainability and waste reduction into their brewing processes.

Congratulations to Peace Tree Brewing Co. on receiving the gold certification, and welcome to the Iowa Green Brewery Certification program!

Learn more about the Iowa Green Brewery Certification program here.

About the Author
Abby Palmer
General/Marketing Intern
Iowa Waste Reduction Center