WHAT'S AN UPSLOPE?
Meteorologically speaking, it’s a front range-covering, water-table-filling, snow-dumping weather pattern that anyone with bindings and a roof rack would die for. Beerologically speaking, it’s carbonated gold. In 2008, Matt Cutter, Henry Wood and Dany Page, kissed their homes in Cleveland, Atlanta and Argentina goodbye to bring their beer-brewing love affair to Boulder, Colorado. With that, Upslope Brewing Company was born. And after nearly fifteen years of supplying Colorado with trailhead tallboys, and pow-day libations made from the freshest snowmelt, the finest hops and the purest passion for living life outdoors, one thing has become undeniable. These guys didn’t just float another microbrew into the sea of Colorado microbrews. They created a lineup of quality craft beer that tastes as good poured from a tap as they do pulled out of a fishing vest. In other words, for those who call the Continental Divide home, the perfect storm.
APRÈS EVERYTHING
Matt, Dany and Henry are three guys with a passion for two things: living life outdoors and brewing the perfect beer to cap off any adventure. That’s where the idea of Après Everything was born. Drawn not just to skiing, but to anything over the Rockies and under the sky, Après Everything makes Upslope a hand-held tribute to all who believe playing hard should end with a quality beer that goes down easy.
FRIENDS & PARTNERS
Last we checked, when it comes to places to fish, hike or crack a craft beer, there is no planet B. So here’s a list of folks we work with to keep the environment healthy, and Colorado’s beer hoppy.
SUSTAINABILITY
We believe that the more you go out exploring the earth, the more likely you are to take care of it. That’s why we package all our beers in 100% recyclable cans, perfect for transporting wherever the trail may take you. And it’s why, from the water and energy we use to the waste we make, we do everything possible to leave a mark with our beer, not our footprint.
Upslope is now a Certified B Corp! We’re proud to join the ranks of the 2,500+ companies around the world who are embracing the idea that business can and should be used as a force for good. We believe in a world where everyone has access to clean water, air and healthy food within a stable climate and community. We recognize that our industry, and company within it, is resource intensive and has a net negative impact on our environment. We don’t want to live in a world without beer, but neither do we want to live in a world where beer is brewed at the expense of our environment. So we’ve joined this community of innovative business leaders to learn how to mitigate our negative impact through the development and adoption of more sustainable business practices and technologies. We certainly have a long way to go, but we hope that by joining the conversation and inviting open dialogue, we can make progress toward this goal.
Click here for our current Sustainability Summary.
WATER
- Upslope uses an estimated average of 4 barrels of water for every barrel of beer produced compared to the industry average of about 7 barrels of water for every barrel of beer produced.
- Flow Meter Project:
- In February of 2019, Upslope completed our water flowmeter project. We now have eight submeters installed throughout our production process: two in the brewhouse, one each on the centrifuge, canning line and keg machine, and two measuring the water use of the other tenants in our building.
- Though we need 12 months of data to establish a complete baseline, we have already identified areas of significant water savings.
WASTE
- Waste Diversion:
- Upslope diverts about 98% of all solid waste generated at our main production facility
- 100% of Upslope’s spent grain and about 3,000 gallons of spent yeast per month is distributed to local farms to feed local livestock.
- In 2016, Upslope diverted 56% of all solid waste by volume (other than spent grain) through our recycling and composting efforts.
- Upslope is committed to improving compost and recycling efforts and education every day. We are always on the lookout for ways to recycle hard-to-recycle items, such as grain bags, pallets, stretch wrap, scrap metal and 6-pack rings. For instance, Upslope takes part in the Ring Leader Recycling Program for our photo-degradable 6-pack rings. Return your used 6-pack rings to either tap room!
- 100% of Upslope events are Zero Waste Events through recycling and composting. At our two major events in 2017, we diverted 96% of all our discards in partnership with Eco-Cycle.
- Packaging Materials:
- Upslope packages beer in kegs and cans – no glass bottles.
- Cans are lighter than bottles to ship, which results in a smaller carbon footprint for transportation.
- Cans are 100% recyclable – a can recycled today is another can on the shelf in 60 days.
- Upslope uses 100% recycled cardboard for packaging – our flats and 12-pack boxes are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).
ENERGY
- Upslope has an estimated 16 kWh:bbl electricity usage ratio compared to the industry average which ranges between 12:1 and 22:1.
- LED Lights and motion sensors are used throughout our warehouse.
- Upslope uses a high efficiency Miura boiler that is 20% more efficient than standard boilers.
