Where there was once a limited craft beer frontier, good beer is now colonizing almost every part of the country. That includes the Chesapeake Bay region, where nearly 70 craft breweries operate.
Brewers pay attention to water quality, and many have become strong advocates for its protection. Clean streams and clean water make better beer and clean local streams are essential to protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay.
Brewers can be anchors in the community — think neighborhood pub — and influential, connected parts of our local and regional culture. Besides the social qualities, breweries are also significant contributors to the region’s economy. But brewers can also be creative messengers for the causes that are important to watershed residents, like clean water and healthy rivers.
One such champion is Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, Maryland.
Since 2011, Flying Dog has produced Pearl Necklace Chesapeake Stout, brewed with Rappahannock River oysters. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Stout helps the Oyster Recovery Partnership restore oysters in the Chesapeake Bay. Flying Dog has helped ORP plant upward of 5 million oysters in the Bay and support the Shell Recycling Alliance and the Marylander’s Grow Oysters program.
Flying Dog also supports True Blue, and in turn, Chesapeake watermen. The True Blue program was developed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to raise awareness that only a small number of area restaurants actually use Maryland crab meat instead of importing it from overseas.
A portion of the proceeds from Dead Rise helps support True Blue and in turn, more than 5,000 watermen who make their living on the Chesapeake Bay.
Now, with creative brewing and these distinct beers as the platform, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is working with Flying Dog to move upstream and brew a new beer that will highlight the unique beauty of the rivers of the Chesapeake and help address the issues they face. This exciting partnership will be used to support local stream cleanups and river protection and restoration projects in the Chesapeake watershed.