Sustainable Sipping Is Made Easy With These 6 Eco-Friendly Choices
Nowadays, mixologists and spirit enthusiasts have begun to pay close attention to environmentally conscious and sustainable ways of producing and consuming liquors because the ecological impact of mass manufacturing can turn out to be extremely harmful for local ecosystems. The amount of waste generated in big distilleries has to be disposed of properly in order to avoid drastic impact on the region’s biodiversity. This has not only necessitated taking a closer look at manufacturing processes but also at drinking practices where we can do our small bit towards conserving the environment.
Sustainable sipping, thus, refers to both eco-friendly ways of drinking as well as sourcing those spirits that are produced, devising methods to conserve the environment. From sourcing wines and beers locally to minimising waste while crafting signature drinks, there are a lot of simple but effective ways for moving towards drinking practices that can be sustained in the long run because of the positive impact they will have on reducing our carbon footprint.
Read on below to know more about some of these methods in which you can drink and buy your spirits in sustainable ways:
Small Batch Beers And Wines
Promote local businesses preparing craft beers and small batch spirits to practise sustainable drinking. Small batch drinks are generally prepared without a lot of synthetic manufacturing and processing and are definitely more friendly towards local ecosystems. These craft beers also have a very distinct taste which celebrate local flavours so they also enhance your overall drinking experience.
Organic Wines
Sustainable drinking is all about opting for liquors that are produced in environmentally conscious ways so always go for wines made from grapes grown without spraying harmful pesticides or fertilisers. Many wineries have also begun to adopt more sustainable practices of producing spirits so do some market research and opt for such brands. If they are local wineries, you can also give a boost to homegrown regional businesses.
Minimise Wastefulness
One of the best ways to drink in more eco-friendly ways is to crack down on the wastefulness that occurs at parties. Make sure you serve only small quantities of drinks so guests can ask for more only when they have finished off what was in their glass. As well, use garnishes, herbs and mixers in their entirety without throwing the stems of herbs or leftover lime wedges out. Instead you can use them for spirit or simple syrup infusions.
Reusable Glassware
Another sustainability hack that is quite basic is using glassware that can be washed and reused at your next party. This will mean stocking up on more containers, jars and tumblers than you have room for in your liquor cabinet but you can always wrap them up properly and store them in the loft to be dug out when you next host an event. Another way is to go for biodegradable cups and containers but these will have to be disposed off prudently to ensure they are not mixed with non-recyclable waste.
Green Straws And Stirrers
Eco friendly drinking is as much about consuming spirits produced in conscious ways as about using barware that fosters sustainability. So, another important element constituting greener ways of drinking is eco-friendly straws and stirrers that can be used to prepare and serve cocktails. Instead of single use straws, buy metallic straws available readily in stores and go for bamboo or wooden stirrers and spoons that can be washed and reused.
Drinking Neat
Many experts say that adding a mixer to a spirit in the preparation of cocktails can up the amount of carbon emissions more than when you enjoy liquors neat. So, malt whisky is an excellent choice to practise sustaining drinking as many Scottish distilleries have nowadays begun to embrace greener processes of producing alcohol. You can sip on a Singleton of Glendullan that tastes delectable when served neat or on the rocks. This will also minimise the amount of sugars and your calorie intake by cutting out the mixers and packed preserves that go into preparing certain blends.
