‌As the first brewery to have two facilities certified at the platinum level, Big Grove has demonstrated a company-wide commitment to minimizing its environmental impact. In Des Moines, sustainable practices implemented by Big Grove include the installation of a hop vacuum to extract more beer per batch, generating nitrogen on-site, recycling its cooking oil and the formation of a company-wide Green Team.

“Big Grove has really set the standard of what it means to be a sustainable craft brewery here in Iowa. Their forward-thinking approach during their rapid growth and expansion is certainly commendable,” said Joe Bolick, director of the Iowa Waste Reduction Center. “It has truly been a pleasure working with them for years and to witness their expansion and continuous commitment to sustainability first-hand.”

Big Grove in Des Moines is the fifth brewery certified at the platinum level of the IGBC program. It joins the ranks with its Iowa City location, SingleSpeed Brewing Co. in Waterloo, Exile Brewing Company in Des Moines and NoCoast Brewing Co. in Oskaloosa. Big Grove is the first Iowa brewery to have two platinum level certifications.

The IWRC has been providing environmental services, including technical assistance and industry training, as well as research and development, for over 35 years. The IWRC is a part of the University of Northern Iowa's Business and Community Services which builds a better Iowa through hands‐on technical assistance for economic and business development, entrepreneurship, environmental improvement and enhanced sustainability. For more information, visit iwrc.uni.edu.