I was first introduced to Brewdog’s Nanny State alcohol-free beer by my brother four years ago. Since then, I have enjoyed their Hellcat IPA, a collaboration with Iron Maiden lead singer, Bruce Dickinson.
I recently tried their Lost Planet First beer, which they claim is the first carbon-negative beer. They take more carbon from the air than they emit by using wind turbines and a bio plant to power their brewery and by planting trees. They have invested 15 million pounds (about $18 million U.S. dollars) in more than 9,000 acres in Scotland to pull more than 1 million tons of carbon from the air.
I can now save the planet by drinking beer!
Brewdog has reduced its carbon footprint by 20 percent since 2019 by operating electric vehicles, canning not bottling, and ensuring over 50 percent of its food offerings are vegetarian and vegan.
I am only a consumer of their product and have never worked for Brewdog. However, their literature suggests it’s a great company to work for. On top of paying a real living wage, each bar shares 50 percent of the profit generated by its employees. The founder and owner recently gave away 5 percent of his shares to all employees, equivalent to $120,000 over four years. Brewdog is now 25 percent owned by the people who work for it, making the incentives of owners and employees more aligned.
Other employee benefits include a paid four-week sabbatical for every five years of service and a pension that may be funded by up to 10 percent employer contributions. No one can join the company for more than seven times the salary of the lowest-paid full-time employee.
I’ll drink to that this holiday season.
