NEW YORK CITY — If you're going organic when it comes to food, why not try it for your beer, too?
A beer that is certified as organic is held to the same standards as organic food. That means the soil must be free from toxins such as pesticides and synthetic fertilizers for at least 3 years, according to Beer for Dummies.
Here's five organic brews to try:
Pinkus Unfiltered Organic Pils
The Pinkus-Mueller brewery in Germany brewed the first organic beer in the 1980s because the brew master believed conventional farming had impacted the taste of its suds, according to the Organic Beer Festival. One reviewer described Pinkus Unfiltered Organic Pils as having "subtle notes of metallic and lime" with a slightly creamy body. Click here for who sells it in New York City.
Golden Organic Ale from Smart Beer
Organic brewing hit the U.S. in the 1990s and the national market is now worth about $80 million, according to the Organic Beer Fest. This ale from Smart Beer was the first organic beer to be brewed in New York State. It's described by the website Cool Hunting as an easy drinking beer with flavor notes of orange peel and licorice root. Click here for who sells it in New York City.
Hop Harvest Oktoberfest from Peak Organic Brewing
Peak is located in Portland, Maine, and has a large selection of organic brews. The Hop Harvest Oktoberfest has notes of kiwi, gooseberry, grapefruit, pine and rich malt. Click here for New York City retailers.
Samuel Smith is a U.K.-based brewery. This is a full-bodied lager filled with fruity hops and a touch of caramel. It is also certified vegan. Click here to see where you can buy it in New York City.
St. Peter’s Organic English Ale
This is an award-winning beer from the U.K. brewery St. Peter's. It is made with Venture malted barley, marynka hop, first gold hops and a single strand yeast. Click here to check out which beer shops stock it.
