Not a town to be left out - especially during a holiday starring its namesake color - Greenwood is wearing the green in more ways than one this St. Patrick’s Day.
Seeing the world through emerald-colored glasses on the Irish religious holiday honoring the country’s patron saint is an American tradition, and although the Yazoo River will still flow its natural color, unlike the Chicago River, a wee bit of food dye or a pinch from a friend might bring a bit o’ the Irish right here to the Delta.
Of course, what could be more Irish than enjoying a pint of beer on St. Patrick’s Day? And many patrons want that beer to be green.
It is another tradition popularized by many American bars and pubs, including some Greenwood establishments.
“Our customers ask for green beer every year for St. Patrick’s Day,” said Michael Mosley, owner of Webster’s. “It’s a fun way for them to celebrate with us.”
Dyeing the refreshing summertime beverage with food coloring isn’t the only way beer is becoming greener these days.
No longer just a color, “going green” has become a global phenomenon right down to what comes out of the keg tap.
Guinness, the traditional Irish beer, isn’t coming straight from St. James’s Gate these days, but from its dark color to the distance it has to travel to reach Greenwood businesses, it is not a very “green” beer.
Sure, the Irish beverage of choice is steeped in the rich tradition of beer brewing, but Mississippians know a thing or two about throwing back a few cold ones, too. It turns out that Mark and Leslie Henderson knew more than they thought.
When the couple moved to the Gulf Coast to pursue engineering careers, they had no idea one homebrewing kit and many experimental recipes later they would be on their way to opening a brewery.
In March 2005, the Lazy Magnolia Brewing Co.’s first kegs hit the market, and now it distributes throughout the state.
It does more than providing thirst-quenching bar goers with good beer - it gives Mississippians the chance to be environmentally conscious drinkers. In keeping with the state’s mantra as the “Hospitality State,” the company makes it a priority to waste less by giving back.
“Green technology should be doing what you can to make your company more efficient,” said Leslie Henderson, brew master and co-owner of the Lazy Magnolia Brewing Co. in Kiln. “Being more efficient means wasting less.”
Whether it is at the brewery or on the road, the company is going for gold - or green.
“The main reason it is more environmental to buy beer from a brewery close to where you live is because if you are drinking beer that is made locally, it is not having to travel as far to get to you,” Henderson said. “It saves gas and money.”
The company cuts waste through side streaming, or simply turning the company’s waste into something others want.
At the end of each day of brewing, the company has spent ingredients that need to be disposed. That is where the side streaming process steps in.
Spent grains are given to Mississippi hog farmers in the brewery’s vicinity to be used as feed.
Mississippi cattle farmers also benefit from the spent ingredients. The brewery makes more yeast each day than can be used in the beer-making process. The vitamin-B rich yeast is a nutritious addition to the cattle’s diet.
Since it is a brewery, spent beer is not uncommon. From a batch of beer that isn’t up to standards and old kegs with some beer in them, to beer escaping during the bottling process, those couple of milliliters start to add up.
The company uses that beer in the community for watering fields and at waste treatment plants.
“Waste disposal can be costly,” Henderson said. “Decreasing our waste saves us money and saves farmers money on having to buy feed.”
It doesn’t stop with side-streaming, the Lazy Magnolia Brewing Co. is continuing to make strides toward improving the efficiency of the brewery.
The company is just starting to work on a project that will take the waste water and turn it into methane gas.
“Rather than letting off that waste, we will be able to convert it into a useable fuel,” Henderson said. “We can use it for our boiling.”
Not only are the Hendersons saving money for the company and farmers by side streaming, recycling and soon converting waste into power, but they are keeping the money local as well.
“It’s brewed in Mississippi by Mississippi employees,” Henderson said. “Unlike when you buy a national beer brand, the taxes go back to our state, so we are helping our own economy.”
Perhaps in the future, Mississippi will be recognized as a “green state” every day, not just on St. Patrick’s Day.
