Organic Beers for Summer Weekend BBQs

Eel River Brewing Company

You know Eel River Brewing Company wants you to enjoy its products with a motto like\r\nBe natural drink naked. The brewery was founded in 1995 in Fortuna, CA (it\'s now located in Scotia, CA, in what was a lumber mill), and in 1999 became America\'s first certified organic brewery. The company now offers several different types of award-winning brews (including a California Blonde Ale), and keeps the environment in mind: All the power used to brew the beer in Scotia is produced from mill leftovers such as wood chips, bark, scrap lumber and clippings.

Wolaver\'s

Wolaver\'s has been making certified organic ales since 1997. Welcome the warmer weather with a light and fruity seasonal brew; the wit bier is a Belgian-style white offered May through September.

Pinkus

The family owned Pinkus-Muller brewery in Germany traces its roots to 1816 and has been making organic beer since 1980. The organic Munster Alt -- alt means \"ale\" or \"old\" in German -- is a specialty of Westphalia, in northern Germany.

Butte Creek Brewing Company

This organic brewery in Chico, CA, bills itself \"the official beer of planet Earth.\" Butte Creek offers pale ales, porters and pilsners year-round, but its seasonal Spring Run Organic Pale Ale has an added benefit: A portion of this beer\'s proceeds is donated to Chinook salmon restoration efforts.

Peak Organic Brewing Company

Peak was founded by a group of friends in Portland, ME. Cofounder Jon Cadoux said they were stuck for marketing ideas when a colleague suggested inviting consumers to post photos of their peak moments (think sunsets, weddings) and having Website visitors vote on their favorites. Winners would be featured on the packaging.

The idea took off, and images are now changed three or four times a year. Look for the summer seasonal beer, which will be announced soon; the spring special was Maple Oat, made with local oats and Vermont maple syrup.

Stone Mill

Stone Mill Pale Ale is sold by Green Valley Brewing Company, the certified organic brewery of Anheuser-Busch, and is made with 100% organic barley malt.

Lakefront Brewery

Based in Milwaukee, WI, Lakefront Brewery\r\nhas a few specialty offerings among its many beers, including an organic British-style Extra Special Bitter and a celiac-friendly gluten-free brew.

Samuel Smith

Samuel Smith might be better known for its Nut Brown Ale and Imperial Stout, but this English brewery makes organic beers, too.