Standing Stone Brewing Company (SSBC) and Rogue Creamery are a common pairing. The award-winning creamery makes a Standing Stone Stout Cheddar and the acclaimed craft brewery/restaurant features Rogue Creamery cheeses on its menu.

The two have taken their collaboration a step further to advance their common mission around sustainable business. Standing Stone has inspired Rogue Creamery to give free commuter bikes to employees who have worked at least 1,000 hours and who agree to bike commute 45 times in a year, replicating a program SSBC recently launched.

It all started with a wager made over a few pints of ale. Rogue Creamery co-owner David Gremmels stopped by for a beer and asked SSBC co-owner Alex Amarotico about the new commuter bike program, mentioning that his team members expressed interest in it. “I casually offered to buy a commuter bike for cheesemaker and plant manager Craig Nelson if he committed to bike to work at least 45 times, and if David and co-owner Cary Bryant agreed to buy bikes for their team members making the same pledge,” says Amarotico. “I was pleasantly surprised when David told me Craig and the Creamery were in.”

Amarotico will present Nelson with a Standing Stone Kona commuter bike at 12:30 PM on Friday, Oct. 16 at the historic Rogue Creamery, 311 North Front Street, Central Point, OR.
Rogue Creamery will launch its bike commuter “Nellie Green Pedal Power Program” later this year. The business has established a sustainable program called the Nellie Green program committed to the community, environment, recycling and conservation. Its bikes will have the same green hue as the Creamery’s iconic milk truck, also signifying their commitment to environmental and social responsibility. The company has earned the Food Alliance’s “Certified Sustainable” seal, sources local sustainable and organic milk from pasture-fed cows, and strives to reduce resource use and waste.

Gremmels and Bryant are geared up to begin the program, “When we heard what Standing Stone was doing, we thought it would be great to do ourselves. We’re excited to find ways to improve our environmental impact, benefit our team members and enjoy the community while biking to work.”

Like the Creamery, SSBC is committed to cutting-edge efforts that reduce its environmental footprint and benefit employees and the community, such as using local and organic food, reducing energy use, installing solar, diverting almost 80% of waste materials from landfills and supporting diverse community causes. Amarotico is glad his efforts have inspired others. “It would be great to see even more businesses get rolling in this direction.”

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Gov. Ted Kulongowski and Sec. of State Bill Bradbury present Oregon sustainability award to Alex Amarotico on behalf Standing Stone Brewery

Inspired by DA’s recent Beer Around Town post about Southern Oregon brews article, we have decided to do this little ditty about one of our favorite breweries, Standing Stone.  Alex Amarotico is the owner of the Ashland brewery whose commitment to sustainable practices has not only earned them the respect of their community, but recognition from the State of Oregon. Amarotico, a former Ashland city councilor, has set his sites on “net-zero” energy, a practice that attempts to produce only the amount of on-site energy that the facility utilizes. In additional to this philosophy and practice, Amarotico and company have made great attempts at minimizing waste and reducing carbon emissions.  The tidy downtown brewpub focuses on locally grown, organic foods, and employing sustainable practices whenever possible. Aside from these consciencious strides to thinking globally through local action, Standing Stone produces some of the most flavorful brews in the Pacific Northwest.  Their colorful sampler tray is a work of art that accentuates the clean and personable atmosphere of the brick-walled historical setting.

Amarotico reveals some of his favorite beers in our dessert/desert island thingamajig.

What sparked your interest in craft beer?

AA: The Flavor, and the fact that it was possible to make oneself

In what capacity do you work with beer?

AA: Brewpub, 500 BBLS/Year

If trapped on a desert/dessert island with just one tap line, what beer would you choose to drink (yeah that’s a tough one)?

AA: Double IPA (maybe Stone Ruination)

Similarly, if you could have just one last beer, what would that be?

AA: Same

Name five of your favorite brews (won’t hold you to these).

AA: Standing Stone Double IPA

Stone Ruination

Lagunitas IPA Maximus

Bear Republic’s Racer 5

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA

Are there any beers out there that you would like to try that you haven’t yet?

AA: Too many to list.

Name one or more of your favorite food pairings?

AA: Cheese and Beer

For more information on Standing Stone, visit www.standingstonebrewing.com

Posted under Beer personalities