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.”

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.