McClintock Distilling Champions Environmental Stewardship with Tree-Planting Initiative

Bumpers remarked, “We founded the company with sustainability as one of our main missions because it was something that was important and personal to both Tyler and myself. Our industry is getting better, but in the past, it has been incredibly wasteful, particularly with water.”

FREDERICK, Md. (PRWEB)
March 07, 2023

This April, McClintock Distilling begins its third-annual Gimlets for Green Month initiative to promote environmental stewardship and activism in Maryland.

In honor of National Earth Day, McClintock and their distribution partner, Bacchus Importers, will be donating money for every featured cocktail and bottle of McClintock spirits sold at participating restaurants, bars, and retail locations. Their fundraising efforts will support the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Tree-Mendous program, with the goal of planting trees on public lands and community spaces across the state.

Participating in the initiative is as easy as going out for a drink and ordering the flagship cocktail of Gimlets for Green Month. “We chose a gimlet for this event because of its simplicity and accessibility. Every bar has gin and lime juice, and it’s easy to stock at home. Because the cocktail is so simple, there’s lots of room to experiment and make it your own,” says McClintock co-owner Braeden Bumpers. It has become a tradition for participating restaurants to create their own specialty gimlet, which encourages consumers to visit different locations, thereby raising more money to plant trees.

Created by co-owners Tyler Hegamyer and Braeden Bumpers, “This event is an extension of the core mission of sustainability and environmental stewardship at McClintock,” said Bumpers. “We wanted to create a way to connect the dots for people, where they can see the result of what McClintock does, what they drink, and how it impacts their environment.” Since 2021, Gimlets for Green Month has raised money to plant 252 mature trees with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), thanks to the efforts of 118 participating locations.

The DNR’s Tree-Mendous Program selects native trees and shrubs that help clean the water and air, provide habitats for wildlife, and aid in restoring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed region. “We chose the DNR because their program directly impacts where we live and the greater surrounding region that flows into the Chesapeake. They are smart about carefully selecting the types of trees they plant, where they should be planted, and where those plantings will have the best impact on our environment,” says Bumpers. Their holistic approach to sustainable efforts aligns with McClintock’s company values, as the distillery looks for attainable, authentic, and creative ways to be environmentally friendly.

McClintock was the first organic-certified alcohol producer in the state of Maryland, and they incorporate other sustainable practices in their spirits production. Some of their efforts include sourcing 100% renewable electricity, recycling spent whiskey mash as organic hog and cow feed for local farmers, and working towards becoming a carbon neutral facility. Bumpers remarked, “We founded the company with sustainability as one of our main missions because it was something that was important and personal to both Tyler and myself. Our industry is getting better, but in the past, it has been incredibly wasteful, particularly with water.”

McClintock solved this problem by designing and building a cooling water recycling system that cools their manufacturing equipment, and has reduced McClintock’s waste water by half a million gallons every year. Looking to create meaningful change in the spirits industry, McClintock has made their design available through the American Distilling Institute to encourage other distillers to prioritize sustainability.

McClintock Distilling aims to positively impact what they can, and inspire others to do the same. By enjoying a craft cocktail or buying a bottle of gin, whiskey, vodka, or any of their other spirits during Gimlets for Green Month, being a good steward of the environment and directly supporting the health of the greater Chesapeake Bay Watershed region has never been simpler.

McClintock Distilling is an award-winning, craft distillery located in Frederick, Maryland. They have been named Best Craft Vodka Distillery and one of the Top 10 Best Gin Distilleries by USA Today, and have won over 75 awards and medals at international competitions, including best gin in show at NYISC. At their facility, they proudly produce organically-certified spirits using sustainable and environmentally-conscious practices, and source local, heirloom grains from family-owned, Maryland farms.

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