Greenbelt's collaboration with True North Ales on a limited-edition craft beer has been a resounding success! Released on June 5 at a lively and well-attended launch celebration at the True North Ales Taproom in Ipswich, Greenbelt Pilsner — a crisp German-style pilsner infused with locally harvested honey — quickly became a local favorite. In just over a month, the entire run of 10 half-barrel kegs and 52 cases of custom-labeled four-packs sold out, raising more than $2,000 to support Greenbelt's conservation efforts.
Inspired by an idea from Greenbelt’s NextGen Committee, a group dedicated to engaging the next generation of conservation supporters, the collaboration with True North Ales proved to be a creative way to bring people together, spark conversations, and introduce new audiences to Greenbelt’s mission — just as intended. NextGen members played an important role in every aspect of the project, from selecting beer ingredients and designing the packaging to helping plan the rollout.
"Initiatives like this collaboration are so important for building community and engaging younger audiences because they allow us to get to know one another in a fun, high-energy, low-pressure environment," says Anna Edson, a new member of Greenbelt's NextGen Committee who is currently pursuing an M.S. in Biotechnology at UMass Lowell. While she wasn't directly involved with the pilsner project, she says the launch celebration itself was a great way to meet Greenbelt staff and supporters, and learn more about the power of conservation at the local level.
"This beer worked on so many levels," says Gary Rogers, Founder of True North Ales. "It definitely found an audience within the Greenbelt community, but it also connected with fans of great craft beer and those who were just plain curious. There were a number of people who came into our Ipswich Taproom who had never heard of Greenbelt but wanted to learn more, so it gave us a chance to talk about all the amazing conservation work being done in the area.”
In addition to being served and sold at the True North Ales Taproom, Greenbelt Pilsner was also available at this year’s Art in the Barn. For those who haven’t had a chance to try it yet, a small number of barrels have been set aside for the Tour de Greenbelt on September 26, giving riders and supporters one more opportunity to enjoy a cold brew during the post-ride festivities. A limited number of collectible Greenbelt Pilsner glasses will also be available for purchase.