Nod Hill Brewery in Ridgefield, Connecticut, has many environmental and social initiatives in place. The business opened in 2017 and started adding a solar array in its second year of operation. The solar photovoltaic (PV) system was installed in April 2019 and offsets 100% of the brewery’s electricity use.
Founders David and Robert Kaye, Kyle Acenowr, and Sarah Zitnay wanted to bring European-style hop-forward beers to the area, all with a low climate impact. The space includes an outdoor biergarten and food trucks. Father and son David and Robert imagined the idea for the brewery during a 2008 trip to Austria, where they visited a top brewery.
They also spent time in Vermont’s brewery scene and experimented with homebrewing before coming up with the concept of Nod Hill. The name derives from the winding road that connects Ridgefield and Wilton, Connecticut. The area was called the Nod Hills during the 18th century.
Photo Courtesy Nod Hill Brewery
The brewery installed a 287-kilowatt solar PV array that pushes an additional 5,000 kilowatt-hours back into the power grid. It lines the roof of the production and restaurant storefront.
It’s one of the first breweries to be included in the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s BetterBev New England program. The state agency offers several sustainability programs that involve using less harsh chemicals in cleaning, better waste management, recycling, and buying locally sourced ingredients.
Most spent grain from brewing is donated to a local farm, and any extra goes to a composter. All food waste and service ware in the Nod Hill Biergarten is composted. Onsite pollinators had aided with eco-restoration, river bank protection, and horticulture. Four electric vehicle (EV) chargers are available in the parking lot — it’s a Certified EV Friendly Workplace. The brewery only uses electricity — no fossil fuel — in its operations.
Nod Hill donates to several Connecticut charities, such as the Woodcock Nature Center, Norwalk River Watershed, and the Norwalk River Valley Trail. The business hosts charity events like the annual Oyster Fest and the Faster Things ROAR Benefit Concert. Money was raised for the Watershed and the Ridgefield Operation Animal Rescue.
Adjacent to the Biergarten sits the brewery’s one-acre pollinator meadow. It features native pollinator-friendly plants. It was made from reclaimed unused space overgrown with invasive vegetation.
The meadow will attract natural pollinators like bees and butterflies, filter rainwater, and prevent soil erosion. The Biergarten is a family-friendly space; dogs are even allowed as long as they are leashed.
Photo Courtesy Nod Hill Brewery
In June 2022, Nod Hill won the Aquarion Environmental Champion Awards for its environmental stewardship and sustainability work. The brewery earned a $5,000 grant to donate to an environmental nonprofit of their choice. The company sent the funds to the New England Pollinator Pathway, where they helped clean up the Norwalk River of invasive plants and replanted native plants.
The brewery recently celebrated its seventh-anniversary with a party on Oct. 26. A relatively new business, Nod Hill has room to grow, adding more initiatives as more customers come in and expansion happens. It’s part of the ever-growing New England craft beer scene, creating more opportunities for sustainable brewing without sacrificing product quality and customer experiences.
