WESTERLY — Producing 15 different varieties of craft beer such as Flying Jenny and Captain’s Daughter, Grey Sail Brewing has put Westerly on the map for those in search of flavorful brews.
Along with a slew of local, state, regional and national honors the locally-owned brewery at 63 Canal St. has racked up in its 13 years came a new recognition this week — Grey Sail received kudos for its work in protecting the environment.
Specifically, the brewery is the first in Rhode Island to be recognized by the regional BetterBev group, which honors craft breweries for environmental sustainability efforts.
The director of the R.I. Department of Environmental Management, Terry Gray, joined Grey Sail founders and owners Alan and Jennifer Brinton, some of their staff, federal EPA regional Director Rob Guillemin and R.I. Brewers Guild Executive Director Nils Weldy on Tuesday to celebrate the honor.
For years, Grey Sail has worked with DEM to reduce environmental impacts of the brewing process and promote sustainable practices.
“The recognition of Grey Sail’s achievements in sustainable brewing marks an important milestone in our efforts to help Rhode Island breweries enhance their operations while reducing environmental impacts,” Gray said. “I hope this serves as an inspiration to breweries across the state — showing that embracing sustainability not only benefits the environment but also strengthens our local economy and communities.”
Since 2019, DEM’s Green Breweries Program has worked with local breweries to provide free technical assistance to help improve performance and reduce environmental effects. In 2024, DEM launched BetterBev in partnership with other New England states to recognize breweries that demonstrate leadership in sustainability by reducing their environmental impact, pollution prevention and conserving natural resources. With nearly 40 craft breweries in Rhode Island, Gray said the DEM hopes more will follow Grey Sail’s example.
For the Brintons, their hard-working staff and their loyal patrons, it’s a recognition that’s richly deserved.
“As a local business in a coastal community, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint in all aspects of our operation,” Alan Brinton said. “From solar panels to carbon capture to donating our spent grain to local farms, we’re taking practical steps every day to lessen our impact. Thank you to DEM for recognizing the work of local breweries.”
Founded in 2011, Grey Sail’s lineup of 10 core beers, led by Captain’s Daughter Double IPA, are offered in retail stores, bars and restaurants in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey. Four years ago, they founded South Country Distillers, a craft distillery, offering spirits made from grain to glass on their Westerly campus.
The increasingly popular craft beverage industry in Rhode Island hosts 39 open breweries across the state. Although these breweries are an important part of the state’s economy, they can negatively affect water quality in their communities if they do not use proper pollution prevention practices. The wastewater generated from breweries, distilleries and wineries can cause problems for wastewater treatment facilities and septic systems from large volumes of organic waste. The brewing process also uses high volumes of water and electricity.
The BetterBev group notes there are many actions breweries can take to reduce their environmental impact, prevent pollution, conserve natural resources and be a model of sustainability.
In Rhode Island, most craft beverage producers already have a strong culture of sustainability and a desire to protect natural resources and the environment for future generations. DEM’s R.I. Green Breweries Program is designed to help brewers get to where they want to be while recognizing all their hard work.
The voluntary New England BetterBev Green Craft Beverage Recognition Program gives free technical assistance to craft beverage manufacturers who are interested in taking up pollution prevention practices and decreasing their impact on the environment. Rhode Island has collaborated with Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire to outline regional performance standards.
Also, becoming a R.I. Green Brewery allows a facility to be regionally recognized.
The DEM’s visit Tuesday to Westerly’s Grey Sail Brewing to laud its sustainability efforts is the latest chapter in what has so far been an eventful 2025 for the local business.
In January, the brewer and Groton-based Outer Light Brewing Company announced a formal partnership. The partnership aims to expand Grey Sail’s production capacity and enable the staff to work together to enhance the offerings of both companies, the breweries said.