Slideshow

Top 10 organic drinks

20 November 2013 By Andy Young

To some people organic simply means that you pay more for something, but to many others organic is an important choice regarding food and drinks production and packaging.

Organic standards cover all aspects of organic food certification including production and packaging, animal welfare, wildlife conservation, and ban unnecessary and harmful food additives in organic processed foods.

In the UK, the Soil Association charity has been certifying since 1973 and is the largest UK organic certification body. The Soil Association standards exceed the EU organic regulations minimum requirements in many areas, but particularly in relation to animal welfare, GM and the use of pesticides.

In the US the Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates the country’s organic programme and ensures that any food or drink that carries an organic label has been “produced, processed, and certified to be consistent with national organic standards”.

Being labelled organic does not mean that every aspect of a company’s operation needs to be organic. The certification can cover specific products that are made and not the complete premises, so this can help certain brands to produce organic products, while still producing other “non-organic products”.

But which alcoholic drinks are organic? Click through the following pages to find our selection of organic alcoholic drinks.

St Peter’s Organic Best Bitter

UK charity the Soil Association has accredited the organically grown Chariot malted barley used to make the mash for this beer. St Peter’s adds organically grown Golding hops to the beer, which is also highly commended by the Soil Association. The Suffolk beer comes in 500ml bottles and is one of 12 regular beers from St Peter’s, who also produces a gluten-free beer.

Benromach Organic single malt whisky

This non-age statement whisky from the Benromach distillery was the first single malt Scotch whisky to be fully certified by the Soil Association. The whisky is made using Scottish organic barley, and the whole process including the use of raw ingredients, distillation, maturation and bottling is certified by the Soil Association. The whisky is matured in virgin American oak, which the producer says means that “this fresh, vibrant single malt whisky is smooth and creamy.” The official tasting notes for this whisky are: “Peppery and creamy with defined sweet fruit flavours, ripe bananas” without water and, “chili spice, with tropical fruit flavours. Creamy with a dark chocolate edge,” when water is added.

Yalumba organic range

Australian wine producer Yalumba produces a range of organic wines, that are distributed in the UK by Negociants UK. The organic range comprises a Chardonnay, Viognier and a Shiraz. The grapes for the wines come from a number of family-owned organic vineyards throughout South Australia and extra care is taken to make sure that the grapes avoid diseases, while maintaining strong flavours. As well as being approved as organic by the Soil Association in the UK and the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Australia, the wines are also suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

Garrison Brothers Texas Straight Bourbon

The Garrison Brothers Distillery is located in Hye, Texas and works with local organic farms to provide the grain for its Texas Straight Bourbon. In addition the barrels that the distillery uses are made with American white oak that is harvested from trees grown on tree farms. The distiller says on his website that because of “agricultural factors” its grain is different from year to year, which means that it changes aspects of its recipes, production and barrelling every year, so “each year is truly a vintage bourbon.”

Pure Green Organic Vodka

Environmental friendliness is a central focus throughout the process of creating Pure Green vodka – “from production to bottling.” Pure Green vodka is distilled from organically grown winter wheat in the Cognac region of south western France. After harvesting the winter wheat it is distilled in a column six times, “to create a clean and smooth distillate. The spirit is then blended by Pure Green’s Maître de Chai with fresh spring water that has gone through a careful filtration.

Tequila Alquimia

Tequila Alquimia is described as an “ultra premium, organic Tequila”. The USDA certified organic Tequila is made of 100% blue agave Tequilana Weber with all the certified organic agave being estate grown on the company’s family ranch in Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico. On its website the company says that its ” project is completely sustainable and eco-friendly. Our tequilas are bottled in specially designed bottles made of recycled glass by a family of glass blowers in Tonalá, Jalisco.” Alquimia produces a range of Tequila including blanco, reposado, añejo and extra añejo.

José Ardinat Champagne Brut

This organic Champagne comes from the Ardinat’s Vandières estate. Said to be “dry and refreshing with exquisite nutty aromas and a flavoursome punchy style” this Champagne is made from equal parts of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. As well as being organic, this 12% abv sparkler is also suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Brakspear Oxford Gold

This 4% draught beer is approved as organic by the UK’s Soil Association and uses fugues, goldings and styrian hops. The beer uses English malts and is described as a “superb beer for a barbecue.” Brakspear’s head brewer describes this beer as: “A remarkably zesty brew, with fresh, citrussy aromas and a firm, fruity flavour. Pale ale malts provide the beer with its gold-gilt shimmer, spruced by a hatful of crystal malts to give body, texture and a delicate honey’d wrap. The blend of hops delivers a shamelessly fresh perfume and fermentation by our Brakspear yeast gives Brakspear Oxford Gold a fabulous, fruity finish.”

Stellar Winery, So Organic Fairtrade wine

Stellar Winery is South Africa’s largest producer of “fine organic wines”, using organically-grown grapes for the SA and export markets. Situated in the Namaqualand hamlet of Trawal, Stellar Winery is privately owned, with the workers having a 26% shareholding in the cellar. As well as being organic Stellar Winery has achieved Fairtrade certification and on its website Stellar says: “Organic refers to a system of farming that maintains and replenishes the fertility of the soil. The grapes are grown without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or fertilisers. Only compost and organic materials are used, with indigenous vegetation for mulching.”

Bruichladdich The Organic

Having initially released a 2003 vintage organic whisky, Bruichladdich has now released the 2010 multi-vintage organic whisky. This release contains organic barley from the distillery’s “farmers and partners, Sir William Roberts of Mains of Tullibardine, William Rose at Mid Could and Neil Scobie at Coulmore.” The character of this whisky is described as: “An elegant, composed and stylishly vibrant spirit that showcases the absolute finesse, purity, definition and elegance of organically grown barley.” Its finish is described as: “Incredibly fresh giving an unforgettable palate experience that leaves the taste buds tingling and overwhelmed.”