News

Sierra Nevada buys local for Taproom

By Bill Moss, Published: March 31, 2017

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is reporting a big success in its goal to locally source products served in its Taproom at the Mills River brewery.

The Chico, Calif.-based brewer surpassed its goal of sourcing at least 55 percent of total purchases locally in 2016, hitting 62 percent of all goods sourced from the surrounding region in some months. The wholesale purchases translated to nearly $1 million in food products spent locally this past year, the company said.

The Mills River Taproom and Restaurant maintains Sierra Nevada’s “quality first” emphasis, pairing beers with artful, chef-driven food in farm-to-table, small plate, sharable, whole animal dishes sourced mainly from local, conscientious suppliers. Lamb, beef, pork and poultry all come from local farms, and even tempeh— a popular vegan-friendly protein served in the Tap Room —is sourced from the region.

“We source locally because it’s the right thing to do,” says Executive Chef Jessie Massie. “It’s right for the environment, our community, the company and our values. I have a great passion for seeing local farmers not only survive, but prosper in such a hard business. I believe our food should be made from the finest and freshest ingredients, just like our award-winning beer.”

With a dinner crowd that can reach 2,000 plates on a Saturday night alone, sourcing enough local food takes planning and coordination. Taproom chefs work with local farmers and onsite gardener Kate Renner to plan crops, proteins, dairy and other products by forecasting capacity to meet demand, while always seeking new local suppliers. By tracking the amount of local food used every month, the Taproom can work with area farmers to schedule season extension programs to produce crops that are in demand in a typical off-season. The planning provides the restaurant with more local food to feature on the menu and provides farmers a market for their crops in a traditionally slow time.