Marketing & Communications Innovation & Technology

Budweiser Is Turning All Beer ‘Green’ on St. Patrick’s Day, Calling on Industry to Do the Same

On March 17, Budweiser will purchase renewable energy credits equivalent to the estimated electricity needed to brew every beer in the US in a single day.

Published 3 years ago | About a 3 minute read

Image: Jill Wellington/Pixabay

For St. Patrick’s Day this year, with many bars across the US still closed due to COVID restrictions — thereby severely curtailing the usual green-beer-fueled shenanigans around the holiday — Budweiser has decided to flip the long-honored tradition on its head. Instead of using green food dye to turn beer green, Budweiser is turning all of its beer “green” on March 17 by pledging enough Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to cover the estimated electricity used to brew beer in the US in one day* and build on its commitment to building a “greener” future.

Budweiser’s St. Patrick’s Day campaign creative will feature many beer brands, to represent the entire US beer industry. Celebrating the holiday this way emphasizes that all beer brewed in the US on this day will be “green,” as a result of Budweiser’s decision to pledge enough RECs to cover the estimated electricity used to brew every beer in the US for one day.

Even though many consumers still won’t be hitting the bar scene this St. Paddy’s Day, they can still celebrate with “green” beer — knowing that Budweiser has retired, or removed from circulation, enough RECs to cover the estimated electricity used to brew every beer in the US for that day.

“Budweiser is brewed with 100 percent renewable electricity from wind power, something we are very proud of, and inspired us to think differently about what the definition of green beer truly means and how to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in a new way this year,” said Monica Rustgi, VP of Marketing at Budweiser. “As one of the world’s biggest brands, we’re committed to reducing our environmental impact, and through this campaign, we invite others to join us in helping to change the beer industry to be a more sustainable one.”

Budweiser is calling on other brands to join it in committing to the RE100 initiative, to ensure all US beer brands brew their brews with 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030 — a goal Budweiser is calling the “Green Electricity Beer Bar.” This call to action sets a higher bar for the entire US beer industry on sustainability issues; and aims to move us closer toward a future where every beer in every bar in America will ultimately be brewed with renewable electricity — thus making all US bars ‘Green Electricity Beer Bars.’

In Budweiser’s 2019 Super Bowl ad, “Wind Never Felt Better,” the company announced that it was the first Anheuser-Busch brand to be brewed with 100 percent renewable electricity from wind power.

Bud parent company Anheuser Busch is committed to protecting vastly improving its entire supply chain. In addition to joining RE100, committing to securing 100 percent of its purchased electricity from renewable sources by 2025, the brewing giant has set ambitious 2025 sustainability goals focused on renewable electricity and carbon reduction, water stewardship, smart agriculture, and circular packaging.

*Based on electricity usage estimates from the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable.