Big Grove beer release to benefit Iowa water quality

Big Grove Brewery and GreenState Credit Union have partnered, for the second year in a row, to release a beer with proceeds going to benefit an Iowa environmental group.

A Greener State of Mind, described as “a refreshing citrus-forward pale ale,” is for sale now at Big Grove locations and at area grocery stores, including Hy-Vee and Fareway.

Proceeds from the brew this year will benefit Wings2Water, a nonprofit started by The Eastern Iowa Airport, focused on reducing water pollution and agricultural runoff.

Last year, the first time GreenState and Big Grove teamed up to brew and release A Greener State of Mind, the Iowa Environmental Council received $25,000 from proceeds.

“We had a great response last year with this beer partnership and now we encourage the community to learn more about the incredible vision Wings2Water has for the state and entire country,” Tara Wachendorf, GreenState vice president and public relations director, said in a prepared statement.

GreenState has a goal of investing $5 million in conservation efforts over the next 10 years. The financial institution approached Big Grove about a collaboration in 2021.

“One of our main giving tenets is ‘trees, trails and water,’ ” Mikala Demet, community and philanthropy coordinator at Big Grove said in a YouTube video about the GreenState collaboration. “Water quality is super important to Big Grove, especially as it comes to brewing good beer for all of our fans.”

The Eastern Iowa Airport Director Marty Lenss started Wings2Water in 2019.

At the time, he pointed to a map of the Mississippi River watershed, spreading across much of the United States. It's in these waters — and in the Gulf of Mexico — that nitrate and phosphorus coming from Midwestern agriculture and industry are causing pollution that hurts wildlife and causes cities to spend big bucks in water treatment.

The airport commission started requiring farmers who lease land from the airport to switch to no-till planting and grow offseason cover crops — practices shown to reduce erosion and fertilizer runoff.

But Lenss also wanted to raise money to pay for lake and wetland restoration. The group announced in October 2019 they had raised $131,000 toward a $250,000 goal. Then the pandemic hit, which hurt fundraising for Wings2Water, along with other nonprofits.

Lenss thanked GreenState and Big Grove for supporting efforts to improve water quality.

“All the money raised from the Greener State of Mind beer sales will go to water quality restoration projects in the state," he said in a prepared statement. "We can't help but remind beer lovers that cleaner water ultimately means better-tasting beer.”

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