Every month, The Groundbreakers puts an inspiring initiative, product or company in the spotlight. By sharing knowledge and inspiration, we want to stimulate sustainable developments and we hope to contribute to the greening of the business community. This time we would like to highlight the Court of Cartesius in Utrecht. The Groundbreakers team was given a tour of this circularly built workplace. Finally, we did a workshop at the second-hand hardware store Buurman Utrecht. Lowlander from; A sustainable beer brewery that makes the tastiest drinks with botanicals.


Beer with a sustainable touch

At Lowlander, we brew with botanicals, i.e. plants, herbs, spices and fruit. This Amsterdam-based brewery brews beers, each with a unique flavor profile, through the use of these botanicals, and they do so in the most sustainable way possible. In 2022, Lowlander became climate neutral by calculating and offsetting emissions through Trees For All. In addition, they minimize the use of materials to produce as little waste as possible, by recycling and by reusing food scraps. For example, leftover orange peels from bars and restaurants are used to brew beers. And in the winter months, they even, yes, use Christmas trees!


Needle in my beer?

Yes! Every year, about 2.5 million Christmas trees end up on the streets of the Netherlands. What a waste, right? Not only from those beautiful trees, but also from the potentially tasty needles. Spruce needles are full of citrus notes and have a warming scent. Lowlander therefore collects discarded Christmas trees and, together with spicy juniper berries, brews a delicious winter beer from them. A refreshing winter I.P.A that they say is perfect to get through the winter. We are fans!

DIY

You can also eat the needles of your own Christmas tree, because they are full of flavor and character. Did you know that spruce needles have been used in dishes in Scandinavia for decades? So cut a twig from your tree and quickly go into the kitchen to prepare the tastiest dishes yourself. Lowlander is happy to lend you a hand with their cookbook with more than 20 delicious recipes, including Christmas tree needles.

So are you looking for a tasty dish or a great Christmas gift for under the (edible) tree? Then take a quick look Read