Waverly-based Paha Cider Co. earns Platinum certification after installing a solar array projected to cover 50% of facility energy usage.

WAVERLY, Iowa - Paha Cider Co. in Waverly has achieved platinum-level certification from the Iowa Green Brewery Certification (IGBC) program. The IGBC is a program within the Iowa Waste Reduction Center’s Food Beverage & Organics pillar of service located at the University of Northern Iowa that awards breweries and cideries for their environmental and sustainable practices.

Sustainability Achievements:

Paha Cider Co. has demonstrated a robust commitment to sustainable operations throughout their cidery to join an elite group of just six platinum-certified breweries across the State of Iowa and the only cidery. Paha Cider Co. was bumped from gold level to platinum as a result of the following sustainability initiatives:

• Installation of a solar array expected to cover half of the cidery’s energy usage at its production facility.
• Use of locally grown ingredients in cider production
• Implementation of a native pollinator garden that requires less water, no mowing, and promotes biodiversity of native pollinator species.

“From the get-go, Paha Cider has continued to reduce their reliance on natural resources with constant improvements since they were first certified in 2023. Not only is their cider made with locally grown ingredients, making cider as sustainable as possible is an ideology that continues to grow with their production,” said Jenny Trent, Program Manager at the Iowa Waste Reduction Center. “I’m always impressed with Paha Cider’s forward-thinking approach that includes nearly 60 different strategies and practices that make them a rockstar of sustainable cider production!”

Upcoming Certification Ceremony and Open House

Paha Cider will receive its certification and host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new solar array on Sunday, September 13, during the cidery’s open house event.

Event details:

• Date: Sunday, September 13
• Time: Open house from noon to 6:00 p.m.
• Certification presentation and ribbon cutting: 1:00 p.m.
• Activities: Cider and beer on tap, food truck, and live music from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• More information: www.pahacider.com 

Paha Cider Co. is the first certified cidery of the IGBC program and joins the ranks as the seventh platinum-certified with Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City and Des Moines, SingleSpeed Brewing in Waterloo, Exile Brewing in Des Moines, NoCoast Beer Co. in Oskaloosa, and Textile Brewing in Dyersville.

To learn more about this certified brewery and the IGBC, please visit https://iwrc.uni.edu/green-brewery.

Media Contact

Joe Bolick, Director of the Iowa Waste Reduction Center, for more information at 319-273-6577 or mjbolick@uni.edu.

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About the IWRC. The IWRC has been providing environmental services, including technical assistance and industry training, as well as research and development, for over 35 years. The IWRC is part of the University of Northern Iowa's Business and Community Services, which builds a better Iowa through hands‐on technical assistance for economic and business development, entrepreneurship, environmental improvement, and enhanced sustainability. For more information, visit iwrc.uni.edu.