Straub Brewery's 16-Ounce Returnable 'Pounder' Bottle Wins Leadership In Reusable Packaging Award

The Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC) honored Straub Brewery with the 2016 "Leadership in Reusable Packaging" Award for its 16-ounce returnable beer bottle at the Environmental Leadership Awards.

"PRC's mission is to lead and promote individual and collective actions to preserve Pennsylvania's environmental resources for each generation," PRC executive director Bob Jondreau said in a press release. "Our 2016 awardees have advanced PRC's mission through their leadership, innovation, and creative programs."

Straub Brewery is the one of the last breweries in the U.S. to produce its beer in 16-ounce returnable bottles, also known as "Pounders." The St. Mary's brewery uses a bottle-washing machine to clean its bottles and prepare them to be refilled. The brewery also uses reusable cardboard cases to reduce the amount of new packaging materials used.

"We are grateful for this accolade — which recognizes Straub's 145 years of commitment to artisanal brewing traditions and stewardship, and the vital role these attributes still play despite today's trendy and crowded craft beer markets," William Brock , Straub president and CEO, said in a press release. "But we also see it in a much broader light as well: as motivation for not only our own pathway into the future, but as a blueprint for other breweries and industries to embrace in their own ways."