Most of our spent brewing materials find a beneficial secondary use in our local agricultural community. Many local dairy cows also enjoy our brews (although without the alcohol). In conjunction with the Agricultural Department at California State University, Chico, Sierra Nevada provides feed for dairy and beef cows through the spent grain, hops, and yeast it has collected. Spent trub produced from the wort boiling process is almost pure protein, and is added to the spent grain.

The surplus spent yeast from fermentation is used as a nutritional supplement for cows, and the compost from the cow manure is used as fertilizer for Sierra Nevada’s onsite 3-acre experimental hop field.