True North Ale Company and Greenbelt launch local conservation pilsner

True North Ale Company and Greenbelt turned a limited-edition pilsner into something more than a summer taproom special. Greenbelt Pilsner debuted at True North in Ipswich on June 5, brewed as a crisp German-style pilsner with locally harvested wildflower honey, and a portion of sales from the beer’s run will support Greenbelt’s conservation mission.

The beer’s local identity starts with the honey. Greenbelt says the batch used wildflower honey from regional hives, including Greenbelt’s Cox Reservation in Essex and properties in Boxford and Topsfield, a detail that gives the release a direct tie to the landscapes the nonprofit protects. Cox Reservation adds even more local weight to the story: the property was settled by 1648, donated to Greenbelt by muralist Allyn Cox in 1974, and now houses Greenbelt’s headquarters.

That grounding in place is what separates the project from a simple branded collaboration. Greenbelt’s NextGen Committee, which is meant to engage younger generations in land stewardship, helped brainstorm the beer and pushed for a release that could reflect the region’s natural character. Greenbelt describes the project as a way to bring people together around land conservation, the outdoors and community, and the beer was developed with that purpose built in from the start.

True North head brewer Seth Barnum created the recipe specifically to use the honey and to make a beer that would fit summer events. True North founder Gary Rogers said the collaboration fit naturally because the brewery and the land trust already shared a commitment to environmental protection and community strength. Greenbelt President Chris LaPointe has emphasized the nonprofit’s focus on local agriculture, local landscapes and public access to natural places, which is exactly where the beer’s proceeds are headed.

Greenbelt’s broader footprint makes the release feel rooted in something larger than one taproom event. The organization says it protects farmland, wildlife habitat and scenic landscapes throughout Essex County, Massachusetts, works in 34 cities and towns, and has protected nearly 18,000 acres in almost sixty years. The launch itself was free to attend, with beers and glassware sold separately, and ran from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at True North Ale Company, 116 County Road in Ipswich.

For drinkers, Greenbelt Pilsner delivered a seasonal lager with a clean local hook. For Greenbelt, it turned a beer release into a small but practical model for how a brewery can help fund land conservation while keeping the story tied to the place in the glass.