“Beer Saves the World” Film Premiere and Director Q&A

Join us for the premiere of “Beer Saves the World,” a new short film from Perennial Films all about a revolutionary new grain called Kernza®, and the pioneers who developed it, farm it, and brew beer with it.

Not only does this grain make great beer—it’s also helping spark a global movement to fight the environmental crisis through agriculture. Kernza is a wheatlike perennial grain with a massive root system that penetrates up to 12 feet into the earth, at least twice the depth of conventional wheat. These remarkable roots build soil health and volume; they also draw down and store more carbon than annual grains typically used in beer. Also, because it’s a perennial, Kernza stays rooted in place for several years, minimizing machine tilling and replanting—which means less fossil-fuel–intensive equipment.

This short film introduces the partnership between Patagonia Provisions and Bend, OR-based Deschutes Brewery as they gear up to release the most widely available Kernza beer yet: Kernza® Lager and Non-Alcoholic Kernza® Golden Brew. It also features interviews with brewers across the US coming together to change the industry for the better by brewing innovative beers with Kernza and other organic ingredients.

Following the film, we’ll host a Q&A with producers Michael Johnson & Kelly Salloway, plus Patagonia Provisions’ General Manager Paul Lightfoot, & Deschutes CEO Peter Skrbek.

And yes, there will be beer.