Our Impact
WE STRIVE TO LIVE BY OUR TAGLINE
Our core principles guide our work and our community involvement. We care, a lot. In fact, we like to say we Give A S#!T.
Sustainability
How We Brew
We recapture water throughout the brewing process for wort cooling and cleaning.
We use less than 5 gallons of water/gallon of beer produced (the national craft brewery mean is 9.1)
We propagate our own yeast, eliminating hundreds of pounds of plastic packaging and shipping fuel annually.
Spent grains go to the UF Beef Teaching Unit and local small-scale farmers, not a landfill.
We use 5.5 lbs of CO2/barrel of beer produced (the national craft brewery mean is 10.6)
where we brew
We repurposed an old steel door manufacturing plant as our brewery home.
From creating an energy-efficient taproom, lab, and canning room to upgrading our warehouse lighting to LED, energy conservation means less carbon impact as well as cost savings.
Our grounds abound with pollinator-friendly planters that only require hand watering; no large scale irrigation is used.
what we put into it
We source local and regional ingredients seasonally, including honey from Belleview, FL (used year-round in Honey Bee, our meads, and other special releases.)
Our grain silo eliminates approximately 3,500 plastic grain bags annually.
We’ve dialed in our canning line operation to near zero waste. (less than 0.3% beer loss per run)
Over 99% of our retail beer is packaged in infinitely recyclable aluminum cans. All excess aluminum and cardboard get recycled.
We package wholesale pallets using biodegradable stretch wrap.
Our draft beer is packaged in infinitely reusable stainless steel kegs. Most still in use since we opened in 2014.
Community Partners
Since 2014, we've raised $500K+ for local organizations, from conservation to community.
Through the FM Good Things Initiative, we formalize what we've always believed: give a s#!t about the place you call home.
Below are some of our core community partners.
the humane society of north central florida
The annual Cover Pet contest is a huge winner- raising over $20,000 annually for programs that assist pet parents with food, medical needs, and education to keep pets out of the shelter and happy in their home.
pints & predators
Eagles, owls, bats, and snakes, oh my! Since 2016 First Magnitude has partnered with Sunrise Wildlife Rehabilitation and local animal rescue and education organizations to put on the wildest event of the year. Guests get up close with wildlife while raising money for local wildlife rehabilitation groups. It’s a flappin, slithering good time!
florida springs council
Our annual Swamp Boogie rocks the summer with live music, artists, and fun activities like Rollin’ Out for the Springs- a ride around Depot Park on whatever wheels you’ve got! Funds raised go to support FSC’s springs protection legislative work.
90.1 WMBT The Wombat
We LOVE local live music. We LOVE community radio. Put it together with a party and you get the Wombash- an annual celebration of 90.1 WMBT and the good vibes they bring to the Gainesville area. Funds raised support their operations and help keep them on the air!
Who We Show Up For:
FLorida SPRINGS INSTITUTE
The annual Springs Run 7.2K funds FSI’s Springs Watch program, a citizen science program that monitors springs health. The Springs Run has become one of the largest races in North Central Florida with over 800 runners doing their part for the springs!
pride community center of north central florida
Our most fierce and fabulous partnership brings together queens, artists, musicians, and the LGBTQ community and allies during our annual Pride Festivals, Drag Bingo, and Drag Brunch. Funds raised go to the Pride Center’s ……. Y’all mean ALL!
FLorida museum of natural history
Our butterfly beer partnership is just the coolest thing on wings. First Magnitude has produced over 15 beers for the Museum, each one highlighting a native imperiled butterfly species that the FL Museum studies to aid in critical conservation efforts. We even made a beer using yeast swabbed from butterfly wings!
putnam land conservancy
The annual Mardi Gras-themed Rally for Land Conservation brings together conservation organizations to educate, raise awareness, and celebrate our successes in conserving critical wild places and habitat. Laissez les bons temps rouler!