Barr Hill’s Bee’s Knees Week Breaks Major Milestone, Surpassing 1 Million Square Feet of Pollinator Habitat

Largest Sustainability Effort in the Spirits Industry Sees Biggest Participation Ever

MONTPELIER, VT – Barr Hill Gin has concluded its 8th annual Bee's Knees Week (Sept. 20-29, 2024) with resounding success. In just eight years, the campaign has grown to be the spirits industry’s largest sustainability focused campaign. This year's campaign achieved 320,000 square feet of new pollinator habitat pledged - the largest amount ever pledged in a single year. With this achievement, Barr Hill surpassed its goal of pledging and planting a total of 1 million square feet of pollinator habitat since the campaign’s inception in 2017, marking a monumental milestone in their ongoing pollinator conservation efforts. 

"We host this annual event in the hopes of not only celebrating an iconic cocktail and creating pollinator habitat, but also to support a shift in how we think about bees, butterflies, birds, and all pollinators that sustain our ecosystem and contribute to our food supply,” said Ryan Christiansen, President and Head Distiller at Caledonia Spirits, the maker of Barr Hill Gin. 

“When I think back to the inception of the event, it's hard to believe the program has come this far. The momentum is surreal. Bee’s Knees Week began as a neighborhood conversation about protecting bees and pollinators, these conversations are now happening in neighborhoods around the country. We're grateful for every participant, and so excited about the future of this powerful event.” 

Participation in Bee's Knees Week was simple (and fun!) for Barr Hill fans. The company launched a social media campaign inviting the public to support the cause by posting pictures of their own Bee's Knees cocktails on social media, tagging Barr Hill, and using the hashtag #beeskneesweek. For every cocktail shared, Barr Hill pledged to plant 10 square feet of new pollinator habitat. Additional habitat was pledged through purchases of Barr Hill products throughout the week—every bottle purchased was equivalent to 20 square feet pledged.

The campaign extended beyond social media, with Barr Hill partnering with bars and restaurants across the country to launch the initiative at their establishments. The Barr Hill team also hosted a variety of events at their James Beard Award-nominated bar at their Montpelier, VT distillery throughout Bee's Knees Week, with themed festivities, including a honey dinner, cocktail class, and educational programs such as an interactive presentation on bees by an expert ecologist.

As a 1% for the Planet partner, Barr Hill will provide funds to 1% for the Planet-approved partners on outcomes that benefit pollinators and communities.

"Together, these small acts can begin to make big impacts," Christiansen noted. "Thank you for another incredible year and helping make #beeskneesweek the largest sustainability initiative in the spirits industry!"

Barr Hill regularly invites the public to its distillery for tastings, tours, and educational programs to learn more about the importance of pollinators and environmental stewardship: it’s always Bee’s Knees Week on Gin Lane. For more information about upcoming events and programs at the distillery at Barr Hill's website.

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ABOUT BARR HILL

Barr Hill is an award-winning, super-premium spirits brand made by the Montpelier, Vermont-based distillery, Caledonia Spirits. Barr Hill started in 2011 when Ryan Christiansen—now President and Head Distiller l—met beekeeper Todd Hardie who was using raw honey in his small production winery. A decade later and now the team has grown and moved into a state of the art, sustainably built distillery and bar spread across five acres, producing America’s most awarded gin—all centered around regional raw honey and helping pollinators. Barr Hill currently produces three spirits – Barr Hill Gin, Barr Hill Reserve Tom Cat Gin, and Barr Hill Vodka.