• Courtesy
• Reusable aluminum cup

Snow Farm Vineyard in South Hero is well known for its free summer concert series. Every Thursday, hundreds of people descend on the picturesque winery for live music, dancing, food and drinks.

This year's events feature something new. Burlington's Zero Gravity Craft Brewery is selling its beers in reusable aluminum cups in an attempt to cut down on waste.

"We're really ... committed to moving away from single-use plastics," vineyard owner David Lane said.

Zero Gravity has been the official beer provider at the concerts for about 10 years. Over the course of a summer, the brewery would go through more than 10,000 plastic cups, according to Laina Grant, the company's director of New England sales.

By switching to aluminum, the brewery estimates it will need just 1,200 cups for the entire summer. Those vessels cost 67 cents each, compared to 10 cents for plastic, but, in the end, "we're actually paying way less," Grant said. The brewery will collect, clean and sanitize them for reuse.

Zero Gravity has tried other ways to serve beer sustainably. Two years ago, the company used compostable cups. But the facility that accepted them no longer does. And the compostable cups could potentially melt in the heat, according to Grant, which was problematic for a summertime concert series.

The aluminum cups have already made their debut and earned praise from customers.

"We actually got a number of positive comments at the first concert," Lane said.

Wine will still be served in recyclable plastic cups, but some customers bring their own glasses, according to Lane. Aluminum alters the taste of wine, so the vineyard is considering investing in reusable stainless steel cups, he said.

Snow Farm and Zero Gravity have other environmental initiatives in the works. The winery is planning to install solar panels later this summer that will produce 115 percent of its current electric needs. Zero Gravity, meanwhile, contributes to an anaerobic digester that produces electricity from wastewater and organic solids. The company also gives a portion of taproom sales of Green State Lager to environmental groups.

The company "has always been about sustainability," Grant said. "We're constantly looking for opportunities to improve the environment."