Jon Cadoux, owner of Peak Organic Brewing Co., pours a pale ale

But, Jon Cadoux is of a different mind than I. He supports organic growers, and when he decided to open up his own brewery, he had a vision of brewing beer with nothing but organic ingredients.

He wanted the brew to stand out, but he also wanted to use ingredients that supported small, family farms and were environmentally sound.

Born from that was Cadoux’s Peak Organic Brewing Co., a Burlington-based company. The company’s beers debuted in January and began selling in Massachusetts about two months ago.

"I wanted to make an organic beer because that’s what I believe in," said the 29-year-old Baltimore native. "But, it wouldn’t matter if the beer wasn’t any good."

Cadoux did not have to worry — the beer was good. His pale ale, the first release, is a solid American pale ale, very malty with a nice fruity taste.

But, it was the nut brown ale that caught my attention. It was fabulous.

It was more bitter than the typical nut brown ale, but it finishes with a nice nutty taste.

Cadoux also recently debuted an amber ale, which I did not sample. He describes it as "lively with a subtle roasted character."

Despite its bitterness, the nut brown ale was still a smooth beer to drink. After having a sample of the beer with Cadoux, I went out and picked up a six pack of my own, because it is one of the best nut browns I’ve ever had.

Cadoux has been home brewing beers for years, and also has an MBA in business from Harvard. He decided he wanted to find a way to combine his expertise in a career and that’s where Peak came from.

The company is still small — it brews about 200 barrels a month, and contracts its brewing with the Shipyard Brewing Company in Maine.

Cadoux admits it’s a hard job. Prior to our interview, he had been on a road trip, visiting liquor stores and restaurants to try to get them to carry his beer. At the same time, his father had flown in from Arizona for a visit.

"Business has been good, I can’t complain," said Cadoux. "I’m enjoying it."

The organic beer market has increased significantly in the past few years. Sales are up from $9 million in 2003 to $19 million in 2005.

That profit caught the attention of beer giant Anheuser-Busch, which launched two new organic brews in test markets earlier this year.

Under USDA regulations, at least 95 percent of a beer’s ingredients must be grown organically, without the use of chemicals and pesticides, for it to be certified as organic.

Because organic ingredients are still hard to find, making the beer is not as easy as it would be if he was not dedicated to the organic style, Cadoux said.

"Sure, it’s probably a little more expensive, but I don’t think it’s cost prohibitive," said Cadoux.

Six packs are available in prices ranging from $5.99 to $8.99, depending where you buy them, Cadoux said.

Peak Organic is available locally at several locations, including Warehouse Wine & Spirits in Framingham, Sherborn Wine and Spirits, Gordon’s Liquors in Waltham, Keystone Liquors in Medway, Millis Package Corp. and the Village Mall Liquors in Franklin.

The beers, at least the pale ale and the nut brown ale, are definitely worth a try. They’re both different than the normal examples of the styles, and Cadoux credits that to the organic ingredients.

"Peak Organic beer is delicious because it’s organic," he said. "Using barley and hops that are grown without toxic and persistent pesticides and chemical fertilizers makes our beer tastier and more enjoyable, both for consumers and for the planet."

Norman Miller