Craft Beer in the Revolution. Black is Beautiful.
Videos of George Floyd’s horrific murder at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer sparked calls for police reform and support for black lives across the world. Many businesses offered their support through large donations and statements of solidarity, including the craft beer industry. Craft beer has created a community that has used its platform to support many movements in environmentalism and community activism. At this moment where the nation is coming together to protect black lives, the movement in craft beer is being spearheaded by Marcus Baskerville of Weathered Souls Brewery, an independent brewery in San Antonio, TX and the Black is Beautiful Campaign.
Earlier in 2020, Craft Beer came together with the All Together Campaign, which offered support to folks in the hospitality industry during this time of COVID-19. Likewise, Black is Beautiful is a collaborative effort that invites breweries to produce the recipe and donate all proceeds to local funds that are committed to criminal justice reform and the defense of black lives. The recipe is published on the Black is Beautiful website, and logos and marketing materials are readily available as well.
Black is Beautiful is a far-reaching collaboration. As of July 1, 2020, breweries in all 50 states and 17 countries have committed to producing Black is Beautiful. 30 of those breweries are in my home state of Oregon. Homebrewers can join in on the movement, as the recipe was also published for a 5-gallon system here and my take is here. If you do opt to homebrew it, please also consider donating your time and money to appropriate causes and organizations.
Breweries coming together to support the Black is Beautiful cause is significant, since craft beer is a white-dominated industry. The lack of diversity in craft beer reflects economic barriers against BIPOC in our country, employment discrimination, disinterest in brewing craft beer for hotter climates and regions with higher black populations, hangovers from Prohibition, leading to a long and unfortunate history of racism in craft beer and brewing.
The widespread reception of Black is Beautiful may be a sign that craft beer, like the rest of white society, is slowly opening up to anti-racism, as long as we all remain committed to doing the work of anti-racism for many years to come.
The beer will be an imperial stout, clocking in at 10% ABV. The recipe calls for flaked oats and all shades of dark malts. The result should have a creamy mouthfeel, substantial roasted coffee and chocolate notes, and a nice boozy kick typical of a high alcohol beer. I am looking forward to trying a few versions of the recipe, knowing that all proceeds will be supporting racial justice and continued work toward equality.
Jenna wants to call out that 32 breweries in Oregon are participating:
10 BARREL BREWING
Portland/Bend, OR, USA
2 TOWN’S CIDERHOUSE
Corvallis, OR, USA
BDSM BREWING COMPANY LLC
Hillsboro, OR, USA
BINARY BREWING
Portland, OR, USA
BLOCK 15 BREWING CO.
EUGENE, OR, USA
BONEYARD BEER
BREAKSIDE BREWERY
Portland, OR, USA
BUOY BEER COMPANY
Astoria, OR, USA
CASCADE BREWING
Portland, OR, USA
CLAIM 52 BREWING
Eugene, OR, USA
CRUX FERMENTATION PROJECT
Bend, OR, USA
ECLIPTIC BREWING
Portland, OR, USA
FERMENT BREWING COMPANY
Hood River, OR, USA
FORT GEORGE BREWERY
Astoria, OR, USA
GIGANTIC BREWING
Portland, OR, USA
GREAT NOTION BREWING
Portland, OR, USA
HOP VALLEY BREWING
Eugene, OR, USA
LEIKAM BREWING
Portland, OR, USA
LEVEL BEER
Portland, OR, USA
LITTLE BEAST BREWING
Clackamas, OR, USA
MIGRATION BREWING
Portland, OR, USA
MOONSHRIMP BREWING
Portland, OR, USA
PELICAN BREWING COMPANY
Pacific City, OR, USA
ROGUE ALES & SPIRITS
Newport, OR, USA
SASQUATCH BREWING CO.
Portland, OR, USA
SKY HIGH BREWING
Corvallis, OR, USA
STORMBREAKER BREWING
Portland, OR, USA
THE ALE APOTHECARY
Bend, OR, USA
THREE MUGS BREWING CO.
Hillsboro, OR, USA
UNICORN BREWING
Portland, OR, USA
VON EBERT BREWING
Portland, OR, USA
WORTHY BREWING
Bend, OR, USA
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