Beautiful beer initiative
Connecticut brewers join international ‘Black is Beautiful’ beer collaboration to combat racial injustice, support inclusion
As one of the nation’s handful of Black female brewery owners, Alisa BowensMercado, owner of Rhythm Brewing in New Haven, jumps at the chance to be part of the global “Black is Beautiful” beer initiative, bringing awareness to racial injustices and raising funds for organizations supporting equality and inclusion.
As one of just a handful of Black female brewery owners in the country, Alisa Bowens-Mercado, owner of Rhythm Brewing in New Haven, says changes are needed in the industry. So she jumped at the chance to be part of the global “Black is Beautiful” beer initiative, launched by a Black brewer in Texas. The initiative brings awareness to racial injustices and raises funds for organizations that support equality and inclusion.
“This is something as a Black brewer, especially in New England, you want these platforms. As Black brewers, we make good beer and we have to deal with things in the industry that other people don’t have to deal with,” she said. “I want to make changes in this industry, so that’s why I love the initiative even more.”
More than 1,000 breweries in all 50 states and 21 countries have signed up to produce “Black is Beautiful” beer in collaboration with Weathered Souls, which began the initiative. The San
Antonio brewery provided its base stout recipe, and asked partners to put their “own spin and love into this.” They’ve also asked participating breweries to donate 100% of proceeds to local foundations that support police brutality reform and legal defenses, as well as others that promote racial equality.
Bow ens-Mercado, who launched Connecticut’s first Black-owned brewery in 2018, teamed up with Phil Markowski of Stratford’s Two Roads
Brewing, who she calls her “beer mentor,” to make an imperial oatmeal stout for the initiative. The collaboration “opened up the doors to conversation,” she said, about eradicating systemic racism from society, including in the brewing world.
Bowens-Mercado said she was happy to see more than a dozen Connecticut breweries take part in the initiative. Her collaboration with Two Roads sold out in its first 48 hours of availability last month, she said, and Rhythm donated proceeds to the Boys and Girls Club in New Haven.
“The industry here has been very, very, very supportive,” she said. “I’m happy to have my Connecticut beer family behind me.”
At Labyrinth Brewing in Manchester, co-owner Adam Delaura said he and his two partners, Sean Gaura and Chris Walnum, immediately decided to be a part of the initiative. Philanthropy is a large part of their business model, but because of COVID-19, their usual fundraisers in the taproom have been canceled. “This is a way to still have that community-focused commitment, but to do it in a different fashion.”
Labyrinth’s imperial stout will be available in 16-ounce cans Aug. 27, as well as glasses with the Black is Beautiful logo. Sales from both will be donated to the Connecticut Bail Fund in New Haven and Power Up Manchester, a group whose mission is “to give a voice to the unheard, educate our community on social issues, represent the underrepresented, and create meaningful change for the oppressed at every possible level.”
At Hog River in Hartford’s Parkville neighborhood, a BIB dessert stout with coconut and cocoa nibs is slated for release on Sept. 18, said co-owner Joy Braddock. Braddock and her husband, Ben, worked with the Craft
Crew, a trio of Black beer enthusiasts whose mission is to diversify the craft beer audience.
Jamel Hargraves Jr., James Wiggins III and Antron Ellis met with the Braddocks and helped them choose their donation partner, the Urban League of Greater Hartford, an organization with a mission to “reduce economic disparities in our communities through programs, services, and educational opportunities.” The Craft Crew also participated in the stout’s brewing.
“I thought the BIB initiative was a great way to bring awareness to the injustices that people of color endure on a daily basis,” said Wiggins in an email.
While Weathered Souls has asked breweries to use its provided label, Hog River will also incorporate space for a design by Nathan Sturdivant, a Black local abstract artist who has created other art for its canned brews.
Braddock acknowledged that it’s a difficult time to give a large donation due to COVID-related sales losses. But they chose to join the collaboration because “[we] feel so strongly about the movement behind it and what we’re fighting for,” she said.
In New London, Tox Brewing is creating a s’mores stout with chocolate, marshmallow and graham crackers, said co-owner and head brewer Mike Zaccaro. Tox also plans to raise additional funds by selling or auctioning off a skateboard deck custom-painted with a Black Lives Matter themed mural, created by a local artist. The brewery plans to donate proceeds to Hearing Youth Voices, a youth-led social justice organization working to create systemic change in New London’s school system.
“One of the joys and luxuries of going to work for yourself, starting a small business, is that you can do things like this at your will,” he said. “Being able to give back to causes, whether big or hyperlocal ... we talked about reinvigorating the city of New London, the area we grew up in, so any opportunity we have to do that is really special to us.”
Kent Falls in Connecticut’s western corner is donating proceeds to the Know Your Rights Camp founded by Colin Kaepernick, with a mission to “advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders.” Donations will also go to the Northeast Farmers of Color, a regional land trust for BIPOC farmers.
The farm brewery ’s imperial stout, with local malts, will be released in mid-September. Brewery owner Barry Labendz said he’s happy to be a part of the initiative, but wants to continue to make genuine efforts to make craft beer more inclusive and help fight systemic racism.
“The problems run so deep and it’s hard to fix but you do what you can — supporting those that are leading the charge is crucial,” he said. “The reality is, brewing the beer and donating the profits isn’t the solution. It calls attention to it and awareness, and there’s the everyday activity and support and not only being inclusive, but working for inclusivity. It can’t be a passive thing.”
Fourteen Connecticut breweries have signed on to produce a Black is Beautiful beer, including Armada Brewing in East Haven, Front Porch Brewing in Wallingford, Half Full and Lock City in Stamford, Hoax Brewing and Rhythm Brewing in New Haven, Hog River Brewing in Hartford, Kent Falls Brewing in Kent, Labyrinth Brewing in Manchester, Little House Brewing in Chester, Luppoleto Brewing in Windsor Locks, New England Brewing in Woodbridge, Still Hill Brewery in Rocky Hill and Tox Brewing in New London.