National Black Brewers Association

Kevin Asato, Executive Director of the National Black Brewers Association recently sat down with Beer Brewing / Brewing Industry Guide and shared the vision and mission driving the NB2A and the new 2024 "State of The Black Brewers" Report. https://lnkd.in/gp6xR45X

PORTLAND Maine Here we Come! Join Us this weekend for the “One Pint At a Time Film Premier & Symposium” hosted by Orange Bike Brewing (OBB) Fri, July 19th & Sat, July 20th, 2024 - In partnership with The Third Place, Black Travel Maine, and Toad&Co., proceeds from the event will benefit the efforts of the National Black Brewers Association to expand Black brewery ownership in the state of Maine!  - Despite Maine hosting 165 breweries, none are Black or Brown-owned. Nationally, less than 1% of the 10,000 breweries are Black-owned. The NB2A aims to address these disparities and promote a more inclusive craft beer industry. Tom Ruff, founder of OBB, states, “These statistics are alarming, yet unsurprising. With Maine having the second-most breweries per capita, there is a unique opportunity to set an example for other states. This event is just the beginning.” - EVENT SCHEDULE: **Friday, July 19, 4-6 PM: Mixer with NB2A Members and One Pint at a Time Creators Take part in a fun mixer with members of the NB2A Board of Directors and creators of One Pint at a Time **Friday, July 19, 6-8 PM: “Bottle Share” Event Bring and share your favorite beers or beverages (including non-alcoholic options) and connect with members of the NB2A Board of Directors and creators of One Pint at a Time. This evening is all about good vibes and great brews. Support and celebrate increasing inclusion in Maine’s craft beer community! This event is 21 and over. **Saturday, July 20, 3 PM: Maine Premiere of One Pint at a Time One Pint at a Time is the first documentary in history to dive into the Black experience in American craft beer. This captivating film sparked the creation of the NB2A, and this is an opportunity to see why! Stick around after the screening for a lively Q&A session with the filmmaker and NB2A Board of Directors members Kevin Asato, Ale Sharpton, Alisa Bowens-Micardo, Aaron Hose & Brigiette Hose Location: Orange Bike Brewing Company, 31 Diamond Street, Suite D, Portland, ME 04101 - Click the link below to get tickets! See you in Portland! https://lnkd.in/gZkGQaSr

The 2024 “State of the Black Brewers” Report is finally here! - We are excited to share the National Black Brewers Association first Annual “State of the Black Brewers” Report with the craft beer community. - The "State of The Black Brewers" Report offers a comprehensive data analysis of the current health and trajectory of Black-owned breweries within the craft beer industry. This pivotal document dives into the unique challenges these breweries face, chronicles the notable successes and milestones achieved by the National Black Brewers Association, and provides in-depth insights and actionable recommendations to foster growth and sustainability. It serves as an essential resource for understanding the landscape, advocating for equity, and driving meaningful progress within the craft beer community. - Click the link below to review and download the report. We encourage you to share and discuss this vital information about Black-owned breweries to better understand how you can support this community. - #NB2A #Stateofftheblackbrewers https://lnkd.in/gVSScirE

On June 11-12, the NB2A participated in its first “Hill Climb” in Washington D.C., hosted by the Brewers Association. Our Executive Director, Kevin Asato was joined by NB2A Board of Directors participants, John Renthrop, Drink Cajun Fire and Dr. J Jackson-Beckham, Crafted For All - The annual “Hill Climb” is an opportunity for BA members to build relationships with members of Congress and advocate on behalf of the breweries that make up the craft brewing industry. - Per our mission to advocate for effective policies for Black brewers, we met with Rep. Steven Horsford of Nevada, co-author of the CHEERS Act which is one of the beer industry’s priorities. Rep. Horsford @rephorsford also submitted the National Black Brewers Day Resolution for Federal recognition with co-sponsor Nikema Williams (Rep. GA), in conjunction with the CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS (CBC). We also sat down with NB2A Business Council Member and the National Beverage Wholesalers Association’s Craig Purser (President & CEO) and David Christman (VP Gov Affairs). Lastly, the NB2A was invited by the CBC to participate in Rep. Horsford’s Black Wealth efforts in Las Vegas and other cities to be identified later. - Small and independent Black breweries need a strong and unified voice in Washington, D.C., and we proudly take on that responsibility with honor! - #NB2A #hillclimb #BrewersAssociation#NationalBlackBrewersDay #Oct10th

We are excited to announce that (2) of our NB2A members, Crowns & Hops Brewing Co. & Khonso Brewing Co are finalists in the Sam Adams “Brewing the American Dream Brewing & Business Experienceship”.  Both finalists will be featured at the Samuel Adams upcoming Crafting Dreams Beer Bash taking place on Friday, June 7th at the Samuel Adams Downtown Boston Taproom. - The 2024 Experienceship winner will be selected following the event. The winner will receive a $10,000 business grant and a series of personalized coaching sessions from the experts at Samuel Adams. - Brewing the American Dream supports local food and beverage entrepreneurs across the U.S. with much-needed access to capital, networks and business coaching to fuel the craft food and beverage revolution - If you are in the Boston area, we encourage you to attend this event and have a chance to vote for your favorite brewery.  Your vote will contribute toward the decision-making for the final winner - Friday, June 7th, 6:30pm - 9:30pm Event attendees can register on Eventbrite via the link in our bio.  Tickets are $5 per person and the event will include free beer and food. The event will be held at Samuel Adams Downtown Boston Taproom, 60 State Street, Boston, MA https://lnkd.in/gWXJ_67j - #NB2A #Brewingtheamericandream #Khonsobrewing #Crownsandhops

We are thrilled to share some fantastic news with our NB2A community! Applications are now open for the NB2A Equipment Donation Grant! - Thanks to the incredible generosity of not just one, but two esteemed breweries, our mission to empower diversity in brewing just got a major boost - Brewery #1: Russian River Brewing Company  Donation: 20 BBL Brewhouse Natalie and Vinnie Cilurzo’s commitment to supporting Black brewers shines bright with their donation of their legendary 20bbl brew system, the same system that served them for many years brewing world-famous beers like Pliny the Elder and Blind Pig!  - Brewery #2: Optimism Brewing Company Donation: Canning Line Joining the ranks of support, Gay Gilmore and Troy Hakala are stepping up with their own generous donation of a like-new canning line to the NB2A. With their contribution, an NB2A member will have access to even more resources to innovate and elevate their brand.  - The brewing equipment generously donated from these donors will be distributed only to our NB2A MEMBERS through a streamlined application process. - Here’s how it works:  Application Process: NB2A Members interested in accessing the donated brewing equipment can submit an application through the NB2A member portal Application Deadline is Friday, June 21st, 2024 (11:59pm/PST) LINK TO APPLY - https://lnkd.in/g3z47yPP

This year at CBC, we teamed up with Beer Zombies for our first NB2A Tap Takeover. This inaugural event showcased 10 Black Beer brands/NB2A members, featured 20 beer styles, attracted over 500+ attendees and signed up over 55 new members. One of our notable attendees who came to support was Mayor Pamela Goyes Brown of North Las Vegas. We are thankful that she took the time to connect with our members and immerse herself in the vibrant, celebratory event our team curated - As beer poured and laughter echoed throughout Beer Zombies new brewery location, we delved into a captivating conversation hosted by Teo Hunter, Co-founder of Crowns & Hops with Marcus Baskerville, creator of Black Is Beautiful and Head Brewer and Co-Owner of Weathered Souls Brewing Co., and Chris Jacobs, Owner of Beer Zombies Brewing Co. The discussion explored the second iteration of the Black Is Beautiful initiative, its impact, and the importance of meaningful collaboration within the industry. Their words did more than inspire; it was a reminder of the power and impact of collaboration. In our industry of craft, collaboration is the cornerstone of creativity, innovation and community growth - Cheers to our @bn2a members featured on tap: @chulavistabrewery @crownsandhops @greenbenchbrewing @drinkgrownfolks @hellacoastal @fullcirclebrewingco @opbrewco @urbanrootsbeer @metierbrewing @weatheredsoulsbrewing_satx - #NB2A #BlackisBeautiful #BeerZombies #CBC

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This year will mark the NB2A’s most significant presence at Craft Brewers Conference since its founding in December 2022. - At this year’s CBC 2024 in Las Vegas, the keynote presentation was an inspiring conversation between Fawn Weaver, Founder of Uncle Nearest, Inc. and Beny Ashburn, CEO of Crowns & Hops Brewing Co..  This was the first time in CBC history that the keynote presentation was led by two successful Black leaders. This presentation was a testament to the impact and power of the National Black Brewers Association.  This historical moment is a reflection of our dedicated efforts in partnership with the Brewer’s Association. - “Brewers are increasingly looking to find growth in new ways to meet changing consumer preferences and demographics. Ms. Weaver’s presentation will undoubtedly offer timely, thought-provoking, and inspiring insights from a different small producer lens.” said Ann Obenchain, vice president of marketing and communications at the Brewers Association - Their words didn't just resonate; they reverberated, igniting sparks of inspiration. Bold moves drive bold results. Status quo? Not on our watch - #NB2A #CBC #Crownsandhops #Unclenearest

Congratulations Crowns & Hops Brewing Co. and Full Circle Brewing Co on this momentous alliance! https://lnkd.in/gndNGKGc