Preface:
This article is part 1 of 4 of a miniseries that I’ve wanted to create for a while now. The purpose is to share my own perspective and thoughts and to shed light on minorities of the beer world. Since I’m kicking off the Reflect//Project in February, also known as Black History Month, I’m starting the series with a piece on the Black Beer Community.
Reflect:
All over the world, evidence for alcohol production from all kinds of crops shows up- dating back to the dawn of civilization.
Fact, the earliest known beer was brewed by women and people of colour in Egypt and Mesopotamia.
However, in writing this, I wanted to look specifically at Africa. Now, let me shock you and say that America basically ruined African beer. As eloquently put by Kathleen Willcox of Vine Pair, it’s a “pity the American beer geek and craft brewer bereft of the ancient, heterogeneous, and gloriously innovative source of wisdom and knowledge that has suffused African beer culture for centuries.” Willcox also shared some interesting facts about the recipe for African beer. Unlike our “traditional” water, hops, malted barley, yeast, African beer was/is made using unique ingredients like sorghum and maize, flavored with cassava root, hibiscus, and banana.
The true history of beer is convoluted, thick, and often misguided, but what we do know is that the beers of Africa have been gracing the palettes of various tribes since the 15th and 16th centuries. Fact, women are traditionally beer brewers in Africa.
Fact, sorghum — a grass that can withstand high temperatures and extreme drought — has been used to brew beer in Africa as far back as time records.
A lot of what we know today about the history of African beer comes from Zulu, a nation in South Africa. Still today the traditions remain strong when it comes to brewing, serving, and consuming beer. Including the fact, that there are four traditional vessels used to drink and store certain brews — made by the Zulu women. There are specific vessels for specific types/styles of beer… Hm, familiar, right? As we now know today, the traditions of African beermaking did not quite stick with the Dutch or British — those who, not only invaded Africa but essentially, blew up the beer industry.
Now if we fast-forward a bit, and look to more “modern” times, it’s important to think about what Prohibition did to the beer industry. As it turns out, the 18th Amendment carried some grim racial undertones. During Prohibition, there was a group called the Anti-Saloon League, a racists union of horrifying individuals trying to shut down any and all saloons of the times. Why? “Saloons became code for not only drinking and debauchery, but also code for where immigrants and Brown people hang out,” explained Dr. J JacksonBeckham (more on her later) According to Beckham, the Prohibition movement was “always racialized.”
Even as Prohibition was abolished, racism in the industry (and outside), clearly, was not. Celeste Beatty, a Black woman and the founder of Harlem Brewing Company said, “historically, there’s been a lot of discrimination of African-Americans in terms of employment, and the brewing industry is not an exception. There were a number of studies done by the Urban League where they went to speak with brewing industry [employers] in the ’50s, and they tell them, ‘There’s no place for African Americans, skilled or unskilled, in our breweries.’”
Fact, in 2018, On Tap Magazine estimated that a mere 50 of America’s 7,000+ breweries were Black-owned.
Project:
As we move toward the future we want, let’s look at the strides that have been made in recent years, with conscious eyes and mind, knowing that it cannot stop here. One initiative that cannot be overlooked is the Black is Beautiful initiative, which was created by Weathered Souls Brewery, Texas.
“The Black is Beautiful initiative is a collaborative effort amongst the brewing community and its customers, in an attempt to bring awareness to the injustices that many people of color face daily. Our mission is to bridge the gap that’s been around for ages and provide a platform to show that the brewing community is an inclusive place for everyone of any color. We are asking for all breweries and brewers far and wide to raise a glass with us in unison and participate in this collaboration. 100% of the beer’s proceeds to local foundations that support police brutality reform and legal defenses for those who have been wronged.” This movement didn’t stop in America, here’s a list of Canadian breweries that partook, some in my own backyard of Toronto!
We also see Black people finally being recognized for their roles in the industry. Take Dr. J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham for example, this home-brewer became the first-ever Brewers Association diversity ambassador. She said, “I am absolutely an advocate of visibility. Shining a light on people who don’t have light shined on them very often is inherently valuable.”
Closing:
There’s always more work to do, so let’s lift up our fellow beer lovers, beer experts, beer makers, educators, and everyone who shares our admiration for beer! To reflect is to learn, to project is to create the future we want.
Listen: BOAS Podcast — Episode 9, ‘Buy Back The Block w/ Beny & Teo of Crowns & Hops’
Read: Beer & Racism & This ain’t the Beer You’re Used to: A Beginners Guide to Good Beer
Watch: First Black Woman to Own a Brewery in the US (surprise, it’s Celeste Beatty!!)
The beer I’ve paired with this article is HAZE, from Mascot Brewery, one of Canada’s only Black-owned breweries. “Aaron Prothro, is familiar with what it feels like to look around and not feel like you belong. Instead of trying to fit in, he embraced what made him different and used it to create a community that is built of people who celebrate each other’s differences. These values are what helped develop Mascot’s culture of inclusivity and bringing people together through great beer experiences. We are here to represent unity, and inspire togetherness” #blacklivesmatter
Cheers,
