Have A Cold Brew At A Black-Owned Brewery For National Beer Day

National Beer Day pays homage to the most-drunk alcohol beverage worldwide.

National Beer Day is upon us and what better way than to celebrate with Black brewers.

BLACK ENTERPRISE is focusing on modern industry access and ownership. Namely, a handful of brewers and beer brands that operate between Atlanta and Los Angeles, creating beer while simultaneously establishing diversity in taste, transforming industry, and broadening craft beer participation.

The beer industry’s growth continues through these brands that demonstrate that Black ownership in brewing remains vital to both the cultural development and the industry’s future prospects.

Atlantucky Brewing (Atlanta)

Atlantucky Brewing emerged from the combination of musical talent and business acumen between Nappy Roots members Skinny DeVille and Fish Scales, and brewer Brandon Garnett. Atlantucky Brewing functions as a contract brewing brand while developing its own brewing facilities. Atlantucky creates its market position through a cultural approach that uses music industry connections to access a brewing space with scarce Black ownership. The brewery, which joined the national “Black Is Beautiful” initiative to connect its product with social impact efforts, regularly hosts cultural events.

Beale Street Brewing Co. (Memphis)

Beale Street Brewing Co. was founded by Kelvin Kolheim to integrate Memphis musical traditions into its brewing processes and to promote diversity within the brewing industry. The brewery concept pairs specific beer styles with musical selections to create a sensory experience that pays tribute to Beale Street’s musical roots in Memphis. Each product showcases Memphis through its blues-themed packaging and narrative-driven taste profiles.

Black Beauty Brewery (Bowie, MD)

The Black Beauty Brewery was founded in 2020 by Sheldon and Brittany Goins, a married couple, who faced financial challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic. After losing his job, Sheldon turned his homebrewing hobby into a commercial business, which became the first Black-owned brewery in Bowie, Maryland. The brand began with limited production runs but now sells its products throughout Maryland.

Black Horizon Brewing Company (Willowbrook, IL)

Charles St. Clair established Black Horizon Brewing Company, a small-batch community-focused brewing operation in the Chicago suburbs. The company combines taproom operations with intentional partnerships that generally involve working with Black brewers to increase their exposure and focusing on local community connections and partnerships to create sustainable growth.

Brown Girls Brew (New York City)

In 2021, Christina Thomas created Brown Girls Brew to create a space where Black women would lead and engage with craft beer culture. The NYC-based brand uses pop-ups, partnerships, and community events to operate instead of running a traditional brewery. Thomas saw the small number of Black women in craft beer and wanted to build community events that put inclusion front and center.

Grown Folks (Los Angeles)

In 2024, Danica Dias launched Grown Folks, a Black- and woman-owned beverage brand, after developing it throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Dias, a hospitality professional, founded the company to showcase the cultural and culinary heritage of her Louisiana Creole background. The brand combines craft beer with ready-to-drink innovation through its Front Porch American light lager, and soul food-inspired hard seltzers, including Peach Cobbler and Ambrosia flavors.

Kitsune Brewing Co. (Phoenix)

Tyler Smith established Kitsune Brewing Co. as a craft beer brand which distinguishes itself through its worldwide branding approach and story-based marketing strategy that integrates Japanese elements. Smith’s approach shows how Black-owned beer brands have begun to investigate conceptual global influences and markets beyond standard traditional markets.