Lifelong Celebration of Pride

photo provided by Brooklyn Brewery

Craft Beer and the Lifelong Celebration of Pride

It’s Pride month, June, which also means it’s time for a Lifelong Celebration of Pride, yay! Being a gay owned company, our small but mighty team at Crafted will be celebrating in many different ways as we do each year. It’s a Lifelong Celebration of Pride for us, but to reflect in June we take a small vacation to recharge and also attend some of the many celebratory events where we live in Central Florida. As Pride month continues, we wanted to take time to highlight a few of the many breweries who are showing that beer does have the power to help create change both during Pride month and all year long.

There are always great reasons, great people, and great causes to champion all year long. We hope this short list of breweries celebrating Pride month will inspire you to find breweries and businesses who are doing similar work in your own community to support as well. Please share their stories in the comments section below.

The featured breweries in this Lifelong Celebration of Pride Include:

Lifelong Celebration of Pride

photo provided by Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn Brewery - The Stonewall Inn IPA and a Lifelong Celebration of Pride

Brooklyn Brewery was one of my first introductions to craft beer when I moved to NYC in 1997. I lived on Havemeyer St. in WIlliamsburg  Brooklyn, fairly close to Brooklyn Brewery’s then newly opened production facility and tasting room. Their Brooklyn Lager opened my taste buds to a whole new world of beer.  Coincidentally, I then moved to the West Village in Manhattan on Christopher St. and 7th Avenue, diagonally across the street from The Stonewall Inn. I used to then frequent The Stonewall Inn and it was when I first learned of my own gay history.

This story is my personal, roundabout way of conveying that I feel a connection to Brooklyn Brewery’s The Stonewall Inn IPA, a year-round session IPA that donates to The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative. The SIGBI is a non-profit charitable organization inspired by the struggles and ideals of the LGBTQ rights movement born from the Stonewall Inn Uprising of 1969. As noted on their website, “Through awareness campaigns, educational programming, fundraising and candid public dialogue, we support grassroots organizations scattered across the country and especially those in communities where progress toward equality has been slow and the negative impact of ongoing acts of discrimination and harassment can no longer be tolerated.”

I had the chance to dig a bit deeper with Brooklyn Brewery’s US Marketing Director Mildred Lee to find out why this beer is so important to them.

Why was it so important for Brooklyn Brewery to create the Stonewall Inn IPA and support The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative?

“Brooklyn Brewery has always worked to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ people, both in our community, and within the craft beer industry as a whole. We’ve been working with The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI) since 2017, not only in the creation of our Stonewall Inn IPA, but also through other means that help raise awareness, generate funds, and work to make real change for the LGBTQ+ community. We are committed to showing up 365 days a year, and that’s why our work with SIGBI isn’t limited to one month out of the year – our individual work and partnered initiatives create impact year round, and our Stonewall Inn IPA is available for purchase year round as well.”

How does Brooklyn Brewery as a whole embody what this beer is all about? 

“Brooklyn Brewery’s home borough exists in one of the most culturally diverse parts of the country. Since we put down roots in Brooklyn, we have strived to celebrate all the differences of our community; creating spaces and products that are accessible, inclusive and respectful to all. Our work with SIGBI and the creation of Stonewall Inn IPA is an extension of that ethos on every level. We want everyone, from our internal team to the consumers who support us, to feel represented and more importantly seen and heard. That is why we launched our Create Space campaign last year, which uses our platforms to amplify the voices of the many grassroots organizations and LGBTQ+ activists that are making a difference.”

You can learn more about Brooklyn Brewery’s ‘The Stonewall  Inn IPA’ and where to buy it by visiting their website. This beer is a Lifelong Celebration of Pride! Woot!

Lifelong Celebration of Pride

photo provided by Torch & Crown

Torch & Crown - Rainbows Everywhere Hazy IPA

Torch & Crown’s ‘Rainbows Everywhere IPA’ is back this year and their goal is to maximize their donation to one of Crafted’s favorite non-profits, The Ali Forney Center and The Okra Project. One dollar from every Pint and two dollars from every 4-Pack sold is being donated, so if you are in the NYC area, order some beer delivery and get this fresh and delicious IPA sent straight to your door all while supporting two great organizations.

Chris McClellan who handles Marketing and Sales at Torch & Crown tapped in to tell us why this beer is so important to the Torch & Crown family, “Our Mission at Torch & Crown is to embody the vibrancy, diversity, ambition, and energy of New York City. We’re here to bring New York City closer to beer than its ever been before. In order to service this mission, our beers, our events, our staff…it all has to mean something to NYC and create that connection to our community here in Manhattan. Breweries are community hubs and we certainly want to be that for NYC. Rainbows Everywhere, and Pride, is a cause and idea that means a lot to our staff and our community, so it jives perfectly.”

Order Directly from Torch & Crown HERE

 

The Ali Forney Center was founded in 2002 in memory of Ali Forney, a homeless gender-nonconforming youth who was  forced to live on the streets, where they were tragically murdered. Committed to saving the lives of LGBTQ+ young people, our mission is to protect them from the harms of homelessness and empower them with the tools needed to live independently.

The Okra Project is a collective that seeks to address the global crisis faced by Black Trans people by bringing home cooked, healthy, and culturally specific meals and resources to Black Trans People wherever we can reach them. 

Lifelong Celebration of Pride

photo provided by Athletic Brewing

Athletic Brewing - Rainbow Wall IPA

We wanted to highlight Athletic Brewing because of their unique contributions to craft beer and to Pride each year. First, all of their craft beers are non-alcoholic which makes them accessible to everyone. Wether you just don’t drink alcohol or you love to enjoy a delicious craft beer every now and then without the alcohol, Athletic Brewing has a beverage for you. The second reason is in their name, ‘Athletic’. Their ‘Rainbow Wall IPA’ supports organizations that create safe spaces within sports for the LGBTQIA+ community. We love this because some of the first social activities we participated in as newly ‘out and just moved to NYC’ people involved sports clubs or groups.

Athletic Brewing’s Limited Edition ‘Rainbow Wall IPA’ is named after one of their favorite climbs in Red Rocks Canyon. It’s a slightly hazy, highly citrusy, clean and crisp Blood Orange IPA with sky-scraping flavor and an abundance of heart. They brewed it in collaboration with pro-LGBTQIA+ climber Alex Johnson and with it, they “toast the entire LGBTQIA+ community with arms open, belays on, and two words: be you”.

100% of Rainbow Wall’s profits will go to the OUT Foundation, Athlete Ally, and other impact programs. 

You can order Athletic Brewing’s ‘Rainbow Wall IPA’ HERE for a limited time. 

Lifelong Celebration of Pride

photo provided by Lola Rigdon

Hourglass Brewing - Limited Edition Pride T-Shirt

Where we live in Central Florida, this year Hourglass Brewing is donating proceeds of their yearly Pride T-Shirt to the Zebra Coalition; a network of organizations that provide services to LGBTQ+ youth. Hourglass is also a known supporter of the community and are passionate about providing a safe and inclusive work environment for every individual. The shirt is on sale now at both locations for $25. Unisex – Dark Gray. Various Sizes.

To order a shirt and check availability, please reach out directly to Hourglass Brewing on their socials or by calling: 407-262-0056

We would love to know more about the breweries and organizations in your community that are doing great work or fund raising initiatives. Please share in the comments below.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Startup Stories Buzzballz

Startup Stories BuzzBallz

Startup Stories BuzzBallz I MADE THIS: Telling the inspirational stories of entrepreneurs, their startups, and how they made it. Starting your own company is a

Read More »
Wheat Ale or Hefeweizen

Wheat Beer Hefeweizen

Wheat Beer – Hefeweizen ‘Frankie Rock’ Wheat Ale by Hourglass Brewing photo by Lola Rigdon What is a Wheat Beer or Hefeweizen? A wheat beer

Read More »
India Pale Lager by Crafted craft beer

India Pale Lager IPL

India Pale Lager IPL ‘Carolina Gold’ India Pale Lager IPL by Crafted photo by Ian Hunter What is an India Pale Lager? An India pale

Read More »