BLACK BREW MOVEMENT: WHAT THE FUTURE OF DIVERSITY IN CRAFT BEER MEANS FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN BUSINESS OWNERS, INVESTORS, AND STUDENTS
Black Brew Movement: What The Future of Diversity in Craft Beer Means for African American Business Owners, Investors, and Students by Courtney I. Brown, MA This article discusses the current and future state of the craft beer industry through diversification. The purpose of this article is to provide information to black business owners, leaders and students about the opportunities within the craft beer industry. This article is built upon a series of public and private publications that give a wide range of perspectives.
I
COURTNEY I. BROWN, MA is a Research Analyst at Brightline Strategies and a CoFounder of Black Brew Movement, LLC. Her research interests include education, consumption and media. Courtney is based out of Alexandria, VA. IN RECENT YEARS, the business of craft beer has expanded far and wide.
Today, more people than the bearded white guys have their hands in the tasting and making of crafted beer. As craft beer begins to acquire the interests of blacks, many are beginning to recognize that outside of general consumption, craft beer has the infrastructure to generate new streams of revenue and investment opportunities for black business owners and investors. As the brewing industry begins to infiltrate higher education, it can be suggested that this industry will also provide a wealth of opportunities for black students, specifically those who attend historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). From advocacy-based businesses and organizations and brewing focused college curriculum1 to our first black female-led brewery 2 the opportunity for black enterprises to invest in this burgeoning industry starts now.
Advocacy Businesses Community organizations have a longstanding history of advocating for an increase in cultural capital amongst blacks.3 Small businesses and 39
