Photo Credit to Moontower Cider Co
Below is Part 3 of a 3 Part Series announcing the Austin area Black is Beautiful releases.
What is the Black is Beautiful project? Sprouted from San Antonio’s Weathered Souls Head Brewer & Co-Owner, Marcus Baskerville, the initiative aims to raise awareness of the injustices people of color face. “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,” Baskerville says on the Black is Beautiful Beer site.
Click here to watch a documentary on the project and to hear more from Baskerville.
Black is Beautiful has now reached numbers over 12k participating worldwide breweries with all 50 states represented and roughly 20 countries. Over 100 Texas breweries have answered the call and Austin is no exception. Numbers continue to rise of participating spots supporting this initiative. To read more about this global initiative click here. Infamous Brewing is also slated to have a 2021 release and we will update with future details!
Part 1 and Part 2 shared 2020 Austin area releases. Each establishment was asked the following:
- Why they feel it is important for their brewery to participate in this project & what inspires them about it
- What their release date is
- What organization they will be donating the beer’s proceeds to
- A description of their version of the Imperial Stout
Fairweather Cider Co
“Our inclusion in the collaboration is very important to us as the cider and wine world also lacks diversity. This is a small step but it is a step in the right direction. I’m sure the movement has inspired many People Of Color to want to brew beer. Hopefully, this can inspire someone to start working with cider and wine.” | John Staples, Owner
Release Date: March 20, 2021
What Organization You Are Donating To: 100 Black Men of Austin
Description of Beer: Cider with Black Currants and Lactose
How to Find It: Follow Fairweather’s Social Media
Fairweather Cider Co’s Black is Beautiful. Photo credit to Brian Ledden, @TheBeerdtographer
Family Business Beer Co
“We are truly honored to be a part of the Black is Beautiful initiative. Our Brewery mission statement has always been one of inclusion and acceptance of everyone from any walk of life. We are a family business and family is not limited to bloodline color or any other characteristic. It is important for Family Business Beer Company to be involved, to stand up for what is right and for us to be true to who we are and what we believe as a company…I’m inspired by the fact that this project was started by a Texas brewer of color, and in a matter of a couple weeks has swelled from only a couple of participants to well over 500 breweries from all over the country. I’m proud to be part of a community and industry that is coming together to speak truth to power, and help send the message that no one deserves to be abused by those who have power.” | Nate Seale, Head Brewer
Release Date: Version #2 – October 16, 2021
What Organization You Are Donating To: Austin Justice Coalition
Description of Beer: Black IPA
How to Find It: Follow Family Business’s Social Media
Ghost Note Brewing
“As a brewery-in-planning at the time, we were just learning about how the craft beer industry is one of compassion and innovation. When Marcus Baskerville at Weathered Souls started the BIB Beer initiative, it was a chance for us to join with the brewing community to strengthen and raise the collective voices in support of People of Color with the on-going struggle to have racial equality and justice. Kudos to Marcus for providing an avenue for others to join a cause that we would have, otherwise, not known how to be involved with. With the gentle urging and guidance by Marvis Dixon, the help and support just flowed to us from all places — Greater Goods Coffee donated bourbon barrel-aged coffee for our brew, Brian Ledden donated his excellent photography skills, Kevin Dyer at KDDesign helped us with crowler and glassware design, Kody Swaim at Blue Label packaging donated the entire lot of crowler labels, then the craft beer community showed their support by coming out in numbers for our BIB Beer release. We were honored to have the opportunity to participate in this cause, and we are excited to see the initiative still growing and thriving..” | Thelma Coleman, Owner
Release Date: January 30, 2021
What Organization You Are Donating To: Austin Area Urban League
Description of Beer: Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Stout with Greater Good Coffee Roasters coffee
How to Find It: Follow Ghost Note’s Social Media Accounts
Vista Brewing Co’s Black is Beautiful. Photo credit to Brian Ledden, @TheBeerdtographer
Live Oak Brewing
“It’s something that I’ve never seen in beer. To see how many people care that we exist and that there are changes that need to be made in our communities, it’s overwhelmingly positive.” | Donald Williams, Warehouse Manager
“Beer is something we enjoy in good company. We grab a couple of beers, sit around the table, tell stories, share experiences…we laugh, we cry…beer has a way of bringing people together. And it is important that our industry takes a hard look at some uncomfortable truths happening in our communities. This isn’t an issue we should sit out, it’s a chance to support, and better ourselves and our communities.” | Myk O’Connor, Marketing Manager
Release Date: Draft and 6-packs available August 5, 2021
What Organization You Are Donating To: Austin Justice Coalition
Description of Beer: This is Live Oak’s second version! Black American Lager. Schwarzbier meets Festbier with Cascade hops.
How to Find It: Follow Live Oak’s Social Media
Meanwhile Brewing Co
“We were honored to participate in the global Black is Beautiful initiative spearheaded by Weathered Souls, in the ongoing effort to end racial inequality and injustice in our communities.” | Will Jacquiss, Founder & Brewmaster
Release Date: January 31, 2021
What Organization You Are Donating To: Austin Justice Coalition
Description of Beer: Imperial Stout with Lactose, Almond, Cacao Nibs, and Ceylon Cinnamon
How to Find It: Follow Meanwhile’s Social Media
Moontower Cider Company
Release Date: March 13, 2021
What Organization You Are Donating To: African American Youth Harvest Foundation
Description of Beer: Blackberry Cider
How to Find It: Follow Moontower’s Social Media Accounts
Slacker’s Brewing Co
“I have been a software engineer for 15+ years and it has afforded me a very good life. It’s one of the reasons I am able to make a go at opening the brewery. The software industry lacks diversity though (similarly to the brewing industry) and if we can find a way to include more diverse groups then I believe the innovation and change we will see will be unbelievable. Our hope is to learn from initiatives like Black is Beautiful and others to develop a culture that is welcoming to our customers and employees from all sorts of different backgrounds.” | Derek Law, Owner
Release Date: Fall/Winter 2021
What Organization You Are Donating To: Black Girls Code
Description of Beer: Mint Stout
How to Find It: Follow Slacker’s Social Media Accounts for Release & Grand Opening Info
Texas Beer Co.
“Our core team was mashed together from backgrounds in nonprofit, social justice, and environmental work, as well as work electing progressives to office. We believe strongly in the cause of social justice and equality in our country and are supportive of the conversation around race taking place in our community. We admire the Black is Beautiful movement for bridging the gap from craft beer lovers to the conversation about social justice and equality in our country, and we are excited to offer up our variant of this important collaboration.” | JD Gins, Co-Founder & Brewer
Release Date: March 27, 2021
What Organization You Are Donating To: Bill Pickett Educational Foundation – The Bill Pickett Porter is a mainstay of their core beers, and a donation from every can is made to them. Bill Pickett was from Taylor and was the first African American introduced to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.
Description of Beer: Smoked Stout (Also paying homage to the Taylors’ love of BBQ)
How to Find It: Follow Texas Beer Co’s Social Media Accounts
Vacancy Brewing with Celis Brewing
“We are continually inspired by how the brewing community comes together to lift each other up and bring awareness to important issues. Black is Beautiful is an incredible initiative that allows us to use our craft to effect positive change in our community.” | Sara Hamza, Co-Founder
Release Date: On-top at TCBF and Friday, November 5, 2021 – On draft and 16 oz cans
What Organization You Are Donating To: Austin Area Urban League
Description of Beer: Oatmeal Stout inspired by the original recipe from Weathered Souls. With flavors of dark chocolate, coffee, with a dry finish, and notes of pine and grapefruit. Clocking in at 8.0% abv.
How to Find It: Follow Vacancy & Celis’s Social Media Accounts and Vacancy’s events page
Vista Brewing
“We feel it’s important to continue to spread a message of acceptance. Vista has always had an “All are Welcome” policy, and we want to make that more known to our community through this collaboration brew. Vista is located in a predominantly white county, and we feel this initiative will continue to raise awareness and hopefully make the community stop and think about issues of social injustice and racism. Over the past 2 years, Vista has been supportive of a variety of charitable causes, through events and fundraisers, as well as product and cash donations. The Black is Beautiful project allows us to take part in social change on a much larger scale, with over 1000 breweries around the world participating” | Karen Killough, Co-Founder
Release Date: Sunday, March 21, 2021 – On draft and 16 oz cans
What Organization You Are Donating To: The Michael Jackson Foundation for Brewing & Distilling
Description of Beer: Oatmeal Coffee Stout, cold brew infused with Redhorn Coffee House & Brewing Co’s Costa Rica Tarrazu Don Roberto coffee from
How to Find It: Follow Vista’s Social Media Accounts, or subscribe to their email newsletter
“I contemplate how the country can move forward, how we as the people, can create change, and what it will take for everyone to move forward with a common respect for one another. For us, we feel that this is our contribution to a step. Sometimes that’s all it takes for change.” – Marcus Baskerville, Founder & Head Brewer @ Weathered Souls Brewing
Thank you for continuing to support this wonderful cause, and don’t forget to tag #BlackIsBeautifulBeer & #CraftBeerAustin when you snag these beers. Cheers!
Label art by Austin’s own KD Design:
Feature photo credit to Brian Ledden, photo of Meanwhile Brewing Co’s release
