KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Bell’s Brewery has announced that it will be joining the Black is Beautiful Initiative with the release of a special beer next month.
A description of the Initiative from the official website can be read below:
“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,” the website reads. “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.”
According to Bell’s, the Black is Beautiful initiative was started Marcus Baskerville, founder and head brewer at Weathered Souls Brewing based in San Antonio. Originally planned as a Weathered Souls-only release, Baskerville was encouraged to expand his reach and make the recipe and label artwork available to all.
“We all have some work to do, Bell’s included, and we are committed to that. It starts on an individual level. We all have a responsibility to do what we can to continue this conversation and help drive real change,” Larry Bell, president and founder of Bell’s Brewery said.
More than 700 breweries are joining in with the effort.
Bell’s version of the Weathered Souls Imperial Stout recipe will be released in 6-pack bottles exclusively at Bell’s General Store in downtown Kalamazoo and Upper Hand Brewery Taproom in August. Upper Hand is the sister brewery of Bell’s located in Escanaba, Michigan.
As part of this initiative, Bell’s will make donations to two local Black-led organizations; the Kalamazoo NAACP and Face Off Theatre.
This collaboration brew, while sharing some of the same values, is not part of Bell’s Celebration Series. That series, which empowers different groups within the company that makes Bell’s what it is, will continue later this year with another beer designed and brewed by Bell’s employees.
That next release, which will come from and celebrate Bell’s Black and African American employees, will be released in the fall.
Previous brews have celebrated International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day, the LGBTQ+ community and veterans.
More information can be found at the Bell’s website.
