The past three months have seen unprecedented suffering at many levels, including the murder of George Floyd and other systemic injustices. While we look forward to reopening our doors next week, we won’t be opening them to the same world. We’ve spent hours talking internally, but to be perfectly candid, we’ve struggled with finding a voice, identifying the audience to whom we should speak, and our own inability to comprehend the hardship presented by four centuries of Black oppression in America. We do not wish to engage in performative activism, nor do we want to center our own feelings or pain over those of the Black community. The systemic social problems and violence culminating in recent events are difficult to capture in a tweet, an Instagram post, or a Facebook message.
We have long tried to develop an inclusive culture that celebrates diversity in ideas, attitudes, and vision. Members of our team have been fortunate to work alongside and learn from people of different races, religions, sexual orientations, and gender identities. We firmly believe this makes us a better company and enriches our people and customers daily. Our commitment to protecting and welcoming all people – and ejecting those who profess hate and bigotry – is quite literally – pasted on the walls of our taprooms. Yet, we recognize we can do more.
At a minimum, we commit to ensuring that all positions for hire are made more accessible to a broad array of minority candidates. These efforts include actively reaching out to Black and other minority community leaders to ensure job postings are made where they can be seen; eliminating potentially biased language and restrictions in job postings; and increasing the diversity of our hiring team. This process is well underway. In addition, when the adverse impacts associated with Covid-19 have subsided, we will be re-engaging organizations dedicated to supporting minority communities and helping to promote their missions. This is not meant to be an end point or solution. Rather, it’s a continuation of an essential dialogue, which we will continue to promote throughout our industry as a whole.
In short, we have more work to do in the mirror and are committed to doing that work.
For now, we encourage you to support any one of these amazing breweries throughout our country, as they work to build a better, stronger brewing community. We encourage you to tag anyone we have missed. We thank you for listening.
-Zipline Brewing Co.
Arkansas
Gravity BrewWorks – Gravity BrewWorks
California
Chula Vista Brewery – Chula Vista Brewery
Speakeasy Ales & Lagers Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
Urban Roots Brewing – Urban Roots Brewing & Smokehouse
Warcloud Brewing Co. – Warcloud Brewing Company
Colorado
Hogshead Brewery – Hogshead Brewery
Novel Strand Brewing Co. – Novel Strand Brewing Company
Connecticut
Rhythm Brewing Co. – Rhythm Brewing Co.
District of Columbia
Sankofa Beer Co. Sankofa Beer
Florida
Green Bench Brewing Co. – Green Bench Brewing Co.
Illinois
Black Horizon Brewing Co. – Black Horizon Brewing Company
Soundgrowler Brewing Co. – Soundgrowler Brewing Co.
Indiana
18th Street Brewery – 18th Street Brewery
Hop River Brewing Co. – Hop River Brewing Company
Georgia
Down Home Brewing – Down Home Brewing Company
Khonso Brewing – Khonso Brewing
Louisiana
Cajun Fire – Cajun Fire Brewing Company
Maryland
Patuxent Brewing Co. – Patuxent Brewing Company
Union Craft Brewing – UNION Craft Brewing
Massachusetts
67 Degrees Brewing – 67 Degrees Brewing
Brazo Fuerte – Brazo Fuerte Artisanal Beer
Brockton Beer Co. – Brockton Beer Company
Crue Brew Brewery – Crue Brew Brewery
White Lion Brewing Co. – White Lion Brewing Company
Minnesota
ONE Fermentary & Taproom – ONE Fermentary & Taproom
New Jersey
Four City Brewing Co. – Four City Brewing Company
Montclair Brewery – Montclair Brewery
New Mexico
Nexus Brewery – Nexus Brewery
New York
Harlem Blue Beer – Harlem Blue Beer
Harlem Brewing Co – Harlem Brew
Island to Island Brewery – Island to Island Brewery
North Carolina
Dirtbag Ales – Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom
Rocky Mount Brewery – rockymountbrew
Spaceway Brewing Co. – Spaceway Brewing Company
Ohio
Alematic Artisan Ales – Alematic Artisan Ales
Black Frog Brewery – @BlackFrogBrewery
Texas
Blackman Brewing – Black Man Brewing
Weathered Souls Brewing Co. – Weathered Souls Brewing Co.
Washington
Métier Brewing Co. – Métier Brewing Company