Several local breweries join global Black is Beautiful initiative

False Idol Independent Brewers’ Shawn Steele, above, and Mile Wide Beer Co.’s Kyle Tavaras got together to brew a batch of Black is Beautiful on False Idol’s system. (Photo by Kevin Gibson)

Several local breweries are joining in on an international initiative to raise funds for organizations that support equality and inclusion.

Black is Beautiful was launched by San Antonio-based Weathered Souls Brewing Co., and more than 800 breweries across all 50 U.S. states and 13 total countries are participating. Each brewery will brew a beer based on a Weathered Souls recipe, with the proceeds going to local charities.

Locally, Mile Wide Beer Co. and False Idol Independent Brewers are collaborating; Falls City Brewing Co. and Monnik Beer Co. are teaming up, and Old Louisville Brewery is brewing the beer as well.

The beer, Black is Beautiful, is an imperial stout that will be about 10% alcohol by volume. Kyle Tavaras of Mile Wide said the beer should be ready for release around mid-July, with most of it being canned for sale at the respective breweries. A small amount will be sold on draft, he said.

“We’ve talked about doing a collaboration with False Idol since before they opened their doors, so we’re extra excited to have such a good reason to finally get it done,” Mile Wide posted on Facebook. The local charity Mile Wide and False Idol chose is The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL).

Old Louisville Brewery has chosen the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage as its charity. Head brewery Ken Mattingly said he will brew 10 gallons of Black is Beautiful, which will be canned for sale in the OLB taproom.

“While that’s not a large amount, it still allows us to support the movement during the pandemic,” Mattingly said.

Falls City and Monnik chose Change Today Change Tomorrow as their charity.

Falls City marketing manager Brian U’Sellis told Hello Louisville, “We're excited about this initiative and being able to partner with Monnik to raise money for Change Today Change Tomorrow. This is a small step towards helping and we know there is so much more that we need to do to bring justice and equality to Black people in our country and community.”

Marcus Belvedere, founder of Weathered Souls, said in announcing the initiative, “As someone who has personally dealt with the abuse of power by the police, this recent turmoil the country is facing has hit home for me. As I write this, 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.”

Can artwork provided by Weathered Souls.