Independent beer makers are nothing new. The experimental nature of craft brewing is a big driver of their popularity. Craft beers come in a wide range of flavors, while traditional beer manufacturers typically stick to the basics: regular, extra, and lite. The U.S. craft beer industry represents nearly 14% of total beer sales, that’s $29 billion in sales. As of the end of 2018, of the thousands of craft beer companies operating in the United States, less than 1% were Black-owned, according to NPR. Crowns & Hops is among that small group of Black-owned craft brewers. Their signature beers include BPLB, Black & Brown People Love Beer — a hazy IPA with hints of tropical fruit and 6.5% alcohol by volume, and Black Is Beautiful — with 7% alcohol by volume, featuring notes of fudge brownies, dark chocolate pecan pie, and cocoa in an imperial stout base. Based out of Inglewood, California, Crowns & Hops recently released 8 TRILL PILS, in collaboration with BrewDog. On sale in three countries, U.S., U.K., Germany, all the proceeds are going to organizations focused on driving Racial Equity.
