POSTPONED! Boise Breweries Have Joined Forces in the Black is Beautiful Movement

Last updated June 22, 2020 by Totally Boise

Updated as of 6/24/2020

*THE BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL BLOCK PARTY HAS BEEN POSTPONED.

Breweries will still be releasing their version of the Black is Beautiful Stout.

Barbarian Brewing - Available at both taprooms in Downtown Boise and Garden City, 16oz cans will be available online and in-house beginning 6/29.
Western Collective - Available Saturday, June 27 for cans to-go or on tap at the brewery.
Boise Fermentation - Black is Beautiful Kombucha available now on tap inside or in cans for to-go.
Mad Swede Brewing - Will be available in both taprooms coming soon.
Edge Brewing - COMING SOON.
Coiled Winery - Raffle for Black Mamba Red Vertical goes until July 15th.

A new stout is coming to Boise and it is bringing a powerful message, Black is Beautiful. Releasing as early as next week, Boise brewers have joined forces in order to raise awareness to the issue of police brutality and inequity in the United States.

Barbarian Brewing, Western Collective, Mad Swede, Edge Brewing Co., Boise Fermentation and Coiled Winery have all signed on to brew their own version of the Black is Beautiful Stout.

Marcus Baskerville, head brewer of Weathered Souls in San Antonio, TX and founder of the Black is Beautiful initiative, thought of the idea in order to educate and provide information to America’s unfair system. Baskerville writes an open note about the mission and goals for the Black is Beautiful 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,” said Baskerville.

Baskerville and Weathered Souls released its recipe of Black is Beautiful Stout and offered it to the world to use, with one condition, donate the proceeds to an organization that supports inclusivity and anti-police brutality.

Each brewery is given a base recipe and is encouraged to add their own flare to the recipe. Up first for release is Barbarian Brewery, they will be hosting a release party Thursday, June 25th at their Garden City and Downtown Taprooms.

“We are brewing an imperial stout with blackberries, caramel and Tahitian vanilla beans,” said Long.

Barbarian’s Black is Beautiful Stout will be on tap and canned for those wanting to take their beer home. All proceeds will be donated to Inclusive Idaho.

“Inclusive Idaho is still pretty new, so it is a crucial fundraising time,” said Long.

Western Collective will be host to the Black is Beautiful Block Party, Saturday, June 27, where they will be releasing their version alongside Mad Swede, Boise Fermentation, and Barbarian Brewing.

While making the decision to truly make this a creative and collaborative effort, Boise Bucket List and Da Party Plugs were involved to help organize and create Western Collective’s version of the Black is Beautiful Stout.

Co-Owner of Western Collective, Melissa Levick expressed their experience brewing the beer.

“They decided to do a chocolate strawberry stout,” said Levick in addition to a Pina Colada Hazy IPA named Haze Light.

While Western Collective is adding a bonus beer to complement their stout, representative Danielle Reynolds from Mad Swede Brewing says they are straying from the recipe, but for good reason.

“We wanted to put our best foot forward for this event,” said Reynolds.

As Mad Swede already has two similar dark beers on tap, they wanted to ensure that the beer they brewed for the Black is Beautiful cause would get the attention it deserved.

“We are actually making a Cascadian dark ale,” said Reynolds.

As the Black is Beautiful initiative has expanded quickly, all breweries have voiced that this initiative isn’t just a one-time event.

“It’s not just about supporting the police reform which is a huge part of this, but also supporting a community of black-owned businesses and making sure that there are different colors to support the growth of a community,” said Levick.

While Barbarian plans to have a barrel-aged fall release, Western Collective has made “This is a movement not a moment” merch. Mad Swede said their employees are extremely proactive.

“Our employees are volunteering for inclusive Idaho and are really active,” said Reynolds.

Mad Swede is donating their proceeds to the Know Your Rights Camp and Inclusive Idaho. Western Collective will be splitting their proceeds amongst local and national organizations.

“We are donating to Know Your Rights Camp, Idaho Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Violence, Neighbor Idaho, Idaho Black History Museum, Treasure Valley NAACP and African American Chamber of Idaho,” said Levick.

Although not breweries, Boise Fermentation will be releasing a Kombochua during Western Collective’s Block Party. Coiled Wines will also be raffling off a vertical of their vintage Black Mamba in benefit for Neighbor Idaho. You can buy raffle tickets at Coiled Wines until July 15th.

Currently, over 820 breweries have signed up for the initiative, in all 50 states and 13 countries.

“We are a place for everyone,” said Levick.

Below are links to the Idaho event pages hosting release parties as well as the Black is Beautiful initiative website where you can locate other breweries involved in the initiative along with an open note from Brewer Marcus Baskerville.