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Philadelphia-based Two Locals Brewing, a fully Black-owned independent brewery, has announced that it will be launching its new beer lines beginning this week. In a press release announcement, it was revealed that thanks to a new relationship with FCM Hospitality and Mainstay Independent Brewing, the brewery will launch three beers. The first is an ale, which they’re calling Nubian Brown Ale, and it’s 5.7% ABV (alcohol by volume). The second is an IPA, which they’re calling Prolific Hazy, and it’s 6.4% ABV. Finally, Two Locals Brewing is releasing a Belgian-style Witbier which they’re calling Who You Wit? (get it?), and it’s 5.7% ABV. For now, the release of these new beers will be limited to the Philadelphia area and its surrounding environment, but there are plans to expand in the near future. “Two Locals Brewing Company is excited to debut our first beers and begin sales to the public starting this week,” said co-founder Richard Koilor, who co-owns the brewery with his brother,...
Emmitt Smith first-ever restaurant venture has received an award within its first six months of business. The former NFL player is the owner of Emmitt’s Vegas, which opened on Feb. 26, 2024, according to The Dallas Morning News. The restaurant includes a main dining room, chef’s table, private dining room, bar, and terrace. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sweta kathuria (@swetta24) According to information shared with AFROTECH™, Emmitt’s Vegas menu items are spearheaded by Consulting Chef Steve Mannino and Executive Chef Antwan Ellis. Featured menu items include cedar plank salmon, roasted red bird chicken breast, main lobster tempura, steaks, sushi and rice bowls, and desserts including carrot cake, Emmitt’s butter cake, and parisian chocolate cake, among others. Based on its website, customers can also look forward to daily specials between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. which includes $11 Dry-Aged Burger, $22 Steak Frite, $22 Sushi Boat, and half-priced cocktails, draft beers,...
Former pharmacist Brittney Mikell will be making history in her next chapter. WCCO-TV reports Mikell exited her role in pharmacy after experiencing burnout. She then decided to purse her passion in brewing and landed a role as an assistant brewer at La Dona Cerveceria in Minneapolis, MN. “I didn’t feel like I was making the impact that I really wanted to in healthcare,” Mikell explained to Eater Twin Cities. “I woke up one day and realized that this could be a really cool place where I could make an impact. You only really live once, so I decided, let’s just pivot — why not?” Mikell maintained bigger aspirations while working at La Dona Cerveceria, referring to herself as “a huge dreamer,” per WCCO-TV. She plans to become the first Black woman to own a brewery in Minnesota. This is significant as just 1% of breweries in the U.S. are Black-owned, Essence reports. Additionally, of the 200 breweries in the state, few are owned by women or people of color, WCCO-TV mentions. “The...
Shonda Rhimes has landed on the cover of TIME’s first issue for 2022. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TIME (@time) In the exclusive interview, the creator of such modern classics as “Scandal” and “Bridgerton” talked about the road less traveled that she took to get to Hollywood. Did you know, for example, that she got her start in scriptwriting, where she penned such films as “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge” which starred Halle Berry in the title role? Or, did you know that hers was the pen behind the 2002 cult classic, “Crossroads,” featuring one Britney Jean Spears? Shonda Rhimes pivoted to television in the early 2000s, shortly after the 9/11 attacks — and after she adopted her eldest daughter (who is now in college) without having a co-parent. Her first partnership was with Betsy Beers, and it’s a partnership that continues to this day. But, she said, one of the first things she did was deploy “color-blind” casting, which is how “Grey’s Anatomy” (her second-ever...
Wu-Tang Clan legend RZA is the latest to partner with Calm for a project. In an exclusive interview with Rolling Stone, the god revealed how his partnership with the mindfulness meditation app was part and parcel of his larger world view. “I say meditation is better than medication,” he said to the outlet while explaining that he also practices veganism and meditation as part of a holistic approach to health. “A lot of equations I had to figure out in life came to me through long walks. There was a point when people thought I was bugged out…Right before Wu-Tang had really gathered, I’d walk [on] Staten Island. I’d walk through all the neighborhoods and people would look at me and think I was talking to myself and shit. But I was contemplating. I was calculating.” The “King of the Sleeping City” — narrated by LeBron James — is actually the second project that RZA released in the so-called “mindfulness space.” The first, an EP called “Guided Explorations,” was released in partnership...
Hip-Hop’s Run The Jewels, comprised of Killer Mike and El-P, are making entrepreneurial moves as a duo with their new craft beer. Run The Jewels’ three new beer collaborations is a partnership with Black-owned breweries including Proximity Brewing, Spaceway Brewing and Green Bench Brewing Co., to expand their brand. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Run The Jewels (@runthejewels) The group is currently collaborating with over 20 breweries from all over the world to create their quality beer. Their first ale “Stay Gold” started their track record off at a solid ranking as it was voted 2017’s “IPA of the Year” by Draft Magazine. According to Pitchfork, each beer — “Never Look Back,” “All Due Respect” and “Blockbuster Night Pt.1” — are named after Run The Jewels’ songs. Plus, partial proceeds from “Never Look Back” will go to Beer Kulture — a nonprofit working to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the craft beer industry. In addition, partial proceeds from “All Due...
Despite the modern misconception that the beer business is a business for white men and their “craft IPAs” in a Brooklyn basement, Rhythm Brewing Co. owner Alisa Bowens-Mercado is aware of the spirits’ true history, both in her personal life and in the greater pop culture zeitgeist. “For me, the history of beer is what’s important,” she told AfroTech. “Women were the original beer brewers — and, sure, yes, let’s take it all the way back to Ancient Egypt, and how beer was incorporated in sacred ceremonies. But even in my own life, you know, my grandmothers were beer drinkers — so when I decided to create this company for my own, I knew I had to honor both the history of beer, itself, and beer’s history in my own family.” Alisa Bowens-Mercado, a native of Connecticut, created her Rhythm Brewing Co. beers almost as a greater extension of herself, too. While she’s made history as the first Black woman to brew beer in the state of Connecticut — and one of only a handful of women, let...
Adrienne Freeman, a merchant at Walmart, went on the hunt to find a craft beer to stock the shelves of the retail super-giant. Like many merchants in her position, she went on Instagram to find potential new products, and came across Marcus Baskerville, co-founder and head brewer at Weathered Souls Brewing Co., a Black-owned craft brewery based out of San Antonio, Texas. “In a market where there are over 8,000 breweries in the US, yet fewer than 70 of them are Black-owned breweries, this was something that immediately caught my eye,” Freeman told AfroTech. “Their portfolio showcased a brewer who was clear on their brand personality, keen on the types of high growth styles the market is demanding, and had figured out their specialty and gained a strong reputation for it. On top of making good liquid, they mastered the marketing component by creating product names that made you want to stop and check out their lineup. I knew they had all of the elements that Walmart customers would be...
In a recent announcement made by Cypress Hill frontman B-Real, the rapper will be releasing his own line of cannabis-infused beer in partnership with Atlanta-based brewing company SweetWater Brewery. B-Real’s Insane OG has officially been added to SweetWater’s selection of 420 beers which include Chocolope Stout, Mango Kush, Hop Hash Easy IPA, and more. Insane OG, which is described as an intense Mexican lager, is named after Cypress Hill’s 1993 hit single, “Insane In The Membrane”. “We’re going to attempt to get our flavor into the beer,” B-Real said while visiting the brewery. “A little bit of that experience in a bottle. The Insane experience in a bottle.” Visit sweetwaterbrew.com/find to find Insane OG near you.
Over the last few years, Detroit evolved from the birthplace of music and auto-manufacturing to an emerging leader of technology and innovation. The city has also been host to a few heavy hitters in the tech arena, such as AfroTech Detroit, TechTown Detroit and, Backstage Capital Detroit startup accelerator, to name a few. Even better, a 2019 Detroit Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Report revealed an increasing network of resources for founders, creative entrepreneurs, and investors. “As entrepreneurs are growing their businesses, they have access to a network of resources including mentors, research institutions for product development and funding to reach their next critical company milestone,” according to the report . Now, you might be asking, “How do I connect and build relationships with who’s who in the city?” Whether you’re a Detroit native, new to the city, or planning a visit, here are a few ways to find your tech tribe in Detroit: Join the Online Conversation Trying to use...
Coca-Cola may be eyeing the marijuana industry, specifically drinks infused with CBD — the non-psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. The company is currently in talks with Aurora Cannabis, a Canadian marijuana producer, to develop the drinks, according to BNN Bloomberg TV . Aurora’s CEO Terry Booth said the company has spoken to at least three other beverage companies about making cannabis-infused drinks. Aurora’s stock jumped up to 23 percent on Monday, leveling off at $8. Other drink companies are also looking into investing in cannabis drinks. Constellation Brands Inc., the maker of Corona beers, announced that it is investing an additional $3.8 billion into Canadian cannabis producer Canopy Growth Corp, according to CNBC. Marijuana is still illegal on a federal level. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly 60 percent of Americans support the legalization of marijuana, but black Americans are more likely to feel its consequences. The American Civil Liberties Union said that...