What started as a fun activity for her and her husband to do during the pandemic in 2020, turned into something much much more. Brittany, a registered nurse, and mom of two, fell in love with homebrewing. She and her husband Sheldon began experimenting and inviting friends over to try their beers. After receiving such a positive response as well as awards through various homebrewing competitions, they decided to take a chance and release their beers commercially under the name Black Beauty Brewery. So far two beers have been released including the Bloody Orange Saison and White Chocolate Dream Blonde Stout in Prince George’s County, Maryland, which also makes them the second Black-owned brewery within the area. With plans to release more beers soon and distribute in other parts of the US, Brittany is focused on expanding their footprint and creating a variety of brews that all would want to enjoy. 

Learn more in our conversation below with Brittany and check out where you can find Black Beauty Brewery’s beers by going to BlackBeautyBrewery.net and follow along on Instagram @BlackBeautyBrewery.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Ethnicity: African American 

Homebase: Bowie, Maryland 

Instagram: @blackbeautybrewery 

Tell us about your journey in brewing:

My journey into the brewing world began after my husband was laid off. It started off as just a fun idea to pass the time during the pandemic however we really developed a love for the craft. It allowed us to get closer and work together as a team to create flavors that not only we enjoyed, but our friends and family did as well. After entering home brewing competitions and winning awards we realized we created something worth sharing with the world. We recently released our Bloody Orange Saison and it’s currently doing very well. We look forward to releasing more various styles and could benefit from financial assistance as well as tips to further the development of our brand. 

How did you get into brewing? What inspired you to do so?

I actually started getting into the brewing industry after my dislike for every beer my husband brought home. I brought the idea to him about us making our own beer in hopes that we’d be able to create one that I’d actually enjoy. From that point on we continued to homebrew and share with friends and family, and they all seemed to really enjoy our recipes. After submitting samples into a few homebrewing competitions and actually winning awards we decided to take it to the next level and that is how Black Beauty Brewery was created. We wanted to create beverages that are enjoyable for everyone, even a person that is not typically a beer drinker.

“After submitting samples into a few homebrewing competitions and actually winning awards we decided to take it to the next level and that is how Black Beauty Brewery was created. We wanted to create beverages that are enjoyable for everyone, even a person that is not typically a beer drinker.”

What is something you’re proud of in your craft beer journey so far?

It’s so fulfilling to see our product on restaurant menus and liquor store shelves, knowing that this all started from my kitchen. Never in my wildest dreams did I think in such a short amount of time so much progress would be made.

How will you use this grant opportunity to further your craft beer journey?

This grant opportunity will help with production of more amazing beer from Black Beauty Brewery. We look forward to releasing more various styles and could benefit from financial assistance as well as tips to further the development of our brand. 

Would you like to share more about any other work or jobs you have, projects you’re working on, volunteer work, hobbies or any other interests? If so, please do so below.

I’m a registered nurse, mom of two. I love to swim and love to travel.

Is there a mantra or quote you live by?

“If you’re strong in the mind, your body will follow.”

Any favorite brews or other beverages you enjoy? Breweries or bars that are your favorite that you’d like to share?

When I’m not drinking Bloody Orange Saison or White Chocolate Dream I will typically have a Blue Moon, Sloop Juice Bomb IPA, or a Woodchuck hard cider. My favorite brewery would definitely be Patuxent Brewing Company. They’ve been extremely supportive during this journey, and they have great beer and seltzers.

Check out Black Beauty Brewery’s latest releases by going to BlackBeautyBrewery.net