Brave Noise Beer is a nationwide collaboration with an important mission. It’s designed to advocate for safe spaces and inclusive environments for women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+.
Of the 80+ craft breweries participating thus far, Wasatch Brewery is Utah’s sole representative (so far), according to BraveNoiseBeer.com. Nils Imboden, head brewer at the Park City brewery, plans to brew the beer next week. Release date TBD.
The initiative aims to maintain focus on the beer industry’s #MeToo reckoning. The movement started in May when Brienne Allan, who at the time worked as a production manager at Notch Brewing in Massachusetts, posed a question on her Instagram.
“What sexist comments have you experienced?”
It ignited a firestorm of responses and sent shockwaves through craft beer. Allan received (and shared) hundreds of comments referencing gender discrimination, sexual assault and harassment, and racism in the industry.
The post led to short-term consequences, but Brave Noise strives to create lasting change.
“The Brave Noise collaboration is meant to provide awareness and create action for safe and inclusive environments in the beer industry,” says Allan, in a news release. “I hope breweries join us in advocating for change and develop resources to best support industry professionals and customers for a better (beer) world.”
Update (9/17/21): It sounds like Wasatch is planning to have its Brave Noise beer available starting Oct. 1 on draft at Wasatch Brewpub in Park City.
Update #2 (10/7/21): Wasatch brewed the beer on Sept. 8 and is now waiting on the “code of conduct” piece to be settled. Representatives are estimating Brave Noise Pale Ale will be available by the third week of October, on draft at Wasatch Brewpub in Park City and at the West Side Tavern in Salt Lake. Keep an eye on Wasatch’s social media for updates.
Additionally, it appears two more breweries — Salt Flats and Uinta — have signed on to brew Brave Noise Beer, according to BraveNoiseBeer.com. The total number of breweries participating has now topped 115.
About the Initiative
Breweries around the country are banding together to brew a 4.5% ABV pale ale. The campaign also asks that participating breweries make their code of conduct policies easily accessible to the public.
“It’s a “collaboration with a big goal,” organizers say. “A safe and discrimination-free beer industry.”
For additional background, the June issue of the Utah Beer News e-newsletter included a link to a story from Brewbound. The article chronicled a “tidal wave of sexual harassment allegations and toxicity in craft beer.”
This week, Allan resigned from Notch Brewing “to take some time for much needed mental health recovery after the last four months,” she wrote on Instagram.
Brave Noise Beer joins the lineup of other cause-focused collabs, such as last year’s Black is Beautiful and All Together.
Brave Noise: More Than Beer
To participate in the Brave Noise Beer collaboration, breweries must make a series of commitments:
- Submit their code of conduct to BraveNoiseBeer.com
- Publicly post their code of conduct and resources available for staff and customers via their website, QR code and/or signage at their physical location
- Commit to the long-term work and make a donation to a verified non-profit organization that best reflects the mission of this initiative
Once the qualifications are met, breweries will receive the recipe to brew.
Homebrewers and beer drinkers are invited to get involved in the initiative as well. Additional information is available on BraveNoiseBeer.com.
