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Bringing Change to Diversity in the Beer Industry

A look at the expanding struggle to make craft beer more inclusive.

John Holl Oct 9, 2019 - 8 min read

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There have been a lot of conversations about diversity in craft beer over the past few years—specifically about how the industry needs to be more inclusive and expand its consumer base beyond the middle-aged white men (beards optional) who make up the majority of sales. Steps have been taken by the Brewers Association as well as individual breweries. Notable are the creation of a diversity committee and the hiring of J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham, PhD—better known as "Dr. J"—as diversity ambassador.

But everyone involved with and committed to the cause knows there is still a long way to go.

Citing a recent Harris Poll study, Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson compared numbers between 2015 and 2018 when it came to race and ethnicity among craft drinkers.

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John Holl is the author of Drink Beer, Think Beer: Getting to the Bottom of Every Pint, and has worked for both Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine® and All About Beer Magazine.

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