Peoples Beer Releases Special Women’s History Month Brew in Honor of Patsy Young, Fugitive from Slavery and Early American Brewer
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Peoples Beer releases The Fugitive Brewer Historic Ale in honor of Patsy Young, Fugitive from Slavery and American Brewer. This historic ale is brewed in collaboration with Celeste Beatty, Brewer and Founder, Harlem Brew South, Rocky Mount, NC.
Patsy Young was an enslaved African American woman who challenged the bonds of slavery in North Carolina in 1808. With Unwavering courage, she escaped to freedom and embarked on an extraordinary path as a brewer, shaping her legacy one batch of beer at a time. Patsy’s brewing enabled her to maintain her independence as a free Black woman for nearly 15 years. Although captured in 1823, her resilience remained unbroken. On August 8, 1824, she reclaimed her freedom once more fueled by her passion for brewing.
This special beer release is a tribute to one of America’s early female brewers. The Fugitive Brewer Historic Ale offers a sensory voyage through time, skillfully brewed with molasses, honey, ginger, and Southern Loblolly Pine. Freedom You Can Taste!
Learn more about Patsy Young in this article by Theresa McCulla of the Smithsonian, Patsy Young — American Brewer, Fugitive From Slavery.
A NOTE OF GRATITUDE
Peoples Beer thanks Herb Ritts / AUGUST @august_image for granting use of the photo and extends heartfelt gratitude to Whoopi Goldberg for employing her likeness as a symbol of the unwavering determination and resilience embodied by Patsy Young, the Fugitive Brewer.
ABOUT HARLEM BREWING CO.
Conceived in the summer of 2016, Harlem Brew South (HBS) launched as a satellite brewery extension of Harlem Brewing Company (founded by Celeste Beatty in 2000 in Harlem, NY) at the Rocky Mount Mills in Eastern NC. In the summer of 2020, Celeste along with her brothers Carl Beatty and Pernell Beatty, moved into a historic tobacco warehouse in downtown Rocky Mount. Plans are underway to open the HBS Taproom & Brewery offering amazing beers that push the creative boundaries of craft and culture. Harlem Brew South is passionate about uplifting and connecting people through the joys of craft beer with a focus on creating gathering places that foster collaboration and celebrates community with an emphasis on education and equity.
Conceived in the summer of 2016, Harlem Brew South (HBS) launched as a satellite brewery extension of Harlem Brewing Company (founded by Celeste Beatty in 2000 in Harlem, NY) at the Rocky Mount Mills in Eastern NC. In the summer of 2020, Celeste along with her brothers Carl Beatty and Pernell Beatty, moved into a historic tobacco warehouse in downtown Rocky Mount. Plans are underway to open the HBS Taproom & Brewery offering amazing beers that push the creative boundaries of craft and culture. Harlem Brew South is passionate about uplifting and connecting people through the joys of craft beer with a focus on creating gathering places that foster collaboration and celebrates community with an emphasis on education and equity.
ABOUT PEOPLES BEER
Oak Park Brewing Co. revived the Peoples Beer brand in 2020 to honor the legacy of Mr. Theodore Mack Sr., the first African American to own and operate a brewery in America. Mr. Mack picked cotton in the fields of Alabama and rose to become a civil rights giant who stood for economic empowerment and racial equity. In 1970, he purchased Peoples Brewing Co. in Oshkosh, Wisconsin to provide employment opportunities in minority communities. Mr. Mack’s historic achievements helped pave the way for people of color in the brewing industry. www.peoplesbeer.com @peoplesbeerco
Oak Park Brewing Co. revived the Peoples Beer brand in 2020 to honor the legacy of Mr. Theodore Mack Sr., the first African American to own and operate a brewery in America. Mr. Mack picked cotton in the fields of Alabama and rose to become a civil rights giant who stood for economic empowerment and racial equity. In 1970, he purchased Peoples Brewing Co. in Oshkosh, Wisconsin to provide employment opportunities in minority communities. Mr. Mack’s historic achievements helped pave the way for people of color in the brewing industry. www.peoplesbeer.com @peoplesbeerco
ABOUT OAK PARK BREWING CO.
Oak Park Brewing Co. is a Black-owned brewery located in the historic neighborhood of Oak Park in Sacramento, California. At OPB, we are about the ABCs, which stands for (A)rt, (B)eer, and (C)ommUnity. We collaborate with local artists, we strive to brew quality beer, and we bring the community together to not only drink craft beer but to make a difference!