Oak Park Brewing Co. brews Peoples Beer to honor the legacy of the first African American brewery owner Mr. Theodore Mack Sr.
Brewed using the original recipe of the first Black owned brewery.
Sacramento, CA, August 28, 2020 – On August 28, Oak Park Brewing Co. released Peoples Beer to honor the legacy of Mr. Theodore Mack Sr., the first African American brewery owner. Mr. Mack picked cotton in the fields of Alabama and rose to become a civil rights giant. In 1970, he purchased Peoples Brewing Co. to provide employment opportunities in minority communities and brew beer for the people – Peoples Beer.
Oak Park Brewing Co. has partnered with Mr. Ted Mack II to create this historic collaboration. Mr. Mack II says the family is overjoyed by the Peoples Beer collaboration being a “continuation of their legacy.” Mr. Mack Sr. was a leader of CORE, the Congress of Racial Equality, he served on multiple civil rights organizations and led a group to the 1963 March on Washington.
OPB is honored to continue the story of Peoples Beer. “We want to tell the right story and we got the right guy to tell it,” says Rodg Little, OPB brewer. Today Mr. Mack’s story is commemorated and will be heard again and again with every can.
With the help of Mr. Mack II, OPB followed the original recipe when brewing Peoples Beer. Peoples Beer is a light, crisp lager you can drink year-round. “This batch is going to go by really quick,” says Rodg, but OPB has already brewed the next batch to release in October at the 50th celebration of Peoples Beer.
Peoples Beer will be distributed throughout the Sacramento area with plans to further its reach in the coming months. Mr. Mack II said his father brewed Peoples Beer for all people, “Peoples Beer is not a Black beer or a White beer. It’s a Peoples beer.” OPB’s mission is to get Peoples Beer to the people.