Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream, a philanthropic program aimed at providing mentorship and access to capital to food and beverage entrepreneurs nationwide, recently announced the winner of its 12th Brewing & Business Experienceship. Chicago’s Funkytown Brewery is welcomed to the coveted class of emerging craft brewers to receive support and unique experiences on behalf of Samuel Adams.
The Brewing & Business Experienceship is an annual program that invites craft brewers nationwide to apply for the chance to win unparalleled access to brewing and business resources from experts at Samuel Adams, including founder and brewer Jim Koch. One lucky craft brewer is selected to come to the Samuel Adams Boston Brewery, work side-by-side with a team of mentors and collaborate on a specialty beer with Samuel Adams. The winner will also travel to the preeminent craft beer event of the year, the Great American Beer Festival, to shadow and experience alongside Samuel Adams.
For the second year in a row, the Brewing & Business Experienceship was deliberated in-person by a crowd of beer lovers and judges at the Crafting Dreams Beer Bash. This special event, held on Friday, June 23rd in New York City, gathered Funkytown Brewery and five other finalists from across the country to sample a beer of their choice and share their unique business stories live. The event was a true showcase of the breadth of Brewing the American Dream’s support for small food and beverage businesses, featuring local food vendors within the network such as Harlem Chocolate Factory, Bridge’s Kitchen, Jikonikwenu, SAMBUXA and more.
Proudly Black-owned, Funkytown Brewery was founded by childhood and lifelong friends Rich Bloomfield, Zack Day and Greg Williams who share a passion for their hometown of Chicago and home brewing. Largely influenced by the Chicago craft scene and 90’s hip hop and R&B, Funkytown Brewery started home-brewing in a family garage. The brewery later launched in 2021 with a mission to introduce craft beer to underserved communities and provide a deeper understanding of different beer styles, tasting notes, aromas and colors. Today, Funkytown Brewery aims to serve craft beer deserts and add diversity and representation to the shelves of established retailers.
“We are so proud to announce Funkytown Brewery as our latest Experienceship winner,” said Jim Koch, Founder and Brewer of Samuel Adams. “Not only was their signature ‘Hip-Hops and R&Brew’ a standout among voters at the Crafting Dreams Beer Bash, but their mission of expanding the craft beer community to underserved groups really resonated with us. When I started Samuel Adams, educating drinkers was key, and the dedication Rich, Zack and Greg show in sharing their knowledge with all is a reminder of the passion that will always keep the movement alive.”
“Winning Brewing the American Dream’s Brewing & Business Experienceship feels amazing at this stage of our business as we are taking the next steps to expand operations and increase awareness of our brand,” said Rich Bloomfield, Funkytown Cofounder. “We’ve been around since October 2021, so working directly with Sam Adams provides validation, exposure, and mentorship that will help us successfully transition Funkytown to the next level.”
In the months ahead, Funkytown Brewery will join Samuel Adams in Denver for the Great American Beer Festival and in Boston to craft a special collaboration brew. Details on release date and availability in respective taprooms within Boston and Chicago will follow.
For more information on Brewing the American Dream, visit www.brewingtheamericandream.com.
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