• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • About Craft Brewing Business

Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

Craft Brewing Business Craft Brewing Business
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment & Systems
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • COVID-19

Meet Mosaic State Brewers Collective, a diversity-focused craft beer mentorship program

March 29, 2021Chris Crowell

Mosaic State Brewers Collective

As a well-known African proverb says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go  together.” The newly formed Mosaic State Brewers Collective, a collaboration between Reuben’s Brews and Métier Brewing  Company to develop diverse leadership for the brewing industry, was inspired by that proverb when defining the program’s  empowering motto: Go Far, Go Together. 

Launching this summer and driven by Reuben’s Co-Founder and Director of the Reuben’s Brews Foundation Grace Robbings and Métier Brewing Co. General Manager Dreux Dillingham [pictured above], the ambitious Mosaic State Brewers Collective offers an insightful curriculum, practical experience, and authentic mentorship that will open opportunities for historically underrepresented groups, ultimately enriching the culture and broadening the perspective of the brewing industry to better represent the diverse communities of which it is an essential part. 

“Informal mentorship has long played an important role in the craft brewing industry,” said Dr. J Jackson-Beckham (she/her/Dr.), the Equity & Inclusion Partner for the Brewers Association and Principal of Crafted For all. “Formalizing  mentoring relationships will help us to strategically remove barriers to access and advancement and extend opportunities to  underrepresented and marginalized groups.” 

According to a 2019 report from the Brewers Association, 88% of the people who own craft breweries are white while only 4% are American Indian or Alaska Native, 2% are Asian, 2%  are Hispanic, and just 1% are Black. 

Beginning in June and limited to 10 participants, the program will take place over the course of three distinct levels:

  • Do I have  a place in this industry?
  • Where is my place in this industry?
  • How can I become a leader in this industry?

In addition to Grace and Dreux, participants will receive invaluable guidance from an inspiring group of mentors selected from each sector of the beer community and adjacent retail and manufacturing businesses. Mentors include:

  • Brewmaster and Pink Books Society Leader Annie Johnson,
  • Reuben’s Co-Founder Adam Robbings,
  • Stoup Brewing Co-Founder/Brewer Robyn Schumacher, 
  • Georgetown Brewing Co-Founder Manny Chao, and
  • Métier Brewing CEO Rodney Hines among several other industry leaders.

The curriculum is also rich with hands-on experience covering everything from recipe design to brewing, cellaring,  packaging, marketing, and sales. The final level focuses on business planning and management skills in partnership with the Consulting & Business Development Center at University of Washington’s Foster School of Business.  

“Seeing yourself reflected in the work you choose to do and having peers or mentors to lean on in order to grow is an  important part of being successful,” said Dillingham. “It’s something I didn’t have early on in my own career and being able  to provide that opportunity as an entry point for the future leaders of this industry is what we are passionate about. MBC is  proud to collaborate with Reuben’s to create a more inclusive craft beer community for all.” 

Fundraising beer

To raise awareness and essential funds for this vital new program, Reuben’s and Métier are together releasing Ombili IPA, a  citrusy West Coast IPA that bounces with bright aromas of tangerine and a layered hop profile featuring Citra, Sabro, and  Azacca hops. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of Ombili IPA will support the Mosaic State Brewers Collective.

Production of the beer was made possible by generous donations from Gambrinus Malting, Skagit Valley Malting, Haas, Roy  Farms, and the Kennedy Group.

The artwork adorning the Ombili (pronounced “ohm-bee-lee”) IPA cans was inspired by the vibrant fabrics used by the  people of Namibia, where Grace served with the Peace Corps as a volunteer teacher. “In the local Oshiwambo dialect of the  area of northern Namibia where I lived and worked, ‘Ombili’ means peace, harmony and all good things,” said Robbings. “It  was so imbued in all interactions that the word came to be used in greetings and farewells, similar to how ‘Aloha’ is used. 

Dreux and I chose this name because the power of peace and reconciliation is a driving force of the work we’re doing through the Mosaic State Brewers Collective.” 

Hard-Seltzer-bar Thirsty Monk
Three creative craft brewery taproom expansion concepts
ReubensEats2
Reuben’s Brews expands on site with, you guessed it, Reuben’s Eats
Rubens Brews
Reuben’s Brews begins brewing at new facility in Seattle’s Ballard District
Reuben's Brews Hop Idol Homebrew Medals cbb crop
Reuben’s Brews’ third annual Hop Idol Homebrew Contest is now open for entries

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • Cadaverine: When your beer smells like dead human
  • Unfiltered: There are weevils in my grain – what do I do?
  • Festo takes new approach with VZXA angle seat valves
  • People news: Industry icon John Mallett steps down from Bell’s + moves from Craft ‘Ohana, BrewDog USA and more

Sign up for our newsletter

unsubscribe from list

Most Popular Today

Recent Features

  • Cadaverine: When your beer smells like dead human
    January 26, 2023
  • beer taps brain distribution cbb cropUnfiltered: There are weevils in my grain – what do I do?
    January 26, 2023
  • People news: Industry icon John Mallett steps down from Bell’s + moves from Craft ‘Ohana, BrewDog USA and more
    January 25, 2023
  • Premium beer products were one of the top growth markets of 2022, says IWSR 
    January 23, 2023
  • Fair State Brewing Cooperative launches Minnesota’s first cannabis beverage fulfillment, copacking and distribution center
    January 23, 2023
  • Fat-Tire-cansFat Tire and other craft beer legacy brand updates to know in 2023
    January 17, 2023

Footer

  • Email Newsletter Sign Up
  • About Craft Brewing Business
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise on Craft Brewing Business
  • Media Kit Download
  • Privacy and Terms

© 2023 · CBB Media LLC