VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Smartmouth Brewing announced in December that it will begin brewing Brave Noise Pale Ale as part of an international collaboration supporting women, Black and Indigenous people of color and LGBT people throughout the beer industry.
The founders of the Brave Noise collaboration say it's about providing inclusive, safe environments and standing in solidarity with survivors of gender discrimination, racism, sexual assault and harassment within the industry.
"Being a part of this collaboration and movement gets to the heart of who we are at Smartmouth," Porter Hardy, co-founder and president of Smartmouth Brewing. "We have several women in management roles, actually they outnumber the men, and constantly strive to be a place that listens to and respects all individuals. Regardless of race, gender or sexuality, we are all people and deserve respect and a safe environment. It is time for our industry to get on the forefront of this important and necessary change."
Smartmouth will donate 25 percent of the proceeds from selling Brave Noise Pale Ale to the YWCA of South Hampton Roads "to aid in their work strengthening social movements that eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice and dignity for all."
In addition, the brewery will post its code of conduct in its tasting rooms, along with the promise to hold all employees, vendors, partners and visitors to those standards.
Smartmouth joins four other Virginia breweries, including Oozlefinch Beers and Blending in Hampton, in brewing Brave Noise.
To learn more about the Brave Noise collaboration, click here.
