The founder of Washington, D.C.’s popular beer company, Urban Garden Brewing, already broke new ground in 2021, when she became the first Black woman to lead a Black-woman-owned beer company in the district. Now, she has set her eyes on becoming the first in another way.
Eamoni Collier has been working to find the first Black woman-owned brewery in the nation’s capital (also known as Chocolate City), and from the looks of it, she’s well on her way.
The entrepreneur first began her career in the beer industry as a bartender at Right Proper and has since become a business owner of her own. She is now looking to close on a property in D.C.’s northeast region.
“So we’re just reaching out to our community like, ‘Hey, you’ve seen what we can do, you see the passion behind this, the people behind this.’ Now we’re just asking for the help to get us to that next point so we can make this dream come true,” Collier told WTOP about a crowd-funding initiative Right Proper created to help Collier achieve her goal.
According to her website, Urban Garden Brewing uses “recipes inspired by the ancient practices of Egyptian women, who, according to history, believed that beer had powerful healing properties. UGB pays tribute to these ancient traditions by crafting brews that are reminiscent of tea, with fragrant and flavorful combinations of flowers, herbs, and spices.”
Some of the brewery’s flavors include the delicious Chamolite, a warm mix of honey and chamomile, and Solar Return, inspired by the popular Caribbean drink Sorrel.
“I think a lot of people aren’t aware of how beer even started,” Collier said. “Beer started with women. We were the first brewers. And I think beer has come a long, long way from its roots, and it’s left a lot of people out. So I think it’s just important because there’s a whole world in craft beer, and I think it’s important that people are welcomed into the community to find their own passions.”
To date, Collier has raised $17,000 of her $20,000 goal. Let’s help her get to $20K by making a donation today!
