EP-351 Ale Sharpton of Cruisin' for a Brewsin'
If you\u2019ve spent a significant time in the beer community, then you probably have heard the name Ale Sharpton. Back when I was a fledgling beer writer and looking for a mentor, I stumbled across Ale\u2019s work and immediately knew I needed to meet him. One unanswered email later, which I still tease him about, and we finally met at the inaugural Dames & Dregs Beer Festival.\xa0
Since bombarding him with questions on how to break into the industry, Ale has been in my corner supporting me as I find my own way in beer. And he continues to serve as a model of what you can accomplish in the beer industry, through his partnership with New Belgium Brewing on the ongoing Piano Keys collaboration, as well as his involvement in the newly founded Leaders of the Brew School (a collective of BIPOC brewers, beer industry pros, and enthusiasts).\xa0
Despite being a transplant, one thing\u2019s clear: Ale Sharpton loves Atlanta and its growing beer scene as much as this local. You can see it in the way he\u2019s repped this city for more than a decade. In how he makes it a point to support the people and breweries that make up its beer community, or in how he uses every chance to give back to the city through his charitable contributions. You\u2019ll hear him talk about how the beer city he dreamed of is blossoming now, where his journey into the industry has taken him so far, and how he turned a beer collab with New Belgium into an opportunity to donate to Black-owned nonprofits.