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The Alchemist Brewery Releases Action Plan To Combat Systemic Racism

This article is more than 3 years old.

In the wake of George Floyd’s death, many businesses made statements of solidarity with communities of color. One of the most powerful statements from within the beer industry came from Weathered Souls Brewing Company in San Antonio, Texas, which created the Black Is Beautiful Campaign. With their initiative, Weathered Souls got almost 1,000 breweries from around the world to brew the same beer, with proceeds going to organizations that support justice reform. One of these breweries was The Alchemist, a Vermont-based organization started by John and Jen Kimmich and creators of the world-famous Heady Topper.

However, unlike many breweries, The Alchemist took things a step further.

“We started to think long and hard about what can we do to put a dent in systemic racism,” says Jen Kimmich.

Along with Curtiss Reed and the Vermont Partnership on Fairness and Diversity, The Alchemist put together an action plan to make foundational change in their community.

What Is The Alchemist Brewery?

The Alchemist Brewery was started by John and Jen Kimmich as a pub and brewery in Waterbury, Vermont, in 2003. After flooding from Tropical Storm Irene put the pub out of business in 2011, John began tinkering with Heady Topper, one of the pub’s best known beers.

Commonly regarded as one of the best beers in the world, Heady Topper is perhaps singlehandedly responsible for the rise of the “New England” or “Hazy” IPA, and the success of the craft beer industry over the last decade. The beer launched an entrepreneurial revolution and made The Alchemist one of the country’s most famous breweries. 

Today, The Alchemist runs two facilities: a production space in Waterbury, Vermont, and a newly-minted visitor’s center in Stowe. 

How Has The Alchemist Brewery Historically Supported Justice?

Even before it became Vermont law, The Alchemist was engaged in water conservation efforts. When the state mandated that businesses could only put sixty-five pounds of biological oxygen demand down the drain per day, the Kimmich’s got the number down to twenty to thirty pounds at their facility in Waterbury. When they built their new facility and visitor center in Stowe, Vermont, they implemented cutting edge technology to get that number down to .2 pounds per day.

The Alchemist is a registered B Corp. The Kimmich’s also founded the The Alchemist Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit with the goal of expanding economic and educational opportunities for Vermont youth.

With recent awareness around issues of race and equitably in the beer industry, the Kimmich’s have worked to tackle issues of systemic racism in Vermont and beyond.

How Will The Alchemist Brewery Tackle Systemic Racism?

As a Certified B Corp, The Alchemist is legally required to consider their impact on workers, suppliers, community, and the environment. Over the past several months, they’ve worked with Curtiss Reed, Executive Director of the Vermont Partnership for Fairness and Diversity, to develop an action plan.

“When we went into our meetings with Curtiss, we had a plan to change hiring practices, to purchase from more black-owned vendors, and more,” says Jen Kimmich, co-founder of The Alchemist. “But Curtiss forced us to think bigger. Not in terms of money, but in terms of impact. Yes, you can increase your scholarships from 19 percent to 25 percent, but how much impact will that have? What if we thought about going into schools and changing the curriculum?”

The plan, which was released last week, focuses on three areas of strategic interest: ensuring anti-racist education in public schools, strengthening The Alchemist brand positioning within the multicultural marketplace, and positioning Vermont as a desirable destination for consumers of color.

What Is The Alchemist’s Action Plan?

In a post on their website, John and Jen Kimmich write, “The Alchemist aspires for everyone to live and thrive in an anti-racist society.”

Within their push for anti-racist education, The Alchemist has identified several action steps:

  1. Cultural enrichment programs that feature artists, authors, speakers, and musicians of African, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American heritages. (e.g. bring Stowe Jazz Festival groups to local schools). 
  2. Tickets and transportation costs for families of color in financial need to attend multicultural arts events in other Vermont towns.
  3. Stipends for residents of color to read books to elementary school students that feature characters of African, Asian, Hispanic, or Native American heritages. 
  4. An annual essay competition for tenth grade students on a topic related to anti-racism/racial justice. Grand prize will be a trip for the winner and one parent/ guardian to either the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC or The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice Montgomery, Alabama.
  5. An increase in our foundation’s scholarship awards to Vermonters of color and New American students to 25% in 2021.

In order to strengthen their brand position with racially diverse consumers, The Alchemist also has an action plan:

  1. Brew signature beers to raise funds for racial justice projects such as Black is Beautiful in collaboration with Weathered Souls Brewing or People Power to benefit the ACLU.
  2. Pay tribute to the Black trailblazers and leaders within the craft beer community all year long – not just during Black History Month.
  3. Continue to host the Stowe Jazz Festival.
  4. Launch a micro targeting campaign to affinity groups of color, particularly outdoor enthusiasts of color.
  5. Seek out opportunities to partner with organizations such as the National Brotherhood of Skiers, the National Black Marathoners Association, National Association of Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers Motorcycle Clubs, Major Taylor Bicycle Clubs, among other groups.
  6. Seek out opportunities to get coverage in the minority online, print, and broadcast media.
  7. Explore Juneteenth sponsorship opportunities with the Clemmons Family Farm in Charlotte, Vermont, a site on the Vermont African American Heritage Trail.
  8. Host a tasting event for the Vermont Professionals of Color Network.

Finally, in order to frame Vermont as a desirable destination for people of color, the Alchemist Brewery has identified several more action items:

  1. Underwrite the expansion of www.iamavermonter.org to include central Vermont.
  2. Update our recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and retention practices. Update our policies to strengthen inclusion and equity.
  3. Create and maintain database of minority vendors.
  4. Promote cultural tourism to the Vermont African American Heritage Trail.

The Bottom Line On The Alchemist Brewery’s Action Plan

Although the Alchemist’s action plan can provide a template for businesses around the country, Jen Kimmich acknowledges that “rural America has its own set of challenges.” 

“The plan can be replicated, but it’s really focused on Vermont and our community,” she says.

Still, even if other businesses can’t copy The Alchemist’s plan, they can take inspiration from the brewery’s will to action and desire for a more just and equitable future for Vermont and the craft beer industry.

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