Greenbrier Valley Brewing & PRIDE

It’s widely recognized today that in order to maintain a healthy industry, we need to broaden the appeal of craft beer to more people — to more parts of our society. And it’s not just about business. Welcoming all ethnicities, all colors, and all genders and making them part of your brewing culture is the right thing to do.

In West Virginia, Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company (GVBC) has definitely become the leader among our brewing community in promoting inclusiveness as part of its business operations. They are not afraid to publicly do more than any other to recognize the importance of all people.

Brewery Director Alex Durand put it this way: “Diversity is a necessity for growth, creativity, innovation, and sustainability. All of which are essential to running a successful business. When you brew any beer you’re borrowing from other cultures and traditions. Beer is global. We all need to be global citizens and much as we are West Virginians.”

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Embracing all humans

Since we are in the midst of national Pride Month, which recognizes the culture and achievements of the LGBTQ+ community, I wanted to know more about how GVBC is addressing this. I asked folks at Greenbrier Valley Brewing about how diversity and providing a welcoming atmosphere to all people of all genders fits into the brewery’s business philosophy.

Kandyce Kirk, a GVBC brewer, feels the brewery’s inclusion efforts enhance the their creativity and productivity, and adds, “Community and quality are enhanced when providing a welcoming workspace. In a time where these things are challenged, it’s even more important to show that as an industry we support all and embrace all humans.” 

Greenbrier Pride

To recognize and honor Pride Month, GVBC produced a special beer for its small-batch Pathfinder Series. Maynard’s Best Sour Ale is named for one of the first documented Transfolk in Greenbrier County, who lived there in the late 1800’s. Kandyce Kirk, who originated and brewed Maynard’s Best, explains that the beer fits well the Pathfinder Series criteria of those leading a way for others to follow.

Kandyce describes Maynard’s Best as having a strong nose of strawberries with a mild lemon scent and having the taste of lightly sweetened lemonade. The beer is being distributed to several bars in Lewisburg and will be featured for the after-parties on June 25th, the day of Lewisburg’s pride parade and festival, which are organized by the Greenbrier Valley Pride group.

“As a member of the queer community, working with Greenbrier Valley Pride was an easy choice,” Kandyce said. “This group excels in making safe spaces for others to be as they are. The idea behind a joint effort with this community based group is to provide a stance of unity, security, and awareness.”

Beyond brewing Maynard’s Best, GVBC made a donation to Greenbrier Valley Pride and is also collecting donations at the brewery taproom to pass along to the group.

LINKS

More on Maynard Best from the Greenbrier Historical Society
Greenbrier Valley Pride website