Introducing ‘Brewing for Impact’, an International Collaboration Bringing Breweries Together to Showcase the Power of Ancient African Grain, Fonio

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, April 24, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In an industry first, breweries from around the world have joined forces in an innovative initiative to produce beer using the versatile, ancient West African grain, fonio.

Thriving in West Africa for over 5,000 years, and widely used in African cooking, fonio has huge untapped brewing potential as it is drought resistant, and requires no irrigation, pesticides, or fertilisers.

The ‘Brewing for Impact’ initiative sees breweries from seven countries, including global industry leaders like Brooklyn Brewery, Carlsberg and Guinness, coming together to create a series of limited-edition beers that will spotlight fonio's remarkable qualities and is the creation of Brooklyn Brewery’s multi-award winning Brewmaster, Garrett Oliver, who pioneered fonio brewing in 2019.

It comes as Oliver celebrates his 30th anniversary with Brooklyn Brewery, where, for over three decades, he has continued to be a beacon of innovation in the craft beer movement, skilfully blending his passion for crafting exceptional beers with a steadfast commitment to social change within the industry and beyond.

Oliver explains: "In some ways ‘Brewing For Impact’ is the most important work I've ever done. If what we've started truly catches hold in the industry, we will hopefully start seeing the wider use of a grain that has no need for irrigation, fertilisers, pesticides or other chemical inputs.

“It also supports soil regeneration while providing a vital source of income for thousands of smallholder farms in West Africa, which are predominantly female-led – all while making some really fantastic beers. What more can you ask for?"

‘Brewing for Impact’ is rooted in Oliver’s belief in beer's power to unite people, cultures, communities and traditions. Embracing this vision, he has mobilised a diverse coalition of brewing partners alongside Brooklyn Brewery, including Maison Kalao from Senegal, Thornbridge from the UK, Omnipollo from Sweden, Carlsberg from Denmark, Russian River from the US, Jing-A from China, and Guinness – each tasked with crafting a unique beer made with fonio.

Rolling out throughout 2024, the series of limited-edition beers will spotlight fonio's remarkable qualities and potential to drive positive change, and a more sustainable future, with each respective brewery contributing its own expertise and creativity to the lineup.

The ‘Brewing for Impact’ series of collaborations will also be showing their support for The Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling, an organisation founded by Garrett Oliver himself. The Foundation, which is dedicated to funding scholarship awards for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) within the brewing and distilling trades, will receive a portion of the proceeds from all the beer released under this campaign.

Garrett's brewing exploration with fonio was inspired by esteemed Senegalese Chef Pierre Thiam, whose pioneering food company Yolélé has played a pivotal role in introducing fonio to the Western world. Captivated by Thiam's TED talk, Oliver saw the potential of fonio – cultivated in West Africa for over 5,000 years and recently celebrated as part of the UN's "year of the millet” – and embarked on a mission to create beers with the grain that not only taste exceptional, but also contribute to a more sustainable and equitable food system.

His advocacy for fonio underscores its environmental resilience, nutritional profile, and its role in supporting rural African communities. Fonio, known as the "seed of the universe," thrives in nutrient-poor soil in the arid regions near the Sahel Desert where other crops fail, without the need for fertilisers or pesticides.

Through the ‘Brewing for Impact’ campaign, Oliver seeks to highlight fonio's adaptability and its role in ushering in a brewing future centred on sustainability and social awareness. The widespread interest from breweries around the globe in joining this campaign underscores the recognition of Oliver's substantial contributions to craft beer and his mission, and it encourages the global community of beer enthusiasts to both celebrate the legacy of a brewing pioneer, while looking forward to the promising role of fonio in the future of brewing.

For more information about ‘Brewing for Impact’, please visit brooklynbrewery.com.

Eve Salmon
Richmond & Towers
eve@rtc.london