Funkytown Brewery has been named the winner of the 12th annual Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream Brewing & Business Experienceship.
The Black-owned Chicago-based craft brewery joined five other finalists in New York City on June 23 at the Crafting Dreams Beer Bash to share their stories and sample their beer to a crowd of judges and beer enthusiasts. The company was represented by its three founders: Rich Bloomfield, Zach Day and Greg Williams.
Through the experienceship, Funkytown will now have “unparalleled access to brewing and business resources from experts,” according to a press release. The trio are also invited to the Samuel Adams Boston brewery to collaborate on a specialty beer and will receive a trip to the Brewers Association’s Great American Beer Festival this fall in Denver, Colorado.
“Not only was their [Funkytown] signature Hip-Hops and R&Brew a standout among voters at the Crafting Dreams Beer Bash, but their mission of expanding the craft beer community to underserved groups really resonated with us,” Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch said in the release. “When I started Samuel Adams, educating drinkers was key, and the dedication Rich, Zach and Greg show in sharing their knowledge with all is a reminder of the passion that will always keep the movement alive.”
Bloomfield, Day and Williams, who are also childhood friends, began homebrewing in 2017 and officially launched Funkytown in October 2021 through the Pilot Project, a Chicago-based brewery incubator. The trio were inspired to make community-focused beer and now aim “to serve craft beer deserts and add diversity and representation to the shelves of established retailers,” according to the release.
“Winning Brewing the American Dream’s Brewing & Business Experienceship feels amazing at this stage of our business as we are taking the next steps to expand operations and increase awareness of our brand,” Bloomfield said in the release. “We’ve been around since October 2021, so working directly with Sam Adams provides validation, exposure, and mentorship that will help us successfully transition Funkytown to the next level.”
Funkytown and its founders are no strangers to award winning. The brewery won Brewbound Live’s 13th annual Pitch Slam Competition in 2021. And last fall, Day was named one of the winners of the Michael James Jackson Foundation’s Sir Geoff Palmer Award for Brewing.
You can rewatch Funkytown’s Brewbound Live Pitch Slam final round here. The trio also joined the Brewbound Podcast in April 2022 to discuss expanding craft communities (available to listen here).
Bloomfield also returned to the Brewbound Live stage in 2022 to discuss the importance of crafting a strong brand identity, chatting with Talea Beer Co. co-founder LeAnn Darland and Shojo Beer Co. co-owner Haidar Hachem. Rewatch that panel here.