The Michael James Jackson Foundation (MJF) has awarded eight scholarships to beer industry professionals in its second round of grants aimed to help Black, Indigenous, and people of color advance in the brewing and distilling industries.
“For many years brewers and distillers have said ‘we just don’t see people of color applying for brewing and distilling jobs,’” Garrett Oliver, MJF founder and chairman, said in an Instagram post announcing the scholarship winners. “Well, they’re here. And more are coming.”
Candidates hoping to expand their education and careers were open to apply for two scholarship awards from August 2-13: the MJF Sir Geoff Palmer Scholarship for Brewing and the MJF Nearest Green Award for Distilling.
The scholarship program was launched earlier this year, with five recipients announced in April. The awards are funded in-part by a GoFundMe campaign, which has raised $106,245 from 108 donors. More than 500 people and companies have contributed in some manner to the foundation’s efforts, Oliver said in his post.
The latest recipients are listed below:
Felipe Bravo (R&D manager, Fort Point Beer Co.)
- MJF Sir Geoff Palmer Scholarship for Brewing
- Applying to the Master Brewing Program at UC Davis to help launch his nano brewery and food fermentation business Fox Tale Gementation Project
Francisco Garcia (founder and distiller, Strivers Row Distillery)
- MJF Nearest Green Award for Distilling
- Attending the Moonshine University Distiller’s Course
Timothy Green (pilot brewer, Starr Hill Brewery)
- MJF Sir Geoff Palmer Scholarship for Brewing
- TBD
Shalanda Jackson (assistant brewer, Village Brewing Co.)
- MJF Sir Geoff Palmer Scholarship for Brewing
- Enrolled at the University of the Sciences’ Brewing Science Certificate Program
Jelani Johnson (assistant distiller, Great Jones Distillery)
- MJF Nearest Green Award for Distilling
- TBD
Dedrick McFadden (brewer/cellarperson, various breweries)
- MJF Sir Geoff Palmer Award for Brewing
- Hopes to realize dream of opening a “truly diverse and inclusive brewery and taproom.”
Juleidy Peña Mejia (brewer, Notch Brewing Co.)
- MJF Sir Geoff Palmer Award for Brewing
- Enrolled in the Siebel WBA Concise Course in Brewing
Francisco Javier Rodriguez (brewer, Casa Humilde Cerveceria)
- MJF Sir Geoff Palmer Award for Brewing
- TBD
Scout Distributing Names New VP of Sales; Partners with Fate Brewing in AZ
San Diego-based Scout Distributing has named Phil MacNitt its new VP of sales.
In his new role, MacNitt will manage Scout’s San Diego and Orange County markets. Additionally, he will help lead the growth of the distributor’s brands across all channels.
“Working with Phil is something that we have wanted for quite a while and the timing felt perfect for him to come over and lead our sales department at Scout,” Jeff Hansson, Scout Distribution CEO, said in the release. “Finding a candidate that has a strong background in building brands and leading people is hard to come by, and we are thrilled for Phil to join the Scout family.”
After five years working sales at Escondido, California-based Stone Brewing, MacNitt spent more than eight years at San Diego-based Modern Times in various roles, including chief revenue officer and director of sales and marketing. While at Modern Times, MacNitt helped build the brewery’s sales organization, which in turn scaled the brewery to more than 70,000 barrels annually, according to the release.
“Path to market is sacred and it’s hard to find thoughtful and engaged stewards for brands in our current competitive landscape,” MacNitt said in the release. “Scout Distribution has shown a high level of care for their suppliers, and I look forward to building on that foundation.”
Additionally, Scout has added Scottsdale-based Fate Brewing Co. to its Arizona portfolio, effective November 1.
Scout will distribute Fate’s offerings — including its Fateful IPA, Buena Vista blonde ale, and Fatality IPA — statewide in Arizona.
“Scout has come into the market with a different approach to working with their brands,” Adam Schmeichel, Fate’s head brewer, said in a release. “They’re extremely hands-on and take a high level of ownership to ensure their supplier brands’ success. Equally as important, they have quickly earned a reputation for providing excellent customer service to their accounts behind a core group of experienced craft-beer industry veterans. With our recent expansion, I felt it was important to partner with a company that knows and understands how to scale a brewery. We can focus on brewing great beer and telling our story both in the restaurants and in the trade.”
BPI: Mid-50s Readings for October 2021 Suggests Beer Returning to Pre-Pandemic Trends
Beer distribution patterns for October 2021 “resemble the industry pre-pandemic,” despite continued supply chain constraints, according to the latest Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI) from the Nation Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA).
Total beer scored 52 for October 2021, consistent with mid-50s readings typical in October before 2020. A reading greater than 50 indicates expansion, while a reading lower than 50 indicates contraction. In October 2020, with many on-premise locations across the U.S. closed or restricted, total beer scored a reading over 75.
The FMB/hard seltzer segment fell to an unprecedented 42 in October 2021, a decrease from 92 in 2020. Craft beer also saw negative growth, posting 43 for October 2021 compared to 51 in 2020. It was craft’s second month in a row with a reading below 50.
However, the two segments are experiencing expanded “at-risk” inventories going into November, with FMB/hard seltzer reading 59 and craft 51. The readings are outliers to the rest of the category, with the majority of segments remaining below 50 for “at risk” inventory, reflecting the continued supply chain issues producers are facing.
Imports (69) reported the highest reading for the month, with consistent trends compared to October 2020. Premium lights (52) was the only other segment to post an above-50 reading, despite being 15 points below October 2020 (67). The segment has consistently posted readings above 50 throughout 2021, according to the report.
Cider posted the lowest reading for the month, decreasing 15 points from 44 in October 2020 to 29 in October 2021. The below premium segment posted similar trends, posting 30 points last month versus 48 points in October 2021.
Regular domestic beer was also below its October reading year-to-date, posting 42 points in October 2021 versus 53 the year before.