TheBurg

07.18 | theburgnews.com | 15 "We're getting to a point where there are more and more of people of color in craft beer, but they're not getting the same amount of exposure due to lack of resources," Potter said. "We're playing a bit of catch up." Since national brewer associations don't track the demographics of brewery owners, Black Brew Culture keeps its own tally. Potter estimates that people of color own roughly 50 of the country's 2,800 craft breweries, and he's certain that Harris Family Brewery will be the first in Pennsylvania. Harris says he's used to being one of the only black people at craft beer tastings and breweries. To him, that's not a problem so much as a sign of untapped potential. Shortly after they brewed their first successful batch of beer, White pointed out to Harris that they would have a niche market for their product. "I thought, 'You're telling me that we have a whole market that doesn't know there's a product out there that is this big?'" Harris said. "I say, 'Let's open that market up.'" To that end, their brewery location will be key. ough the brewers initially had their eyes on property in Steelton, serendipity led them to their spot above a laundromat at 13th and Market. It's snug, but Harris said they hope to open "a nano-brewery in the truest sense," meaning that all of the small-batch beer they produce will be sold on site. e space is just big enough to accommodate their current home-brew set up and a 10-seat bar. ey don't plan to serve any food, but do anticipate a busy carryout business once they start selling bottles and cans. Harris Family Brewing will start small, but its proprietors are already charting plans for growth. ey'll start with an off-site canning facility once the taproom on Market Street takes off. ey then hope to distribute their beer across the state and grow their presence through festivals and industry expos. ey've already sampled their beers during Harrisburg Beer Week and also held a pop-up tasting in Strawberry Square with local event organizer and promoter Sara Bozich. ey'll also bring kegs to Steelton Community Day on July 23 and will hit the road for the Aug. 11 FreshFest, a black brewing festival in Pittsburgh hosted by Black Brew Culture. strAngest IndustrY If you already own a brewery in Harrisburg, it could be easy to see a new one as competition. But that's not the case for Brandalynn Armstrong, co-owner of Zeroday Brewing Co. on Reily Street. Armstrong, who's also on the board of the PA Brewers Association, thinks that expanding the craft beer market into a new neighborhood can only help Harrisburg's existing breweries. "Bridging neighborhoods is incredibly important, as long as it's done through responsible development," Armstrong said. "And what better way than using craft beer to link our neighborhoods together?" She and Harris also think that each individual brewery in the city benefits from customers having more options. Harris hopes that Harris Family Brewery will introduce many of its customers to craft beer, encouraging them to "expand their palates" and try other beers in the city. Harris, who works full-time in corporate IT when he's not brewing beer, called craft beer "the strangest industry you ever saw—it's more like kids on a playground than corporate America." He's been shocked by his company's warm welcome into the local brewers' network, which he described as more collaborative than cutthroat. Harris Family and Zeroday recently held a joint brew day to develop a collaboration beer, which they'll debut on July 3 during a screening of "Poured in PA," a documentary about the statewide craft beer industry. Harris, White and ompson learned to brew by watching YouTube videos and have honed their craft through trial and error. ey developed some of their favorite recipes through pure experimentation, like when they made a Christmas stout (which they dubbed "Black Santa") by fermenting the ingredients for fruitcake—currants, raisins, sour cherries and ginger spice. Now that they've secured seed funding for their site and begun renovations, the trio is focused on perfecting their recipes and setting a menu for the taproom. Since they're playing the long game, they're already thinking about potential businesses that they could spawn by bringing craft beer to a new neighborhood and customer base. "In five or six years, I want to look back and say, 'We blew the scene up,'" Harris said. Potter agreed that Harris Family could inspire other people of color to pursue careers in brewing or brewery ownership. "I think it'll be a huge blueprint for brewers across the country trying to get into the game," Potter said. "Being the first is a big deal." For more information on Harris Family Brewery, visit harrisfamilybrewery or the Facebook page. Photos by Billy Hicks. theburgnews.com To see the video that accompanies this story, please visit www.theburgnews.com.

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