This is our plan to reckon with the history behind two of our malts through the donation of part of their sales to socially-conscious nonprofits. We want to be responsible stewards of the past and its people to support a forward-looking direction. The past informs the future, and we want to provide an opportunity for a better one.
Two of our newest grain offerings are Carolina Gold Rice, and a corn variety from the Chesapeake Bay area. They are interesting grains with notable histories, and regional significance. Our partners who grow these crops, Tidewater Grain Co. and Pungo Creek Mills, have worked diligently to bring these rare varieties back from obscurity (which you can read more about on our blog!) We’re excited to be working with our friends to make malts showcasing these uncommon Southeastern grains.
However, the origins of these crops do have a darker side. Before the Civil War, Carolina Gold Rice was once an extremely lucrative crop because of slave labor. Slaves were brought to the Carolinas specifically to do backbreaking work in the rice fields. They often died early deaths due to disease, malnutrition and overwork. Moreover, the corn from Pungo Creek Mills can trace its roots back to the Native American tribes of Virginia. Such tribes, later decimated and forced from their land, taught early white settlers how to cultivate the ancestor to this variety. So, if we want to help create beers that incorporate these grains, we should acknowledge their history. We can begin by turning our attention towards building something on the understanding of injustice at its roots.
Our Actions
To recognize this, Epiphany is investing 12% of these malt’s sales to social justice nonprofits. Nonprofits which help those whose ancestors were harmed by the cultivation of these grains.
For malt made with Carolina Gold Rice, a donation will be made to the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, a nonprofit based out of Durham, NC. The Southern Coalition partners with communities of color and economically disadvantaged communities to defend and advance their political, social and economic rights. The organization has a strong focus on voting rights and criminal justice. They do meaningful work regarding legal representation, research and community organizing. You can find out more about this organization here: https://www.southerncoalition.org/
For malt made with Pungo Creek Mills’ corn, we will make a donation to the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. AISES aligns with Epiphany’s scientific approach to malting. Their goal is to increase the representation of Native Americans in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. AISES works with 5,600 individual members, as well as 400 high schools and colleges. They develop mentor-ship programs, internships, college plans and scholarships. Chemistry, biology and technical knowledge are all necessary parts of malting and brewing – this is why helping people learn these skills is particularly important to us. Lastly, you can check out AISES’ website here for more information: https://www.aises.org/
You can place orders now for malt made with Pungo Creek Mills Corn and Carolina Gold Rice. To place an order, please email us at order@epiphanymalt.com or (919) 886-7306. Thank you for helping us with this mission.
