The murder of George Floyd by four Minneapolis police officers seems to be the match lit in the proverbial room full of explosives that is racial injustice in the United States. Since the footage of the altercation was released protests have been continual across many cities and states, and there is a renewed interest in making substantial changes to the entire “criminal justice” system in the US, along with other steps that will address the institutional racism faced by the Black community in this country. Many of us who care about these issues want to help make this country better for everyone who lives here, but don’t always know how. I feel like everything I can realistically do feels pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things, especially while we are also dealing with a pandemic. At the same time, I am a big believer in small acts building into big change, so I am trying to continue to do what I can to help make a difference. Many members of the craft beer community have wanted to help drive this change too, and this is especially important in an industry that has been (very fairly) criticized for being too white male-centric, to the point that women and minorities often feel excluded or marginalized. One project that was started by Black-owned San Antonio brewery Weathered Souls is Black Is Beautiful, where any participating brewery can make a dark beer with using the title and artwork as long as 100% of the proceeds go to a cause that helps promote social justice. Black Is Beautiful isn’t going to fix the issues in craft beer or the country, but it can be a small step in the right direction for both, and it is encouraging to see many breweries participating and (hopefully) making donations. I recently sampled Aeronaut’s Black Is Beautiful release, an oatmeal stout where 100% of the proceeds will go to the ACLU (an extremely important organization right now as voting rights are under attack). Aeronaut Black Is Beautiful is available for a limited time on draft and in 16 oz cans.
Aeronaut Black Is Beautiful pours nearly black with a massive tan head. The aroma features some roasted malt and a hint of floral hops. The flavor is malt forward, touches of caramel, dark chocolate and coffee, plenty of roasty flavor but not sweet. The hops add some earthy and grassy notes along with a little bitterness and balance. Black Is Beautiful is full bodied, smooth, and not overly boozy at 6.2% ABV. The finish is rich with some lingering malt flavor. Overall this is a really nice oatmeal stout brewed to support a great cause! Hoppy Boston score: 4.25/5.
Previous Aeronaut Reviews:
Aeronaut Sister Alva, Aeronaut Double Hop Hop, Aeronaut Robot Crush, Aeronaut A Year With Dr. Nandu, Aeronaut A Session With Dr. Nandu, Aeronaut The Eye of Sauvin
Hoppy Boston 
