How one Pa. man is championing Black beer culture

Day Bracey is a craft beer connoisseur, but he’s also a comedian, a podcaster, an entrepreneur, a writer, a TV host, and a founder of the nation’s first Black beer festival (twice over).

Bracey is arguably the renaissance man that Pittsburgh’s food-and-drink renaissance needed, a devoted chronicler of the city’s rise from a comfort-food comfort zone to a cutting-edge culinary outpost — all with an eye on the inequality that explains so much of the city’s past and present. 

We talked to Bracey from his home in Beaver County about this year’s Barrel & Flow Fest (tickets go on sale March 1), Pennsylvania’s beer bonafides, upward mobility via fermentation, and more.

The conversation was edited for clarity and length. 

PA Local: Barrel & Flow Fest is a showcase of Black arts and Black beer culture. Why is this so novel, by which I mean, why hasn’t the craft beer boom been more diverse? 

Bracey: Economically (people of color) are shut out. It’s harder to get loans. It’s harder to discover craft beer because it’s not sold on the shelves in your stores. Nothing about the marketing says anything to you. 

PA Local: But you think craft beer presents a unique opportunity. Can you explain? 

Bracey: I see it as an opportunity for Black people to get in and learn, and the learning curve and cost of entry is lower than other industries. 

If Black people can get into the booze industry, they can make footholds in other industries and grow them from there. 

PA Local: What’s your advice for people who want to get into homebrewing or, alternatively, beer-making on a commercial scale? 

Bracey: Contact your nearest brewers guild for business advice and resources. 

If you’re just trying to figure out how to brew and get started, find a homebrew club. That’s where brewers come from. They share knowledge and resources. They know where all the good deals on supplies are.

PA Local: How does Pennsylvania’s beer scene stack up?

Bracey: I would put our beer scene up against any in the country. We’re not as densely packed as California when it comes to breweries, but few places are. 

As far as the variety of styles and the quality of liquid that goes into it … we don’t skimp.

And because the scene is still relatively small here, a lot of these brewers are still sharing ideas and space and coming together in a lot of ways. 

PA Local: What’s in your fridge right now? 

Bracey: My favorite style is stout. I’m a year-round stout drinker, and Hitchhiker, 11th Hour, Cinderlands, Tröegs — all of them are making some really good stouts.

» Know a Pennsylvanian we should feature in this space? Tell us here.

» One thing we learned this week: The mysterious company known for shipping anonymous packages of fake feces by mail — and which is currently under federal scrutiny — has Pennsylvania ties.

» One thing that made us laugh: Pennsylvania was outed on National Pizza Day as being the kind of place where people use corn as a topping. And while we have our doubts (big ones), we're keeping an open mind. 

» One thing we want to try: Besides corn pizza, we're racing to Philly to catch Blackbird Pizzeria — the iconic eatery known for vegan cheesesteaks, sandwiches, and wings — before it closes for good.

» One thing you should know: The Pennsylvania Turnpike is missing tens of millions of dollars in tolls every year. Officials say the collection rate is on par with similar systems, but new collection options are coming.

» One place to visit: Ringing Rocks Park in Upper Black Eddy, where Atlas Obscura reports the rocks ring musically when struck (like this). Exactly why they ring remains a bit of a mystery.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 2 cups light brown sugar 
• 1 cup vegetable oil 
• 3 cups pumpkin (puree or canned) 
• 2 egg yolks 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cloves, and set aside. 
• In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and oil together. Add the pumpkin and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and whisk until combined. 
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined. 
• Use a large cookie scoop, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. 
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
• Remove from the over and let cool on a wire rack. 

• 3 cups powdered sugar 
• 8 ounces cream cheese 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• Beat the butter on medium speed until smooth, about three minutes.
• Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth and combined.
• Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and beat until smooth. 
• Pipe or spoon the filling onto the flat side of cookie and top with another cookie. 
• Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges.