If you’ve spent a significant time in the beer community, then you probably have heard the name Ale Sharpton. Back when I was a fledgling beer writer and looking for a mentor, I stumbled across Ale’s work and immediately knew I needed to meet him. One unanswered email later, which I still tease him about, and we finally met at the inaugural Dames & Dregs Beer Festival.
Since bombarding him with questions on how to break into the industry, Ale has been in my corner supporting me as I find my own way in beer. And he continues to serve as a model of what you can accomplish in the beer industry, through his partnership with New Belgium Brewing on the ongoing Piano Keys collaboration, as well as his involvement in the newly founded Leaders of the Brew School (a collective of BIPOC brewers, beer industry pros, and enthusiasts).
Despite being a transplant, one thing’s clear: Ale Sharpton loves Atlanta and its growing beer scene as much as this local. You can see it in the way he’s repped this city for more than a decade. In how he makes it a point to support the people and breweries that make up its beer community, or in how he uses every chance to give back to the city through his charitable contributions. You’ll hear him talk about how the beer city he dreamed of is blossoming now, where his journey into the industry has taken him so far, and how he turned a beer collab with New Belgium into an opportunity to donate to Black-owned nonprofits.