In the booming industry of wine, beer, and spirits, it’s always exciting to come across Black-owned businesses that we can support. The spirits industry has long been a space where Black entrepreneurs have faced significant barriers, from accessing capital to breaking into predominantly white-dominated networks.
I didn’t enjoy beer until I was in my mid-20s, partially due to the fact that it didn’t seem to be marketed toward me. According to a 2021 report from the Brewers Association, less than 1% of breweries in the U.S. are Black-owned, and Black winemakers make up an estimated 0.1% of winemakers nationwide. Despite these challenges, Black-owned wineries, breweries, and bars are still carving out their place in the industry.
By visiting and supporting Black-owned establishments, you’re not only indulging in world-class drinks but also contributing to a movement of equity and inclusion. Whether you're a wine enthusiast or craft beer lover, these businesses celebrate culture, tell stories, and foster spaces where everyone feels welcome.
The more we pour into these Black-owned breweries, bars, and wineries, the more doors we will see open for others to enter the beer, wine, and spirits industries.
There’s nothing I enjoy more than having a sip of wine surrounded by people who look like me in an establishment owned by someone who also looks like me. From lively bars to innovative breweries and boutique wineries, here are 10 Black-owned spots across the country where you can raise a glass to diversity and excellence. Cheers!
1.Harlem Hops - New York, N.Y.
Harlem Hops is more than just a craft beer bar—it’s a celebration of community and culture. Co-founded by three HBCU graduates, this gem focuses on showcasing beers from local and independent breweries, including offerings from Black brewers. When it opened in the summer of 2018, Harlem Hops became the first 100% African American-owned NYC local craft beer bar in Manhattan.
With its cozy vibe, rotating tap list, and tasty bites, Harlem Hops is the perfect spot to discover your new favorite brew while supporting a mission of inclusivity in the craft beer scene. Don’t miss their delicious beer pairings and community-driven events.
2.Brown Estate - Napa Valley, Calif.
Brown Estate is Napa Valley’s first and only Black-owned estate winery. Established in 1996, the family-owned winery is known for its exceptional Zinfandels and refined vineyard experiences. Beyond the Zinfandels, Brown Estate also crafts a variety of other wines to fit everyone’s preferences, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Petite Sirah. If you can’t make it to the winery, you can also enjoy an intimate tasting experience at their downtown Napa tasting room, which opened in 2017. With stunning views and award-winning wines, Brown Estate is a must for wine lovers visiting Napa.
3.Abbey Creek Vineyard - North Plains, OR
Facebook/AbbeyCreekVineyard
What do you get when you merge a love for wine with an appreciation for Hip Hop and Culture? You get Abbey Creek Vineyard in North Plains, Oregon. Loved by both locals and visitors, this community spot offers a unique wine experience while embodying the saying “Hip-Hop, wine, and chill." Owner Bertony Faustin became Oregon’s first Black winemaker when he founded Abbey Creek Vineyard. Faustin’s wines, dubbed “The Creole Collection,” bring a unique cultural perspective to Oregon’s wine industry. Visitors can enjoy tastings at the vineyard’s wine bar, known as “The Crick,” for an intimate experience that’s all about community.
4.Two Locals Brewing Co. - Philadelphia
Business is always better when it’s a family affair. Two Locals Brewing is Philadelphia's first Black-owned brewery, founded by brothers Richard and Mengistu Koilor. The brewery officially opened its doors in early 2024 in the University City neighborhood after years of planning.
The brothers, West Philadelphia natives, started brewing beer as a hobby in 2016 and began planning their expansion while noticing the lack of Black representation in the brewing industry.
Aside from serving up tasty brews, the brothers offer Liberian food, a homage to where Mengistu was born. Throughout the month, guests can pop in for some improv or a comedy night event while enjoying a cold one.
5.House of Pure Vin - Detroit
Located in the heart of downtown Detroit, House of Pure Vin is a Black-owned wine bar and retail shop. It features an impressive selection of global wines, including many from Black winemakers. One highlight is their focus on boutique and hard-to-find labels, offering guests the opportunity to discover unique flavors they won’t see on typical store shelves.
The space frequently hosts events such as wine education classes, collaborations with local chefs, and themed wine nights, giving customers plenty of reasons to pop by throughout the week. Whether you’re shopping for a bottle, enjoying a tasting flight, or attending one of their vibrant events, House of Pure Vin is a must-visit destination for anyone looking to elevate their wine experience while supporting a Black-owned business.
6.LaShellé Wines - Woodinville, WA
LaShellé Wines, located in Woodinville, Washington, stands out as one of the region’s few Black- and female-owned wineries. Founded by Nicole Camp, the winery reflects her passion for winemaking, which she developed through her formal training at the Northwest Wine Academy. Opened in 2021, LaShellé Wines is known for its range of refreshing white and red wines and offering a welcoming and family-friendly environment. On any given day, you can expect to pop in and see owner Nicole involved in the day-to-day functioning—from destemming grapes to hosting guests in the tasting room.
7.Diamond Farm Winery and Brewery - Nokesville, Va.
Instagram/DiamondFarmWinery
This lovely venue was the result of hard work and a change of plans. Diamond Farm Winery & Brewery is an exciting new Black-owned establishment that blends rustic charm with modern sophistication. Owners Alice and Glenn Bertrand, Sr. originally purchased the property to serve as their retirement home but decided to go in a different direction after seeing the historic barn on the land.
Situated on a picturesque farm, the venue offers a serene setting with features like a remodeled historic farmhouse and a romantic heart-shaped pond. While their tasting room is slated to open this spring, the winery is already a sought-after event space, hosting weddings, corporate gatherings, and private celebrations. The venue is rolling out over three phases, so expect all aspects to be fully functioning later this year.
8.Thurst Lounge - Washington D.C.
Thurst Lounge is the first Black-owned LGBTQIA+ bar and lounge in Washington, D.C. Located in the historic U Street corridor, this bar serves as a much-needed inclusive space for the Black LGBTQIA+ community residing in the city. The lounge offers an intimate setting for socializing, complete with carefully curated cocktails and a stylish ambiance that’s perfect for linking with the crew.
Beyond its role as a nightlife destination, Thurst Lounge aims to foster a supportive environment for community connections and cultural celebration.
9.Seven Springs Farm and Vineyard - Norlina, N.C.
Seven Springs Farms and Vineyards is a Black-owned vineyard established by Preston Williams and his family, and it sits on a 140-acre property featuring seven natural springs, providing a picturesque setting for wine tasting and events. The vineyard specializes in muscadine grapes but also grows Merlot, Cabernet, and Chardonnay varieties. Visitors can enjoy tastings in the cozy tasting room, participate in seasonal grape-picking events, or even book a stay at their on-site Airbnb for a more immersive experience. This family-owned space is the perfect location for an outing with the girls or a group event.
10.For The Culture Brewing - Houston
The name says it all with this one. For The Culture Brewing is a craft beer brand focused on creating an inclusive and vibrant space for beer lovers. Holding the title of being H-Town’s first Black-owned brewery, owners Jonathan Brown and Carl Roaches Jr. began working on this brand after realizing that there weren’t many brands marketing to Black Men who like to drink beer.
The brewery aims to cater to a wide range of tastes, offering a variety of beer styles such as tropical IPAs, rice lagers, pale ales, and dry stouts.
While still in the process of opening its own dedicated taproom, the brewery often collaborates with other local businesses, including Ovinnik Brewing, through a unique cooperative model called Craft Culture X. This collaboration has allowed them to share resources and brewing equipment while planning events and developing new beer recipes.
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Let me start this off by saying that of course, to a certain extent, the answer is subjective because it’s mostly opinion-rather-than-fact driven. However, I personally think that sex is hella impactful, which is why I hope that my personal breakdown will at least cause you to want to think about what you do, who you do it with, and why, more than you may have in the past.
Because although, at the end of the day, the physical aspects of making love, having sex, and f-cking are very similar, you’d be amazed by how drastically different they are in other ways…at the very same time.
Making Love
GiphyBack when I wrote my first book, I wasn’t even 30 at the time and still, one of the things that I said in it is, I pretty much can’t stand the term “make love.” Way back then, I stated that sex between two people who truly love each other and are committed for the long haul, when it comes to what they do in the bedroom, it’s so much more about CELEBRATING love than MAKING it. To make means “to produce” or “to bring into existence;” to celebrate means “to commemorate,” “to perform” or “to have or participate in a party, drinking spree, or uninhibited good time.”
The act of sex, standing alone? It can’t make love happen and honestly, believing otherwise is how a lot of people find themselves getting…got.
What do I mean? Tell me how in the world, you meet a guy, talk to him for a few weeks, don’t even know his middle name or where he was born and yet somehow, you choose to call the first time you have sex with him (under those conditions) “making love.” You don’t love him. You don’t know him well enough to love him. He doesn’t love you either (for the same reason). And yet you’re making love? How sway? Oh, but let that sex be bomb and those oxytocin highs might have you tempted to think that’s what’s happening — and that is emotionally dangerous. And yes, I mean, literally.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times before, that one of the reasons why I like that the Bible defines sex between a husband and his wife is by using the word “know” (Genesis 4:1) is because, well, I think that is what celebrating love is all about — we know each other well enough to know that we love each other, we know each other well enough to know that we aren’t going anywhere, and that knowing is what makes us want to celebrate that union by getting as close to one another and bringing as much physical pleasure to each other as we possibly can…as often as absolutely possible.
To me, that is what the peak of physical intimacy is all about — and the people who choose to use the term “make love,” it should be seen through this type of lens. When this type of mental and emotional bond comes together via each other’s bodies, they are amplifying love, enjoying love, embracing love.
Making it, though? Chile, the love has already been made. Sex is just the icing on the cake.
Having Sex
GiphyA few nights ago, I found myself rewatching this movie called Four of Hearts (which you can currently view on yep, you guessed it: Tubi). It’s about two married couples — one that is in an open marriage and another that isn’t although they somehow thought that sharing a night with the other couple would be a good idea (chile). Anyway, as one of the partners found themselves getting low-key sprung, the one they fell for said in one of the scenes, “It wasn’t a connection. It was just sex.” JUST. SEX.
Listen, when you decide to let a man put an entire part of his body inside of you at the risk of potentially getting an STI/STD or pregnant (because no form of birth control is 100 percent except for abstinence), it can never be “just sex” (somebody really needed to hear that too). At the same time, though, I got the character’s point because, if one or both people do not love each other or even deeply care for one another and/or sex is treated as an activity more than an act to establish a worthwhile connection and/or you and the person you are sleeping with have not really discussed what you are expecting from sex besides the act itself — you’re definitely not making/celebrating love.
Not by a long shot. What can make things get a bit complicated, though, is you’re doing the same act that “love makers” do without the same mental and emotional ties…or (sometimes) expectations.
You know, back when I decided to put all of my business out there via the piece “14 Lessons I've Learned From 14 Sex Partners,” now more than ever, I am quite clear that most of those guys fell into the “having sex” category. I wasn’t in the type of relationship with them where “making love” even made sense; however, because I was friends with most of them, we weren’t exactly f-cking (which I will get to in just a moment) either. We had a connection of some sort for the bedroom yet not enough to be together in the other rooms of the house.
We were really attracted and curious, so we decided to act on that. Oftentimes, the sex was good and so we rationalized that “having sex” was enough because if the friendship was, eh, “sound enough”, that we could justify the physical pleasure.
And y’all, that’s kind of what having sex is — it’s the limbo (or purgatory, depending on your situation) between making love and f-cking. The thing about limbo ish is it’s a lot like something being lukewarm: it’s not really one thing or another which means that it can completely blindside you, if you’re not careful (and totally honest with yourself as well as your partner(s)).
So, if you are contemplating having sex, I really — REALLY — recommend that you figure out how you feel, what you want (outside of the act itself) and if you are prepared for what “not quites” can bring. My mother used to say that the consequences of sex don’t change just because the circumstances do — and there is some solid “wow” to that, if you really stop to think about it.
GiphyAnd finally, f-ck. Although most experts on the word (and yes, there are some) agree that its origin is rooted somewhere within the German language (although some say that it might’ve come from Middle English words like fyke or fike which mean “to move about restlessly” or the Norwegian word fukka which means “to copulate”), you might have also heard that it is an acronym that once stood for “Fornication Under Consent of the King”; and there is actually some data that is connected to that as well.
Legend has it that way back in the day, in order to keep reproduction rates where a particular king wanted them to be, he would instruct his residents to have sex with each other — whether they were married or not (hence, the word “fornication” being in the acronym). However, because sex outside of marriage was taken far more seriously at the time, residents had to apply for a permit to participate so that the king could determine if things like their occupation and lineage would prove to be beneficial for the kingdom overall. F-ck: no love; just necessity. And although some believe this to be more myth than fact, what is certain is it was only over time that f-ck was seen as a profane/swear/cuss word — a word that was perceived to be so offensive, in fact, that between the years 1795-1965, it didn’t even appear in dictionaries.
Personally, when I think of this four-letter word, the first thing that actually comes to my mind is animals. Take a dog being in heat, for instance. That’s basically when a female dog is ovulating and wants to have sex the most. It’s not because they are “in love” with another dog; they are simply doing what instinctively comes to them — and since animals do not reason or feel at the same capacity that humans do, although they science says that many of them do experience pleasure when they engage in their version of sexual activity, it’s not nearly as layered or even profound as what we experience.
Let’s keep going. Another reason why f-cking makes me think of animals is due to the doggy style position. Hear me out. Ain’t it wild how, most of us pretty much know that the term comes from how dogs have sex, even though most animals have sex that same way — and think about it: Doggy style doesn’t consist of making eye contact or kissing while having intercourse. It’s “hitting from behind” without much emotional energy or effort at all. Just how animals do it. And so, yeah, f-cking does seem to be more about pure animal — or in our case, mammal — instinct. I don’t need to feel anything for someone, so long as the sexual desire is there. Hmph.
Something else that I find to be interesting about f-cking is how dictionaries choose to define it. Many of them are going to provide you with two definitions: “to have sexual intercourse with” and “to treat unfairly or harshly (usually followed by over)” and that definitely makes me think of another term — casual sex and words that define casual like apathetic, careless and without serious or definite intention. So, the dictionary says that while f-cking is about having sexual intercourse — just like making love and having sex is — it goes a step further and says that it can include being treated unfairly or harshly.
And although that can make you think of assault on the surface, for sure — sometimes being treated unfairly or harshly is simply feeling like someone had sex AT you and not really WITH you; instinct (i.e., getting off) and that’s about it. Yeah, the way this puzzle is coming together, f-cking seems to be more about lust and self and not much else.
Now That You Know the Difference, What to Keep in Mind
Y’all, this is definitely the kind of topic that I could expound on until each and every cow comes home. That said, here’s hoping that I provided enough perspective on each act to close this out by encouraging you to keep the following three things to keep in mind:
1. Before you engage in copulation, be honest with yourself about what you’re ACTUALLY doing — and that your partner agrees with you. You know, they say that our brain is our biggest sex organ and honestly, breaking down the differences between making love, having sex and f-cking helps to prove that fact. I say that because, although the sex act itself is pretty much the same across the board, you and your partner’s mindset can make the experience completely different. That said, if you think that you are making love and they think y’all are just having sex — stuff can get pretty dicey. Bottom line: communicate in the bedroom before attempting to connect outside of it. It’s always worth it when you do.
2. Yes, you can feel one way and do something else. I can just about guess what some of y’all are on: Shellie, we can love our partner and still just want to f-ck. If what you are saying is you can emotionally love someone and physically lust them and want to act sometimes on the lust without really factoring in the love — yes, I agree. Doggy style continues to be a favorite sex position for people, in general, and I’m more than confident that many of the participants polled are in a serious relationship. However, having lust-filled sex with someone who you know loves you is vastly different than doing it with someone who you have no clue what they think about you or you barely know at all. Y’all, please just make sure that you know…what you should know. Sex is too amazing to have a lot of regret after it.
3. Have realistic expectations about sex. Listen, so much of my life consists of writing and talking about sex that I will be the first one to say that it deserves a ton of props for what it is able to do, in a wonderful way, for people mentally, emotionally and physically. Yet again, I’m not a fan of “make love” because something that feels really good doesn’t always mean that it is good for you. Meaning, you’ve got to be real about what sex with someone will do to your mind and spirit — not just what it will do for your body. An author by the name of Gabriel García Márquez once said, “Sex is the consolation you have when you can't have love.” For no one, should this be a constant norm. Feel me? I hope you do.
____
One act. Three very different experiences.
It’s kind of wild that sex has the ability to create that — and yet, clearly, it does.
Please just make sure that you know which experience you’re signing up for.
So that you’re having sex (you know, in general) instead of sex having you. Real talk.
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