A Black-owned brewery is coming to SLC from Cedar City
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Deandre and Sara Ridgel. Image courtesy of Policy Kings Brewery
Utah's first Black-owned brewery is coming to Salt Lake City.
State of play: Policy Kings Brewery plans to open this fall in the trendy Central 9th neighborhood after outgrowing its original location in Cedar City, owners Deandre and Sara Ridgel announced earlier in May.
The big picture: Fewer than 1% of America's craft breweries are owned by Black brewers, according to the National Black Brewers Association.
Catch up quick: Policy Kings, named for the gambling kingpins of Chicago in the early 20th century, opened six years ago in Cedar City as Utah's first majority Black-owned brewery.
- It became a tourism staple in Iron County, particularly with the Shakespeare Festival crowds.
Between the lines: The brewery also was a notable Black cultural center in mostly rural southwest Utah, where less than 1% of the population is Black.
- Policy Kings introduced the area's first major Juneteenth celebration and decorated the bar with murals of icons like Prince, Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hussle.
- Expect a similar celebration at the Salt Lake location, where the brewery plans to highlight music and art by Black Utahns.
Friction point: The Ridgels hoped to expand the brewery in Iron County, where Sara grew up, but couldn't find a suitable building.
- The craft beer scene is slowly blossoming in southern Utah — but has a lot more interest along the Wasatch Front, Sara told Axios.
The intrigue: Policy Kings has also been a social hub for progressive movements and nonprofits in conservative Iron County, hosting political events, a toy drive for domestic violence victims, an antiracism forum and a drag night — "even when we knew the backlash we would get," Deandre wrote on Instagram.
- The brewery's departure will likely leave a noticeable hole in the county's minority liberal community.
What's next: Policy Kings has launched a Kickstarter to help fund the move, with donor prizes like a seat at a private catered party, special events, swag and a chance to help paint the murals at the new location.
- The brewery will open at 925 S. Jefferson as a 21-or-over bar, with food served alongside beers, cocktails and Policy Kings' burgeoning hard seltzer line.
Worthy of your time: To learn more about what's on tap, listen to KUAA's "Beer Nerd Radio," where the Ridgels and hosts taste test the brews.