“It’s just over the top,” Rostic exclaims about how the classic outdoor treat inspired the stout version, which will be released Dec. 18. “It’s super boujiee. You know, pinky fingers up. … I said [to myself], that would be a sweet beer one day, because it was great. It tasted really good.”
That’s how Rostic and Ewing approach flavor profiles for their craft beers. There are no rules. They’re inspired by personal experiences. And, of course, they taste good. The duo — both Michigan natives and self-described “craft beer heads” — debuted in November the state’s first-ever Black owned craft brewery. According to the New York Times, out of the more than 8,000 breweries in the United States, only about 60 are Black owned. Rostic says he launched Black Calder because the ones he visited didn’t “speak to him” and he wanted a place that felt like home.
“I wanted a place to have a great beer and listen to Jeezy and Jay-Z or some of my favorite rappers, or even some Marvin Gaye because I can still get down with the old school, too,” says Rostic. Yet with Black Calder Brewing Co., they don’t plan to rest on their laurels with this history-making achievement.
“We want to be able to show people that we’re not afraid to take risks,” says Rostic, who has spent more than a decade supporting local craft breweries and indulging in the home-brewing trend. “We want to get out there and do some cool things.” For now, Black Calder is contracting with Broad Leaf Local Beer and Brewery Vivant, both based in Grand Rapids, to produce and sell their products. Plans are in the works to open an official facility within the next couple of years.
In the meantime, they are putting their energy into researching, developing, and perfecting their craft. For example, Black Calder’s Black IPA, their first-ever release, was the first time the duo had created an IPA. Because they wanted to make their debut memorable, the unique dark
beer with citrusy
notes, high hop
aromas, and light
caramel and
toffee accents
was presented in
a vividly
designed, 16-
ounce can. It sold
out in three days
when it went on
sale on Black
Friday in
November.
“We had people
driving all the way
from Detroit,” says
Rostic. “We had
people overseas
asking if we could
ship it. It was just
really great the
love we received
from everywhere,
from our local
community in
west Michigan,
from all over the
state.”
Rostic and Ewing’s
African roots also
play an important
role with the
brewery’s logo. It’s
the bust of Mbaba
Mwana Waresa, a
fertility goddess of
the Zulu religion
of Southern Africa.
She rules over rainbows, agriculture, harvests, rain, and beer, and they believe using her image was a powerful statement.