Bringing Beer Making
Back to Harlem
CITY CRAFT BEER
Harlem Blue Beer is defiantly here to say, 'not only "hipsters" like good beer.' There are way more city folks who are here for delicious brews as well. Our city craft beers
appeal to a broader group of people. City people. Our people. Diverse and inclusive, just like Harlem.
We strive to represent Harlem through a premium beer experience, celebrating the hustle and full spectrum of
stories that makes us special.
Our city craft beers are handcrafted to match the unique
diversity of life here in New York City.
Good beer from a good place.
HARLEM BORN. LOCALLY BREWED.
FIRST PRINCIPLES
We like simple.
There are enough things in life that surprise you and are complicated. Making and delivering great beer
to great people should not be hard. Everyone associated
with Harlem Blue follows these simple
FIRST PRINCIPLES. It's how we do.
Brew
Excellence
Celebrate
Moments
Be
Authentic
Tell Our
Stories
SPEAK EASY
Celebrate moments and share them with us.
THE BLUE LIGHT
While researching the history of 20th Century Harlem and its under-recognized craftsmen,
I discovered that renowned gangsters Dutch Schultz and Owney Madden were
not the only local “bootleg”
brewers distributing during Prohibition.
In fact, there was a strong underground of regular Harlemites who
liked to homebrew and served beer to socialize,
from the Renaissance Era and Prohibition, continuing through today.
​
Notably, the story goes that there was a brownstone speakeasy –for those in the know-
that had a renowned "House Brew."
Whenever a fresh batch was tapped, they'd announce
the same with a blue light out front. That's
brilliantly brazen, and reveals authentic pride.
That blue light notice is what inspired my vision for Harlem Blue premium beer.
Good beer, from a good place!
Such an undaunted “I’m gonna do me” ambition,
followed with boldly and literally illuminating your craftsmanship with a blue light out front,
now that epitomizes OUR Harlem; then and now.
With Harlem Blue, we seek to recapture this entrepreneurial energy,
without the lawbreaking of course.
We are currently brewing our beers locally under contract, with a traditional
co-packing relationship. We pledge to always craft our own recipes
with brewing excellence being our top priority. Always.
Soon, we will be able to open our TAPROOM and brewery in Harlem.
We will be THE FIRST NEW PRODUCTION BREWERY IN HARLEM
SINCE PROHIBITION, while bringing jobs and the craft back to our community.
​
All we need is your support.
Drink us. Like us. Support us.
And soon we’ll be the 1st new production brewery in Harlem since Prohibition.
Always fresh and our best, that’s my pledge. Harlem Blue is for you.
​
- Julian Riley, Jr., Founder & CEO