Owned by brothers Richard and Mengistu Koilor, Two Locals Brewery has made Forbes’ list of top Black-owned beer brands for your next happy hour, writes Sheldon Goins for Forbes.

The brothers shared a love for beer by exchanging photos of brews they found to be tasty or interesting. In 2016, they took their casual hobby to the next level by ordering a homebrew kit to make their first Irish Red Ale.

Satisfied with how it turned out, they decided to join the Philly Homebrew Club to further develop their skills and connect with other brewers.

In 2018, with support from friends and family, they established their LLC. Two years later, in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, they joined forces with Love City Brewing on the Black Is Beautiful beer initiative and also teamed up with Harris Family Brewery and Double Eagle Malting.

Thanks to these partnerships, they were able to sign a contract with Mainstay Brewing and FCM Hospitality and launch their first beer, Nubian Brown Ale, in March 2021.

After spending a year and a half contract brewing, they realized their dream on Jan. 31, 2024, and opened their own 15-barrel brewery and taproom, Two Locals Brewery in University City.

Read more about Two Locals Brewery and other notable Black-owned beer brands in Forbes.

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