Augusta, Georgia is now home to its first Black-owned brewery, thanks to Navy veteran Robert Young. The founder of Tapped 33 Craft Brewhouse, Young has transformed his passion for brewing beer into a thriving business.

Originally from Atlanta, Young was previously stationed in Augusta’s Fort Gordon as well as abroad. Traveling around the world, he discovered and developed an appreciation for good brews in places like Germany and the Czech Republic, according to WJBF.

In Prague, he tried his hand at crafting his own beer. Brewing became a hobby of his and he continued creating his recipes after returning home to the United States. Young began volunteering at the Savannah River Brewing Company and continued brewing at home, creating thousands of cans of beer. Now, he is making history with Tapped 33 as part of a small percentage of Black-owned breweries.

Behind the Name

The number in the brewery’s name wasn’t just chosen at random. It is significant in numerous ways. For one, Augusta is situated on Earth’s 33rd parallel. The number also pays homage to music icon James Brown, who was born in Augusta in 1933. It was in the same year that Prohibition ended.

Tapped 33’s “Good Googly Moogly” is available in various stores, bars, pubs and restaurants, and has already become a favorite with beer drinkers. Described by Young as a “ juicy, hazy IPA,” it is made with Mosaic, Citra and Zamba hops and has tropical notes of pineapple, mango, grapefruit and orange. The inspiration for the beer’s unique name came from the title of a Project Pat song.

Inspiring Black Entrepreneurs

By bringing his vision of a brewery to life and turning his hobby into a thriving business, Young is an inspiration to Black entrepreneurs everywhere.

“The industry as a whole is white-dominated,” said Young in an interview with WTMV. “Representation of Black people in the brewing industry is not a lot so I wanted to create a product that I could influence my culture.”

“It was a dream, now it’s coming true, as cliché as it might sound. But I really feel like once you put in the hard work, once you dedicate yourself to something, it’ll happen.”