In 2018, Montclair Brewery became the first Black-owned brewery in the state of New Jersey. Since then, the beloved microbrewery with beer garden vibes has become a go-to for locals to gather and enjoy. Recently, the brewery announced that an expansion is underway — the owners are happy to report that Montclair Brewery is laying down roots in East Orange, New Jersey. Keep reading to learn more about Montclair Brewing’s recent expansion.
The New Space
While the official address of Montclair Brewery’s East Orange location is yet to be disclosed, we do know that the new space will be making room for more brewing, production, and community events, per Montclair Local. Outdoor seating and a tasting room will also be included in the fresh new location. Even with all of the changes ahead, the brewery’s mission will remain the same: “to build community one beer at a time.”
The owners shared on a recent IndieGogo fundraising campaign that “This expansion is about more than doubling our brewing capacity—it’s about building a future where our beer is accessible to more communities, and where craft beer culture reflects the diversity of its consumers.” The brewery’s expansion will even help create more local job opportunities and open doors to continue giving back to the community, the owners expressed. The brewery is still fundraising and even created a 2024 Expansion Campaign Video to shine a light on expansion goals and plans.
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The Montclair Girl reached out to the Montclair Brewery team for more information and will update this piece as details unfold.
Meet the Owners
Run by a husband and wife duo, Denise Ford Sawadogo and Leopold ‘Leo’ Sawadogo have turned their passion for brewing into a wildly successful business. Denise is originally from New York (grew up in Freeport, Long Island – after moving from Brooklyn right before middle school).
Her husband, Leo, is from Ouagadougou (pronounced Waga Doo Goo), which is the capital of Burkina Faso — a French-speaking country in West Africa. But Denise and Leo have now called Montclair home for 15 years.
How Montclair Brewery Came To Be
Founded on paper in 2014, Montclair Brewery officially opened for business in 2018. For over 20 years, Leo has been brewing batches of beer in his home and gifting bottles to friends and family.
“Leo has always wanted to start a business in the US, similar to what he had in his home country,” Denise said of her husband’s vision. “He is an avid cook, trained pastry chef, and has always been passionate about making beer, especially after seeing his mom make traditional beer as a child in Burkina Faso,” Denise added.
As for Denise, she’s always desired to own her own business and develop a brand on her terms. Before starting this venture with her husband, Denise received her MBA and worked in marketing in the corporate sector.
The Beers
No matter when you visit, there are always new beers on tap for you to try at Montclair Brewery. The tap list is broken down by category (hoppy/bitter, sour/tart, medium-bodied, etc.), with a wide variety of beers sourced from all over. The full tap list can be found here, but you really can’t go wrong with any beer you choose.
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As far as the East Orange location, we’ll keep you updated as details unfold. For now, be sure to follow @themontclairgirl on Instagram + TikTok for the latest Montclair happenings, and sign up for our weekly newsletter here.