A Well Crafted NC Update

After a very successful launch event on April 14th at Little Brother Brewing in Downtown Greensboro, the Well Crafted NC project continues to grow. The project, which began in Fall 2017 thanks to a University Libraries Innovation and Enrichment Grant, will be expanding its documentation scope to cover the craft beer and brewing industry across North Carolina. Between 2010 and 2017, North Carolina saw the number of independent craft breweries in the state skyrocket by 445% (from 45 in 2010 to 245 in 2017). In 2016, the craft beer industry had a $2.042 billion impact on the economy (ranked 10th in the country). During this new phase of growth, Well Crafted NC will focus on collecting more oral history interviews with brewers and brewery owners in our state. The project will also continue collecting and digitizing historical records from North Carolina breweries.

An image from the Well Crafted NC launch event

Additionally, one the project leaders - University Archivist Erin Lawrimore - recently received a Faculty First Summer Scholarship Support Award from UNC Greensboro's Office of Research and Engagement. This award will support a series of oral history interviews with women brewers and brewery owners in North Carolina. This project will ensure that the voices of the women in the industry are heard, that their stories are recorded in their own words, and that they are included as a vital piece of the history of beer and brewing in our state.

The Well Crafted NC team has expanded the project's outreach and educational components as well. In addition to the launch event, Well Crafted NC did pop up exhibits at the Biere de Femme festival as well as at the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce's April Coffee and Conversation event. They will also be doing an exhibit on June 2nd at the Beer City Festival in Asheville. The project leaders recently were interviewed on the local podcast Gate City Chatter. Fox 8 News also did a feature piece on the project and the history of beer and brewing in Downtown Greensboro. Other coverage includes a front-page article in the Greensboro News & Record as well as articles in Winston-Salem Monthly, Greensboro 1808, and Western North Carolina Woman magazine.

A promotional photo from Natty Greene's,
from the Well Crafted NC collection

Well Crafted NC is a project of the UNC Greensboro University Libraries. The project coordinators are Richard Cox (Digital Technology Consultant, ERIT), David Gwynn (Digital Projects Coordinator, ERIT), and Erin Lawrimore (University Archivist, SCUA). To keep informed about the new developments with the project, you can follow Well Crafted on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. To learn how you can support the growth of the Well Crafted NC project, please see www.wellcraftednc.com/support.