The brewing industry needs more inclusion, and Brewability is setting the (um) bar pretty high as a community gathering place for everyone. Founded by a former special education teacher, Brewability is a beermaker and pizzeria staffed primarily by people with developmental disabilities. Since its inception in 2016, the Englewood, Colo., brewery and eatery has been serving up inclusivity alongside delicious pizza (Big Mac Cheeseburger, please) and great craft beer (which is gluten removed and ordered by color). Its newest attraction that promotes inclusion is a vibrational dance floor. File all of this under extremely awesome.
Brewability collaborated with a nonprofit called Feel the Beat, an organization dedicated to creating sound accessible environments using vibrotactile technology for children who are deaf, hard of hearing and with disabilities. Located at 3445 S. Broadway in Englewood, the brewhouse will host a series of dance-floor-opening events featuring Ellie D & Soul Mix on July 21, The MDH Project Band on July 22 and The Chris Dismuke Band on July 23. From the press release:
“Live music — and music in general — is a huge part of what we do at the brewery,” says founder and owner of Brewability, Tiffany Fixter. “People want to come out, eat and drink, dance and have a good time. That should be accessible to everyone who walks or rolls through our doors.”
Brewability installed the technology, “which is the same as bone-conduction headphones on a larger scale” said the company, into an existing 12-by-12 ft dance floor. The project is being funded by a grant through Developmental Pathways — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency serving individuals with developmental disabilities/delays and their families.
“The coolest element of bone-conduction technology is its ability to allow a participant to experience every instrument and every kind of music, from bluegrass to hip-hop,” explains Jari Majewski Price, founder of Feel the Beat. “It’s exciting to see the participants’ faces just light up, and to witness them really ‘get it.’ Suddenly, music — something they may have never experienced before — is resonating within their bodies and minds. The impact is amazing, and, most importantly, everyone in the room gets the same access.”
Brewability already has menus in braille and staff who can communicate in sign language, as well as color-coded beer taps and corresponding menu colors for ordering brews, weighted silverware and a sensory area complete with a marble wall, giant Lite Brite and more. It also partners with other inclusive businesses, such as Adore Bath Tissue, which provides competitive employment opportunities to individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
On tap for the brewery’s near future are: a Gastrostomy tube (G-tube)-friendly menu, flattened outdoor patio thresholds for smoother wheelchair access and an adjustable adult changing table in the restroom. This constant attention to all aspects of the Brewability experience is designed to make everyone feel welcome. To learn more about Brewability, go to https://www.brew-ability.com/.
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