Montclair Brewery is toasting Whitney Houston – the late pop star who grew up in East Orange and got her start singing in a Newark church – with a signature beer.

The special brew is scheduled to release Feb. 9 at the brewery’s taproom at 101 Walnut St. The Whitney Hefeweizen is described as a crisp, hazy, unfiltered, white wheat ale with sweet and fruity notes of banana bread and clove.

Besides being on draught at Montclair Brewery, the Whitney Hefewizen will also be available in a special collectible pint can sold in four-packs at select bars, restaurants, grocery stores, and liquor shops in New Jersey and New York.

Montclair Brewery plans to host a special event Feb. 9 at 5:30 p.m. to celebrate the launch.

The evening will include a playlist featuring some of Houston’s hits as well as highlights from several films she made. Additionally, a Just Eat Burgers pop-up will run from 6-11 p.m. in the beer garden. Local musician Gabi the Artist will perform from 7:30-9:30 p.m. That set will include renditions of Houston’s songs along with original material.

Denise Ford Sawadogo, who co-founded the brewery with her husband, Leo, said, “We love highlighting local icons such as Whitney, who grew up in East Orange and I’m sure spent some time in Montclair as well, it allows us to connect to our community on another level.”

“Whitney Houston was a trailblazer, she transcended genres and left an unforgettable mark on the entertainment industry,” she said. “We’re honored to dedicate a beer to her memory.”

A global sensation who earned acclaim in both music and film, Houston holds the Guinness World Record as the most decorated female artists of all time, with more than 400 career awards – including six Grammys, two Emmys and 22 American Music Awards.

Celebrating Black History Month

For Montclair Brewery, the upcoming release continues its annual tradition of marking Black History Month with new beers connected to a symbolic figure from the Africa diaspora. Past years have included releases in honor of baseball Hall of Famer Larry Doby and television reporter Gil Noble, both of whom called Montclair home.

Founded in 2018 as the state’s first fully Black-owned brewery, Montclair Brewery is known for its local-inspired and culturally intriguing beers in addition to supporting social justice efforts.

This year, the brewery already announced several initiatives for Black History Month, including a collaborative beer with Allagash Brewing Co. A portion of proceeds from that beer’s sales will be donated to 8 Trill Initiative, a fund dedicated to generating opportunities for Black-owned craft beer brands while demonstrating the benefits and fiscal impact of racial equity.

“In addition to the new Whitney beer, we are highlighting a few of our existing beers that are also apart of the series, such as the Black is Beautiful stout and the Baobiere Golden ale, both brewed with the African baobab fruit,” said co-founder and head brewer Leo Sawadogo.

Another special release is also available month-long: Salute, a golden ale in honor of Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary. Throughout February, the brewery will have live music each Friday night.

ICYMI:

Under a law signed Jan. 16 by Gov. Phil Murphy, the state will boost the number of available liquor licenses as well as ease controversial restrictions that New Jersey’s rapidly growing craft brewing and distilling industry have railed against. Read the full story here.