SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- The idea came in 2009 from my Wife/Business Partner (Judy Barsamian-Armstrong), she never liked the "bitter" over hoppy aftertaste of today's Domestic Beers on her local Supermarket Shelves.
She wanted something with a creamy, smooth, and sweet aftertaste, similar to delicious Candy. So Masterbrewer Ty Armstrong Sr came up with the novel idea to infuse in-house natural flavored Candy blends along with fresh exotic Fruits, caffeine-free Teas into over 100+ tasty Beer style recipes, and that's how TNA CandyBeers were born.
Armstrong Sr is the first person of color in U.S.A to create what he has trademarked the unique name of "Candybeer or Candyale". Armstrong says it just kinda fit the whole brewing process. Armstrong states that there are only about 2-5% Masterbrewers of color in the U.S Craftbeer industry dominated by his Caucasian colleagues.
Asked why he thinks the numbers are so low, why people of color are not brewing Beer in the U.S.A? I think it has a lot to do with the expense, brewing time, and waiting 4-6 weeks for the whole process to climax. Most folks of color don't want to wait for things to ferment for days and sometimes weeks. I still get impatient for certain Beers to ferment. Also, Armstrong explains that Homebrewing can be a very expensive hobby, with your starting Beer kits costing anywhere from $100 - $300, some folks of color don't want to pay this he states in his opinion. Armstrong Sr boasts that he can now brew, ferment, and carbonate any of his Candybeers & have them ready to drink in 5-7 days.
"I want to teach everyone, and especially people of color how this is done, educate folks on the history of Beer fermentation, which by the way started in the Middle East by Women of color in 'Egypt', not Germany, we need to know every single facet of the history of Beer."
Armstrong says he did not attend any brewing schools, or go to work at any Commercial Breweries, "I just started this as a hobby about 14 years ago, stated making the basic Beers (IPA's Stouts, Blondes, Lagers, Ales), and just fell in love with the process, I just kept at it, tweaking different recipe styles until I achieved my desired taste, the whole secret to making great Beer is a word called 'repetition', just like anything, the more you practice the better you get!"
Asked what has been the toughest road for him in this industry, Armstrong Sr states, "Not being taken seriously by the Beer Industry as a whole, we are homebrewing these delicious Beers in our "Tiny" Kitchen, and we get invited to local & regional commercial Beer Festivals, our lines are so long that others really get upset that Beer with fruit, Tea, and Candy should not be here. We take it as a 'win/win' that we are able to get our unique Beers tasted by thousands, and donate/pour to non-profit events to help wonderful causes."
What do people say after they taste your Beers at some of these events? Armstrong Sr states, "They can't believe it, they say 'Wow', 'OMG', is this "really" Beer? And we tell them what the main four ingredients are in making Beer: (Water, Barley, Hops, Yeast) and they are amazed..."
Armstrong Sr says that they are not able to sell his Beers on the open market; he states that it costs thousands of dollars to obtain the proper licensing & production space. He says he and his wife Judy will never stop doing what they love, which is the passion for making these unique and delicious Candybeers for the people looking for something new & unique. "We know God has a plan, and he will bring us the right investment partner to help make this dream a reality someday."
Armstrong Sr says they are seeking about $250,000 to get his Nano Brewery (A Small 1-3 Barrel Brewery) up and running, this would cover his licensing, production space, etc.. for the first 3 years. "We have a business plan and summary for those serious about becoming a potential investment partner," says Armstrong. "We have spoken to others in past, but Judy and I feel it has to be a good fit for both parties involved."
"The Black Ty Brewing' story of passionate commitment to beermaking is one that we feel all artisanal Craftbeer lovers drinkers will relate to, 'Bringing their story to life through the creation of TNA Candybeers has been an exciting challenge in that we're presented with the rare opportunity to marry a strong emotional story with truly unique and exceptional beverage.'"
"We believe our story of empowerment will resonate with people of color, women & men worldwide as they discover the delicious flavors of this unique gateway in the exploding Craftbeer industry."
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