Dr. J. Nikol
Jackson-Beckham
Dr. J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham
Diversity Ambassador
Brewers Association
When a growing love of craft beer brought J. to her first craft beer festivals in the early 2000s, she found a vibrant community that she knew she wanted to be a part of. She also found that there weren’t a lot of people that looked like her in the craft brewing industry or culture. In years since, J. has become an avid homebrewer, has held a provisional certification from the BJCP, and worked for a number of years for a homebrew supply retailer with five locations across Virginia and North Carolina. J. has dedicated her academic career to the study of the American brewing industry’s impact on American culture. She has published popular commentary and academic research, speaks around the country at academic, industry, and general interest venues, and is frequent guest on radio shows and other media. She has become one of the foremost voices on the racial dynamics of the craft brewing industry. J. now works as a professor of Communication Studies at Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia. Her book, The Value of a Pint, is forthcoming from the University of Nebraska Press.
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