Knoxville's first Black-owned brewery is open and expanding the beer scene. The long-awaited Ebony and Ivory Brewing opened on North Central Street in late September.

Located in the same building as Hard Knox Pizza, it's the second Black-owned brewery in Tennessee behind Beale Street Brewing in Memphis. It's the dream of college friends and co-owners Chico Dupas and Mitchell Russell come to life.

"To us, when we sat down and talked about it, it wasn't just about making good beer. We wanted to have more of a sincere focus on something that can be more meaningful than just making beer.

"And that was one aspect of it was recognizing that there was so much lack of diversity in the craft beer culture," Dupas told Knox News.

Yee-Haw!:Knoxville's most anticipated taproom is near, and we got a peek at the progress

More from Keenan:13 lunch spots in and around the metro Knoxville area to check out

What is Ebony and Ivory Brewing?

In 2018, Dupas and Russell started homebrewing Ebony and Ivory beer to save money. The two met at Carson-Newman and became friends after Russell's graduation, and brewing turned into a bigger project when friends started requesting their beer.

Historically, the craft beer culture has lacked diversity, and that's true in Knoxville. Dupas, who is Black, had never tried a craft beer until he was 30. It opened up a new world for him that he wants to share with other people of color.

The two want to make beer that's approachable and affordable. The brewery follows the Beer Judge Certification Program style of beers.

"We try to create beers that are across the board of a variety of styles: lights, dark sours, traditional barrel-aged stuff that are sours in that aspect," Russell said. "We believe that there's a beer out there for everyone."

Their beers will change seasonally. The taproom has 16 options on draft, including a nitro tap used for darker beers.

There are four Ebony and Ivory beers on draft:

• Summer Ale

• Altbier - a collaboration with Yee-Haw Brewing Co.

• Pith and Rings

• OLP Oatmeal Stout

They're sourcing beer on draft from other breweries, and the tap will feature guest beers until they can scale up production.

It's $4-$6 for a pint or a mug. There are 5-ounce options, too.

A couple beers on the menu are only offered in small serving sizes, like the Pith and Rings or Sour Monkey by Victory Brewing Co. Those options either have limited quantities or a high alcohol volume.

Russell said the only reason a beer would be priced at $7 or more is if it's a limited beer or an expensive import.

"We'll focus on bottled projects up front, but mainly over the tap wall, and we'll eventually mosey into some canned products that we'll be able to distribute in a couple of different places," Russell said. "But as far as huge distribution, that's not our focus at the moment. We're trying to take care of this place and make sure that we can create a solid foundation first before we try to branch out."

Crafting a comfortable brewery

Along with the beer, Dupas wants to make Ebony and Ivory a place where everyone is invited inside. He used his own experience feeling uncomfortable at breweries to create the right vibe.

The taproom is still in the early stages, but it features a side patio with tables made from wood pallets with lights and hops hanging overhead.

"We want to make sure that we had an inviting type of feel, where we took into consideration the music that we play. We took into consideration the accommodations that we have. We took into consideration the types and styles of beer that we that we make," Dupas said.

He hopes to use Ebony and Ivory as a platform to welcome more people of color into the craft beer scene. Dupas said it's going to take time, but through friends and word of mouth, Ebony and Ivory wants to attract diverse customers who explore other breweries, too.

"We don't want the message to be that this is a brewery for Black people, we want the message to be that this is a brewery for all people," Dupas said. "And we want to be very intentional in saying that everyone's welcome."

Ebony and Ivory is open from 4:30-9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 12-8 p.m. on Sunday.

"As a man of faith … I wouldn't dare put limits on what God might do with what we have," Dupas said. "I never thought we would be here. I never thought it would turn into this. And look what has happened."

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville beer: Ebony and Ivory Brewing opens in Old North Knoxville