Creature Comforts Brewing Company, an award-winning, purpose-driven craft brewery, announced today that the brand is celebrating Ale Sharpton’s 30 years in craft beer by remixing his Piano Keys Imperial Stout. Dennis Malcolm Byron—better known as nationally recognized beer pioneer Ale Sharpton—is a journalist, photographer, creative and advocate of craft beer.
There will be two public events (one in Athens, another in Atlanta):
- Piano Keys beer launch – Friday, February 13, beginning at 5pm at Creature’s Taproom (271 W. Hancock Ave, Athens)
- Ale’s birthday celebration – Monday, February 23, from 7-10pm at Terminal West (887 W. Marietta St NW, Ste C, Atlanta)
“Creature Comforts is excited to take our stout expertise and showcase Ale Sharpton’s vision while we celebrate all he’s done to elevate and celebrate the world of craft brewing,” said Adam Beauchamp, co-founder and CEO of Creature Comforts. “This is the 30th anniversary of this beer icon, and we are proud to team up with him to mark the occasion.”
Piano Keys is a chocolate and vanilla imperial 9.6% ABV stout featuring cocoa nibs from the Athens-based Condor Chocolates and an elite blend of hand-selected vanilla beans from around the globe. The decadent aromas of fig and dark chocolate are balanced by the soft, sweet flavor of vanilla for an imperial stout that smells as good as it tastes. The collaboration is being brewed in commemoration of Ale’s first beer article published in 1996.
“When I first conceptualized Piano Keys eight years ago, my motivation was fueled by equity and education within the beer industry,” said Sharpton. “The resulting unique imperial stout was embraced and enjoyed by people of all backgrounds. I learned a lot during the process, and, along with the welcomed requests from Piano Keys fans, I wanted to return with a second version of the beer. It was important for me to identify the ideal brewery to partner with to remix everything from the artwork to the merchandise, and ultimately, the formula.”
Sharpton continued, “As a journalist, I covered Creature Comforts since their inception more than a decade ago. Creature’s reputation for crafting stellar beer, clever marketing, and philanthropic efforts made them the ideal partner. After I approached Creature to produce a 2026 version of Piano Keys, it became immediately clear that they would be a dope and perfect fit for realizing my new vision.”
As a journalist and marketing consultant, Sharpton continues to passionately travel the globe covering automobiles, culinary scenes, celebrity profiles, sports, hotel destinations, art, and what he terms “the world’s best beverage”—beer. Sharpton has contributed to more than 30 magazines and websites, including USA Today, Thrillist.com, Craft Beer & Brewing, CraftBeer.com, James Beard, Atlanta Magazine, among others. He can also be seen or heard on numerous websites, radio stations, podcasts, beer fests and conferences. Sharpton served as the second vice president of the National Black Brewers Association. Alongside his wife, Andrea, Sharpton co-founded Brewgether, a social impact organization that connects craft breweries and urban agriculture.
Creature Comforts has experienced incredible growth since its inception in 2014, becoming the 31st largest craft brewery in America. Known for its wide range of highly rated and award-winning beers, the Creature Comforts line-up includes year-round and seasonal offerings such as Tropicália (American IPA), Classic City Lager (Lager), Flash Cat (Hazy Imperial IPA), among others. Classic City Lager has won two Gold Medals at the Great American Beer Festival in 2022 and 2024. In 2023, Creature was named the Official Taproom and Craft Beer of UGA Athletics.
In 2025, Creature Comforts expanded into spirits-based beverages, part of a years-long strategic decision to broaden its mission and portfolio of beverage offerings with the addition of Sun Glow, a ready-to-drink vodka seltzer, as well as house-made cocktails to its taproom, and multiple small-batch, bottled spirits available for sale in in the taproom and the new cocktail bar, called Cura, which the company opened on the footprint of its Athens taproom location.
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