Hope for the Day has always been about meeting people where they’re at. For us, that’s often at a concert, a street fair, or even a school lunchroom. With our beer project Hops for the Day and our partners at Roadmap Brewing, we’re crafting the conversation in new spaces.

“It's really about starting conversations and bringing those conversations to where people already are,” Dustin Baker, co-owner and brewer at Roadmap Brewing, said. “In our case, they're sitting at the bar in our taproom.” 

That 800-square-foot taproom in San Antonio, Texas will be starting those discussions by serving up Hops for the Day starting on May 6 to start off Mental Health Awareness Month. Though the conversations are starting in May, Baker wants to keep them going long after the month is over.

“We're encouraging everyone to brew and release them throughout the year, because it's a cause that's worthy of more than just one month,” Baker said.

The Hops for the Day base recipe, developed by Roadmap Brewing gives breweries options — the versatile recipe can be brewed as a classic West Coast IPA or a New England hazy IPA. Breweries could even brew it twice, once each way, to keep the conversation going.

This inclusive recipe was a purposeful decision for Baker.

“We wanted to, one, make sure that everyone felt comfortable approaching it in whatever way they wanted to,” Baker said. “And it also painted the picture that mental health comes in all sorts of forms and regardless of the recipe it can result in a lot of different things.”

That focus on mental health has long been a personal priority for Baker, but has also flowed into his work.

Over the past two years Baker said he’s seen the toll the pandemic has taken on the beverage industry. The uncertainty and constant changes have caused the industry and those in it to struggle.

“We looked around and heard people talking a lot about how they're short staffed or physically worn out,” Baker said. “But noticed that there was one thing missing from that conversation which was how everyone is mentally worn down as well.”

With Hops for the Day, Baker wanted to ensure “that part of the conversation was heard loud and clear.” 

The stigma surrounding mental health challenges and discussions can keep many silent when it comes time to talk about it. No matter the industry, we all have mental health, so we all need to talk about it. But each space, community, and industry can face its own challenges and stigmas.

“The most important thing about it to me is just getting rid of the stigma for mental health and talking about it,” Baker said. “It becomes even more difficult to talk about it when you're in the alcoholic beverage industry, because alcohol, like so many other things, can be abused. But it also is important that we recognize that it can also have a healthy relationship.”

As discussed previously, valves look different for everyone.

These conversations may be difficult to have, but according to Baker, “all the more reason that we should be talking about it.”

If you or a loved one are going through a mental health challenge or would like more information on available resources in your community, please visit Hope For The Day’s Resource Compass.