The first beer from TRU Colors, the brewery that employs active gang members in an effort to stop violence through economic opportunity, is hitting shelves this week across North Carolina.

TRULight, an above-premium light lager, will be available this week in nearly 800 on- and off-premise locations across the state. 

Checking in at 4.2% alcohol by volume, TRULight has 95 calories and 2.6 carbs, mirroring the key stats of segment leader Michelob Ultra.

The beer has been well received by distributors and retailers, says George Taylor, a tech entrepreneur turned brewery CEO and founder, with some accounts even swapping out displays of Michelob Ultra for TRULight.

“They connect with the story and connect with the cause. Then they taste the beer and want to join in,” says Taylor. 

“If you have a good product and the packaging is good, the price is right, and it tastes good…why would you not want to sell it?”

Wilmington, N.C.-based TRU Colors is the brainchild of Taylor, who, upset at the level of gang violence in the city, sought to create a solution hand-in-hand with local gang leaders.

The result was founding a brewery in 2019 that hires active gang members, giving them economic opportunities and, in turn, leveraging their influence inside gangs to reduce violence.