Sapelo Spirits teams up with a nonprofit to help preserve Black Geechee heritage

An Athens, Georgia-based brewing company is using a new citrus-inspired spirit to help preserve the agricultural traditions and cultural legacy of the historic Black Geechee community on Sapelo Island, the Sun Herald reports. Creature Comforts Brewing Co. has released Sapelo, an Italian-inspired aperitivo created in partnership with Save Our Legacy Ourself, a nonprofit focused on protecting the heritage of the island’s Saltwater Geechee community, according to the outlet.

The collaboration supports efforts to revive the Sapelo Sour, a historic orange variety that was brought to the island from Spain in the 1600s. A portion of the sales from each bottle will go toward community-led agricultural restoration work. The project holds special meaning for Sapelo Island’s Saltwater Geechee residents, who are descendants of enslaved Africans and have preserved distinct cultural traditions along Georgia’s coast for generations.

Protecting the community’s agricultural heritage is part of a larger effort to safeguard its Black history, ancestral ties, and cultural identity. SOLO was founded in 2021 and is led by Maurice Bailey, the son of the late Cornelia Walker Bailey, a renowned historian, author, and activist who devoted her life to preserving Sapelo Island’s Geechee heritage. Cornelia Walker Bailey was widely known for documenting the island’s history and championing cultural preservation through agricultural revival.

Her work highlighted the importance of keeping alive the traditions and historical knowledge passed down through generations of Black island residents. The partnership between Creature Comforts and SOLO continues that legacy by linking commercial beverage sales to efforts to restore a crop deeply rooted in the community’s history. Sapelo features the tart citrus flavor of the Sapelo Sour orange and is crafted as an aperitivo, the traditional Italian pre-dinner drink known for its bittersweet profile.

The coral-colored spirit comes in a blue-and-white bottle and can be served with Prosecco, soda water, and an orange slice. Through this partnership, the companies hope to support the preservation of an agricultural tradition that remains closely tied to Sapelo Island’s Black cultural heritage. RELATED CONTENT: Georgia Gullah-Geechee Community Favored In Supreme Court Ruling