Category Archives: Names

Hello. My Name Is Vladimir

In a previous blog entry I wrote about Pravda Brewery, a craft brewery in the Ukrainian city of Lviv. Faced with an invasion by the Russian military the brewery transformed at least part of its production space into a Molotov Cocktail factory. It was the brewery’s contribution to local resistance efforts. The bottles that were used in the assembly of the Molotov Cocktails were those that, under normal circumstances, would be filled with a Dry-hopped Golden Ale (ABV 8.0%) called “Putin Huilo”, which translates as “Putin is a Dickhead“. The label has a picture of a naked Putin sitting on a throne.

The label from Putin Huilo beer from Pravda Brewery

Putin is not the only political figure to appear on the label of one of Pravda’s beers. The brewery also produces an American-style Stout called Obama Hope, a Belgian-style Wit called Frau Ribbentrop, and a Mexican Imperial Lager called Trump. The labels of these three beers have pictures of former U.S. President Barack Obama, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and former U.S. President Donald Trump on them respectively. All the labels carry political messages.

The label on Obama Hope refers to President Obama as “a symbol of democracy and a guarantor of the global justice” As such. one of the President’s main tasks is to “safeguard peace and to prevent a new aggressor from starting World War III”. The message on the label goes on to reference Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. Pravda was clearly hoping (the beer is named Obama Hope after all) that the American President would step in and assist Ukraine in its fight against the Russian aggressor. Referencing the aforementioned invasion, the label states, “Obama is still hesitating to provide real help to the Ukrainians in fighting it”. In what could perhaps be interpreted as some words of warning to President Obama, the label concludes its message with the statement that Obama “has all the chances to go down in history as the one who got it all wrong”

The label from Obama Hope beer from Pravda Brewery

The political message on the Frau Ribbentrop label is clear. The brewery is critical on Chancellor Merkel’s stance on the the 2014 Russian invasion of Ukraine’s Donbas Region, particularly her refusal to supply Ukraine with weapons to fight the Russian invaders and her insistence that the Ukrainian government hold direct talks with Donbas separatists, with a view to a negotiated settlement. Many Ukrainians were irked by Merkel’s position and inundated her Facebook page with comments, including some that suggested she was a modern-day von Ribbentrop. The name Ribbentrop is a reference to Joachim von Ribbentrop who was the German Foreign Minister between 1938 and 1945, and who played a key role in the negotiation, on behalf of Germany, of a number of key treaties. These included the “Pact of Steel” that was signed between Germany and Italy on May 22, 1939 and established a formal alliance between the two countries and linked them politically and militarily. Von Ribbentrop also negotiated the German-Soviet Non-aggression Pact of August 23, 1939, which according to one source “cleared the way for Hitler’s attack on Poland on Sept. 1, 1939, thus beginning World War II”. As far as Pravda is concerned, both Merkel and von Ribbentrop were ut from the same cloth and were complicit in facilitating conflict in Europe.

The label from Frau Ribbentrop beer from Pravda Brewery

Not surprisingly, Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States also has a Pravda beer named after him. The beer is, appropriately, a Mexican Imperial Lager with an ABV of 7.2%. The label refers to Mr. Trump as “President of the Divided States of America” (a characterization borrowed from Time Magazine when they named Mr. Trump as their Person of the Year in 2016). The label calls President Trump “the symbol for the final era of true politicians” (not quite sure what is meant by that), while also labeling him as both a “sexist” and an “ideal family man”. In the background, an individual holds “Free Melania: placard.

The label from Putin Trump beer from Pravda Brewery

Pravda is not the only brewery to have brewed a beer inspired by President Putin. In 2014, the irreverent Scottish brewery, BrewDog brewed a double IPA which it named, Hello, My Name Is Vladimir. 2014 was the year that the Russian city of Sochi hosted the Winter Olympic Games. In 2013, a new Russian law that banned the promotion of “non-traditional sexual relations” to minors came into effect. The passage of this law was the catalyst for a number of gay rights protests across the world. Many of these protests occurred a few before the start of the Sochi Olympics. BrewDog chose to join the protests by brewing a beer. The label on the beer had four images of President Putin, all showing the Russian President wearing lipstick. The messaging on the label pokes further fun at President Putin, with statements such as “I am 100% hetero and will pass laws to prove it”. The bottom of the label contains the warning that the beer is “not for gays”. James Watt, co-owner of BrewDog, sent a case of the beer to President Putin at the Kremlin. No one is quite sure what President Putin thought of the beer.

The label from Hello. My Name is Vladimir beer from BrewDog
BrewDog sent President Putin a case of their Hello. My Name is Vladimir beer to President Putin

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine a number of American craft breweries produced beers that featured the Russian President. Rogue Ales & Spirits of Newport, OR brewed a Double IPA (ABV 8.4%) called F*#K PUTIN. The one-pint cans were adorned with the colors of the Ukrainian flag, with all the profits going to the Global Giving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund. Intuition Ale Works of Jacksonville, FL brewed a Belgian-style Tripel (ABV 8%) which it named Hey Putin, Go F*ck Yourself!. Intuition’s beer was brewed as part of a larger global initiative called “Brew for Ukraine“. The money raised by breweries participating in the Brew for Ukraine project supports aid agencies assisting Ukraine refugees displaced by the war.

F*#C Putin, brewed by Rogue Brewing of Newport, OR
Hey Putin, Go F*ck Yourself!, brewed by Intuition Ale Works of Jacksonville, FL

In 2018, the small Finnish craft brewery, Rock Paper Scissors Brewing, produced a beer to coincide with a 2018 meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin in Helsinki, Finland. The beer was called “Let’s Settle This Like Adults”. The beer’s label, which had cartoon versions of Trump and Putin fist-bumping, included the tagline “Making Lager Great Again”. The brewery sent samples of the beer to both the US and Russian Embassies in Helsinki.

Let’s Settle This Like Adults was brewed to coincide with a 2018 meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin in Helsinki , Finland

Politics can be a divisive topic of conversation. Americans are warned not to raise political issues over the dinner table at family gatherings such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Maybe we should try to take our cue from Rock Paper Scissors Brewing and start to behave like adults when it comes to engaging in political dialog with family and friends (and strangers).

Putin Is A Dickhead

As I write this blog entry the world watches on in horror at the atrocities committed by the Russian military as their invasion of Ukraine continues unabated. The images flashing across our television screen (and the screens of our smart phones and other smart devices) are heart-wrenching. The man behind these atrocities, of course, is the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

All of us follow the events in Ukraine with varying degrees of intensity. For me, I read and see enough to keep up with general contours of the conflict. As The Beer Professor, a lot of my time on the internet is spent looking for interesting stories about the brewing industry. But in one of my recent searches I came across a story where my interest in the brewing industry intersected with events in Ukraine. The headline varied from news outlet to news outlet, but they generally read something like this: “Brewer Swaps Making Craft Beer for Molotov Cocktails”. The brewery in question is Pravda Brewery in western Ukrainian city of Lviv.

For the uninitiated, a Moltotov Cocktail is a handheld petrol bomb that is “emblematic of civil unrest and revolution“. Somewhat ironically, Molotov cocktails take their name from the Russian politician Vyacheslav Molotov, who served as the Soviet Union’s foreign minister during World War II. The name is Finnish in origin (Molotovin Koktaili) and first appeared in our lexicon during the Soviet invasion of Finland in 1939. The actual device, however, pre-dates this event. The first use of Molotov Cocktails dates back to Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), where they were used by Franco’s Nationalists as a weapon to demobilize the Republican’s Soviet-supplied T-26 tanks.

Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Yuriy Zastavny, owner of Pravda Brewery decided to repurpose its production space to supply his fellow Ukrainians with Molotov Cocktails. Molotov Cocktails are very simple to manufacture. All that is needed is a glass bottle, gasoline, kerosene, or alcohol, and a piece of cloth (to function as a wick).

Molotov Cocktails produced by Pravda Brewery in Lviv, Ukraine
This short video tells the story of Pravda Brewery converting its production space to produce Molotov Cocktails

The labels on the bottles used for Pravda’s Molotov Cocktails have a picture of a naked Putin sitting on a throne. Also on the label are the words “Putin Huilo”, which translates as “Putin is a Dickhead“. When I first saw the label on the Molotov Cocktail, I thought that the label had been specially designed with its new function as an incendiary device in mind. I was wrong. Putin Huilo is a Dry-hopped Golden Ale (ABV 8.0%) that is part of the brewery’s regular portfolio of beers, and has been brewed for a number of years. The label provides some additional background about the beer and the surrounding political context. The label, for instance, mentions Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 (which coincidentally was the year that Pravda Brewery was established). The label also notes that “Putin Huilo” is a worldwide nickname for the President Putin and also an “international chant first performed during a common march by FC Metalist and FC Shakhtar in March 30, 2014”. That got me curious – so I did a bit of googling.

The label on Putin Huilo provides the political context for the beer’s name

FC Metalist Kharkiv and FC Shakhtar are Ukranian soccer teams. Of the two, I am most familiar with Shakhtar Donestsk. Shakhtar play in the top flight of Ukranian soccer and in recent recent years have been regular participants in the Champions League – Europe’s premier and most prestigious soccer competition. In contrast, Metalist Kharkiv play in the second tier of Ukrainian soccer. They have an interesting history in that that they ceased operations in 2016, as a result of financial insolvency (they owed their playing staff 32 million Euros in back pay). The club was re-established in 2020. According to Wikipedia, the first recorded public performance of the  chant (and the song that grew from it) occurred in March 2014 in Kharkiv when Metalist fans chanted in a march through the city’s streets. The chant was partly in response to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. Several Ukrainian rock bands have included the chant in some of their music. According to journalist Alex Luhn, writing in Britain’s Guardian newspaper, the chant quickly became “a nationwide cultural meme“. Rival soccer fans came together, put their rivalries to one side, and chanted the chant in street marches in various Ukraininan cities. In a soccer match between Belarus and Ukraine in October 2014, fans from both country’s joined together in the chant during the game. A number of fans were arrested. Eight Ukrainian fans were given a jail sentence by a court in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, while some Belarus fans were fined. The video of fans chanting has been removed from the YouTube platform.

The video of soccer fans from Ukraine and Belarus chanting “Putin is a Dickhead” is no longer available on the YouTube platform

As I read about Pravda Brewery and the decision to produce Molotov Cocktails, I could not help but smile and think to myself about how typical this action was. Craft breweries all over the world try to be good citizens and strive to make a positive difference to the vibrancy and quality of life in their respective communities. In doing so, many try to respond to the needs of their patrons and neighbors, whether that be donating some profits to a local charity or transforming part of their space into a temporary yoga studio for a local yoga group. In turning their brewery into a production space for Molotov Cocktails, Pravda Brewery are providing a community service and are responding to the needs of the local community. To Pravda I say Будьмо (Cheers).

Animal Magic

When I was a kid growing up in Scotland, one of my favorite television shows was called “Animal Magic“. The show, which ran from 1962 to 1983, was part of the BBC’s children’s programing. It’s host Johnny Morris provided the show’s young viewers with content about the animal kingdom that was both entertaining and educational. As I have visited craft breweries over the years I have come to appreciate the affection that many brewery owners have for the animal kingdom, particularly dogs. This is a topic that I have written about on several occasions – see here and here for example. Dogs seem to be a particular favorite of craft breweries. It is not difficult to find a brewery where dogs seem to be as welcome as their two-legged companions who drink the beer that the brewery produces.

Dogs are welcome at Birdsong Brewing in Charlotte, NC

On a recent trip to Indianapolis, I was reminded of the the love that many brewery owners have for our four legged friends and other animals s well. The trip was the first road trip that I had taken since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. My wife and I travelled there with my oldest daughter and boyfriend (now fiancé) for a couple of days of relaxation and sightseeing. As both my daughter and her boyfriend are craft beer aficionados visits to a couple of craft breweries were included in our itinerary. One of the breweries that I particularly wanted to visit was Metazoa Brewing Company. In February 2020, I had met Metazoa’s owner Dave Worthington at the Beer Marketing and Tourism Conference in St. Petersburg, FL. Being the super nice guy that Dave is, there was a standing invitation to visit Metazoa the next time I was Indianapolis. About a week before we left for Indy I emailed Dave and arranged for a time to drop by the brewery to say “hi” to and catch up. I knew a little bit about Metazoa as a result of my conversations with Dave in St. Petersburg. For example, I knew that Dave is passionate about animal welfare and that 5% of Metazoa’s profits are donated to animal welfare charities. However, as I was to find out, Dave’s commitment to animal welfare extends beyond just donating part of his brewery’s profits.

After arriving at Metazoa, the first thing that Dave did was to make sure that the four of us had a beer in our hands (or a soft drink in the case of my wife). Metazoa has an impressive line-up of beers, some of which have medalled at beer festivals/championships, including the Great American Beer Festival, the U.S Open Beer Championship, and the World Beer Cup. I opted to try Wicked Pawsome, a Hazy IPA, that had won a Bronze Medal at the 2020 Great American Beer Festival. And I have to say – Wicked Pawsome was Wicked Awesome. Not surprisingly, given Dave’s love of animals, there are several of Metazoa’s other beers whose names are inspired by the animal kingdom. These include Puppy Slumber Party (a Peanut Butter Milk Stout), Fast and Furriest (an American IPA), and Gnat King Kölsch (a Kölsch). The name of the brewery, Metazoa, also reflects Dave’s love for animals. The term Metazoa refers to “a major division of the animal kingdom that comprises all animals other than protozoans and sponges. They are multicellular animals with differentiated tissues.”

A sign hanging in Metazoa’s taproom defines the meaning of Metazoa
Enjoying a beer with Metazoa owner Dave Worthington (left)

But Dave’s love for animals goes well beyond the name of his brewery and some its beers. As noted above, Metazoa donates 5% of its profits to a number of different animal welfare organizations. Organizations currently supported by Metazoa include Prison Greyhounds, Save the Chimps, and the Humane Society of Indianapolis (aka IndyHumane). These organizations do amazing work. For example, Prison Greyhounds “fosters retired racing greyhounds and teaches them basic house manners prior to their adoption into permanent loving homes,” while Save the Chimps “offers life-long care for chimpanzees rescued from research laboratories, the pet trade, and entertainment industry.”

Metazoa donate 5% of its profits to a number of animal welfare charities

It is almost impossible to visit Metazoa and not be reminded of the Dave’s passion for animal welfare. Its taproom walls are decorated by chimp art. Each piece of art is the work of a chimpanzee that has been rescued by the Save the Chimps organization. Below each piece of art, the story of the artist is there for you to read and learn from.

After chatting inside Metazoa’s taproom.,Dave took us outside to show us the brewery’s dog park. The dog park is impressive, and is funded by monies from the brewery, institutional sponsors, and individual dog lovers. To say that it is impressive is an understatement.

The Metazoa Dog Park
Welcome to the Metazoa Dog Park
Institutional sponsors support the Metazoa Dog Park
Bricks purchased by dog lovers helped to finance the Dog Park

My visit to Metazoa was a reminder of the generosity of the craft brewing industry, and the desire of many brewery owners to be an asset to their community and to give back to it. Data from the Brewers Association showed that in 2016 America’s 5,600+ craft breweries raised $73.4 million for various charitable causes. That’s an average of over $12,000 per brewery. Before he established Metazoa, Dave donated to a wide range of animal charities. Like many of us who give to our favorite charities, Dave donated $50 here, $100 there. The brewery has provided him with a platform to expand and extend his generosity. And, for Dave, it’s not just about donating money to animal welfare organizations. It’s also about raising awareness about some of the issues surrounding animal welfare. And, on a more local level it is about making dog owners and their pets welcome. If you are ever in Indianapolis, be sure to drop by Metazoa and enjoy one of their wonderful beers – a small part of every pint consumed go to some very worthy animal causes.

Inspired By Covid-19

Craft brewers are highly creative and innovative individuals. In addition to a love of beer, I would argue that the opportunity to be creative and innovative is what attracts many individuals to become home brewers, keeps them engaged in the hobby, and eventually propels them to open their own commercial brewery. Every brewer, with whom I have had a conversation, stresses the joy they get from brewing a new beer using a recipe that they concocted themselves. But creativity and innovation in the brewing world extends well beyond that of creating a new beer. Indeed, the next time you step into a brewery, you will see evidence of creativity everywhere – from the tap handles, to the designs on beer cans, to the very names of the beers themselves.

When it comes to beer names, many brewers choose beer names that connect the beer drinker with the brewery’s local community, whether that be a historical event, local landmark, or famous person. Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland, OH do a particularly good job at this. Their portfolio of beers include Elliot Ness Amber Lager (named after the American Prohibition Agent who was hired as Cleveland’s Safety Director in 1935), Edmund Fitzgerald Porter (named after the freighter that sank during a storm on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975, with the loss of its entire crew of 29), and Ohio City Oatmeal Stout (named after the Cleveland neighborhood where the brewery is located). Other breweries have named beers after people, events etc. that have no connection with their community. For example, a number of breweries released beers to recognize the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong being the first human to set foot on the moon. These include Schlafly Brewery in St. Louis, MO who released their Lunar Lager variety pack. The pack included Lift-Off Lager, Apollo’s Orbit Black Lager, Moon Walk Dunkel, and The Eagle Has Landed American Lager.

Given the penchant of craft breweries to name beers after historically significant people or events, it should come as no surprise that the current Covid-19 pandemic has spawned several appropriately named beers. Here are some of the ones I came across while browsing the web.

Fauci Spring: Brewed by Wild Heaven Beer in Avondale, GA, this Açaí Pale Ale (ABV 4.25%) recognizes Dr. Anthony Fauci. As Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Fauci has been a critical member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Most evenings he appears on our television screens during the daily Task Force Press briefings.

Fauci Spring Açaí Pale Ale (Wild Heaven Beer, Avondale, GA)

Don’t Stand So Close To Me: In efforts to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 and flatten the curve we are all encouraged to maintain our social distance (six feet) from other people. Social distancing has provided inspiration for several new brews. The aforementioned Wild Haven Beer have produced a German-style Lager which they called Don’t Stand So Close To Me, a German-style Lager.

Don’t Stand So Close To Me German Style Lager (Wild Heaven Beer, Avondale, GA)

Social Distance: Brewed by Hop Springs in Murfreesboro, TN Social Distance is another beer that encourages people to keep at least six feet apart. Part of the profits from this Tennessee Ale (think a hoppier Hefeweizen) goes to support workers in the local hospitality industry who are not working because of Covid-19.

Social Distance (Hop Springs, Murfreesboro, TN)

PPE: Many of us have become familiar with the acronym PPE. It stands for Personal Protective Equipment and refers to a variety of products such as face masks, gowns, gloves etc. that protect the wearer against infection. Much of the news during the Covid-19 pandemic has focused on the shortage of PPE. Water’s End Brewery of Lake Ridge, VA and Beltway Brewing of Sterling, VA have come together and collaborated to produce PPE, an IPA with an ABV of 6.4%. In the case of the beer, PPE stands for People Performing under Extreme Conditions. Six dollars of every six pack sold is contributed to the Inova Covid-19 Emergency Preparedness Fund. Inova is northern Virginia’s leading nonprofit healthcare provider.

PPE (Water’s End Brewery, Lake Ridge, VA and Beltway Brewing, Sterling, VA)

Thank You Note: Brewed by Slow Pour Brewing Company of Lawrenceville, GA, Thank You Note is an IPA. Any frontline worker (nurses, doctors, truck drivers, grocery store clerks etc.) are able to stop by Slow Pour’s tasting room and, with an ID, can get a free six-pack of the beer. This beer is a true Thank You Note to frontline workers who are working so hard, often under stressful conditions, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thank You Note (Slow Pour Brewing, Lawrenceville, GA)

Stir Crazy: During the stay-at-home orders issued by most states, many of us went a little stir crazy right. Recognizing this reality, Boomtown Brewery of Los Angeles, CA are brewing a Hazy IPA named Stir Crazy. It has an ABV of 7%.

Stir Crazy (Boomtown Brewery, Los Angeles, CA)

For The Front Line: Harpoon Brewery in Boston, MA has released a an IPA (ABV 5%) that it is calling For The Front Line. The beer is, in fact, a re-release of its Harpoon Ale, which it first brewed back in 1986. A portion of the profits made from selling the beer will  be donated to charities in both Boston and Vermont that support frontline and hospitality workers.

For The Frontline (Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA)

Donate To Service Industry Workers By Drinking This Beer: This is perhaps the Covid-19 inspired beer with the longest name – Donate to Service Workers by Drinking This Beer. Brewed by Hi-Wire Brewing of Asheville, NC this IPA (ABV 5%) gets straight to the point. Sales of this beer will  benefit unemployed hospitality workers in both North Carolina, as well as in other parts of the country. Hi-Wire will donate some of the profits to the USBG National Charity Foundation and the North Carolina Restaurant Workers Relief Fund.

Donate to Service Industry Workers by Drinking this Beer (Hi-Wire Brewing, Asheville, NC).

FVCK COVID: Ale Asylum in Madison, WI leaves you in no doubt about how they feel about Covid-19. Their new beer, FVCK COVID, a Pilsner (ABV 4%), conveys a straightforward message. Some of the profits from the beer will go to support health care workers at local hospitals, as well as unemployed hospitality industry workers.

FVCK COVID (Ale Asylum, Madison, WI)

Lifesavers and National Heroes: Covid-19 inspired beers are also appearing on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. The London Beer Factory in London, UK have brewed two beers that honor frontline workers who work for Britain’s National Health Service (NHS). Lifesavers is an American Pale Ale (ABV 4.2%) while National Heroes (ABV 4.0%) is a Lager. The revenue from the sale of both beers are going to two London hospital charities. Revenue from Lifesavers will benefit the King’s College Hospital Charity and Guy’s Hospital Charity.

Lifesavers and National Heroes (The London Beer Factory, London, UK)

All Together: Finally, there is All Together, a worldwide brewing initiative organized by Other Half Brewing Co. who have breweries in Brooklyn, NY and Rochester, NY. Other Half came up with the simple idea of getting breweries all over the world to use the same recipe to brew the same beer (All Together). Some of the monies generated from the beer support local hospitality workers, while some is retained by the brewery to help them get through this difficult period. As stated by Other Half Brewing Co., on their website:

“All Together is a worldwide, open-ended beer collaboration created to raise support for the industry we love so much. It’s an effort to raise awareness and provide relief, even in the smallest way, to those who are struggling. We’re inviting any brewer, from any corner of the planet to participate.”

Breweries wishing to participate can attain the recipe and artwork to produce the beer. As stated by Other Half Brewing Co. on their website, “the recipe is open source, the artwork is public, and the name is yours to use.” The recipe is intentionally flexible, so that brewers can produce either a New England IPA or a West Coast IPA. Literally dozens of breweries have taken up the challenge laid down by Other Half, and are producing All Together Beer. And it is not just breweries in the United States; craft breweries in Canada, New Zealand, Latin America, and Europe are participating. The name is inspired by the rallying call that, when it comes to Covid-19, we are all in this together.

Breweries wishing to produce All Together IPA can download the label template from the website of Other Half Brewing Co.
Promotional material for All Together IPA can be downloaded from the website of All Together Brewing Co.

Craft breweries across the United States, and in other countries, are struggling to sell enough beer to survive Covid-19. Some will not survive; indeed some have already permanently closed. Despite these challenges, the creativity and generosity of those working in the industry refuses to be squelched. I have written before about craft breweries (and distilleries) producing and distributing complimentary hand sanitizer to members of the general public and/or frontline workers. We also see this generosity manifest itself in the donation of monies from Covid-19 inspired beers. To some, such generosity in the face of economic adversity may be surprising. But to those of us who know and understand the craft beer community, recognize the fact that generosity is part of the DNA of those working in the craft brewing industry.

George Carlin, A Toledo Window Box, And A Beer Brewed In Texas

A common practice in the modern craft brewing industry is for breweries to name some of their beers after local landmarks, natural landscape features, historical figures, historical events etc. Without looking beyond the state of Ohio, there are many examples of this. Continue reading George Carlin, A Toledo Window Box, And A Beer Brewed In Texas

Black Swamp, Black Frog, Black Cloister

There are five breweries in the city I call home, Toledo, OH. Three of these have one thing in common; they all have the word Black in their name; Great Black Swamp Brewing Company, Black Frog Brewery, and Black Cloister Brewing Company. Despite this Continue reading Black Swamp, Black Frog, Black Cloister

What’s in a Name?

 

One of the thingsimage that I like about the craft beer industry are the names – the names of  the beers and the names of the breweries that brew them. The industry is full of clever and amusing names. For beer this includes  Hoppy Ending (yes, that’s a hop getting a massage), Polygamy Porter (“Why Have Just One?”), Blithering Idiot (at 11.1% ABV this English style barleywine may turn you into Continue reading What’s in a Name?

The Art of the Beer Label

There has been much discussion in the growing literature on craft beer about neolocalism. Usually that fancy term ‘neolocal’ means the homage paid to the inclusion of local ingredients such as locally produced hops or grains used in the products of microbreweries that have a geographically limited distribution range. Used in this sense, neolocal is similar to the French term terroir usually associated Continue reading The Art of the Beer Label