Provocative Beer Names Generate Buzz And Backlash

In today’s increasingly competitive craft beer landscape a beer’s name can be a major attention-grabber. But provocative beer names can cut both ways, sometimes generating buzz, other times incurring backlash.

And two recent beer names, both ripped from news headlines, are stirring things in different parts of the country…

(Warning: American Craft Beer doesn’t shy away from profanity or polarizing positions when it’s part of the story – So you might want to stop reading now if you’re offended by rough language or alleged billionaire pedophiles.)

Epstein Didn’t Kill Himself IPA

We’ll start with alleged billionaire pedophiles…

Mackinaw City. Michigan-based Rusted Spoke Brewing is not buying that Jeffery Epstein, the alleged billionaire pedophile with friends in high places, committed suicide while in an NYC jail. And Rusted Spoke Brewing’s Epstein Didn’t Kill Himself New England IPA isn’t ‘hazy’ about where they stand on the issue…

Jeffrey Epstein, 66, an American financier who was accused of trafficking underage girls, died Aug. 10, while in jail awaiting trial. He was found unresponsive in his cell at the Manhattan Correctional Center in Manhattan, where the cameras in his cell were unfortunately out of order and the guards just happened to not be around.

His death was quickly ruled a suicide, but skeptics believed he was killed because of “his damaging secrets on powerful figures,” Business Insider reports.

But an autopsy commissioned by Epstein’s brother and conducted by the famed Dr. Michael Baden has concluded that his death was likely a homicide, not a suicide — fueling conspiracy theorists and beer lovers alike.

Alissa Klinger, operations manager at Rusted Spoke Brewing Co., told the Detroit Free Press that they added the “Epstein” beer last week…

“We had people that once I posted it on Facebook got in their car and actually drove here for it, so I thought that was fun. It has increased the sales, of course. It doesn’t matter who you are, people think it’s funny.”

And Rusted Spoke isn’t the only brewery questioning the Epstein suicide ruling… Tactical Ops Brewing, a military-themed brewery in Fresno, California recently released a batch of their Basher Oatmeal Stout with the phrase “Epstein Didn’t Kill Himself” printed on the bottom of their beer cans.

Shady Oak Fuck PG&E Pale Ale

After multiple years of devastating fires sparked by PG&E power lines in California, Shady Oak Barrel House owner Steve Doty had finally had it. And he took to Facebook to announce the Santa Rosa-based brewery’s latest offering, which bluntly spelled out how he felt about the company…

But unlike Rusted Spoke’s Epstein Didn’t Kill Himself  beer, Shady Oak’s Fuck PG&E Pale Ale generated considerable blowback from beer lovers who also happen to work for the energy company…

Here are just two comments left on Facebook that measure the uproar the beer’s name caused …

My husband works for PG&E, they are the hardest working employees and the most generous. My husband will be letting crews know to pass this shit show of a bar due to your low class, and ignorance.”

“As a wife of a Lineman who puts his life on the line daily to ensure people like yourself have power I absolutely will not be supporting your establishment, nor will my friends or family.”

Shady Oak’s owner was caught off guard by the vehemence of the backlash…(and given the scale of the damage that these California fires have produced, we are too.)

“There were no problems Wednesday, Thursday or Friday” Doty told SFGATE, “but then I guess some point on Saturday afternoon some person saw it and misread it and then things exploded.”

Want more on beer names?

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