Taking a Stand Against Sexist Beers
Panty Peeler. Phat Bottom. And all the unfortunate beers that use the color of a woman’s hair that also coordinate with a beer style—Blonde, Amber—and take a large bra size to create a name. As equality fights are raging on a number of different fronts, there are still breweries and beers that are well behind the times.
At the annual Craft Brewers Conference last year the Brewers Association held a press conference. There, leaders and division heads of the group that represents and is composed of “small and independent” brewers rolled out good news about growth, new initiatives and some warnings on what “big beer” could do to the industry and consumers.
During questioning by members of the media, the writer Bryan Roth (who tackles a different version of this topic in our March issue) posed a question about diversity. What is the BA doing, he asked, to make small brewers more aware and supportive of “inclusivity and diversity, whether that’s race, ethnicity or gender identity?”
What followed was a number of statements from BA employees that ranged from economic to geographical, to celebratory of the industry, with a nod toward needed progress. Since then, the group has stated publicly it has intentions to research gender and race in the industry and how it can do better in regard to fairness and attention.
Inclusion and equality don’t get discussed in open forums enough, and these are topics we’ve been thinking about here at the magazine for quite some time. Specifically, the way some breweries view and depict women in beer names and on labels.
This isn’t a new issue. It’s been simmering below the surface for quite some time, with only the occasional bubble-up. Some take to the internet to express outrage; others shrug it off. Still others criticize the critics. However, as the national political conversation centers on how women are treated in society these days—to say nothing of the xenophobia, racism and homophobia permeating so much of everyday American life—it would be wrong not to stand up and join in a call to action.
How, in an age of progress, technology and enlightenment are breweries still releasing and producing beers with demeaning names like Once You Go Black or Panty Dropper? Or just skipping over the suggestions of getting a woman drunk for the purposes of sex and heading right to the name Date Grape. To be fair, the last one was a crowdsourced name solicited by MobCraft. When alerted to the name, it was immediately pulled, and the Milwaukee-based brewer apologized and promised to put editorial checks and balances into place to avoid future embarrassment and hurt.
This is still a male-dominated industry, both in terms of its employees and its customers. The jocular attitude that women are somehow beneath men or simply objects, however, is something that should have been eradicated a long time ago.
This magazine exists to cover the beer industry in all its forms. We also have a social responsibility to stand up against anything that demeans our fellow citizens, regardless of gender, religion, sexual orientation and race.
We will not be quiet about this important issue. We want to do our part so that the next generation of beer drinkers can focus on the fun, the flavorful and the future. Beers that demean women or promote rape culture will not be reviewed or promoted in this magazine or on AllAboutBeer.com.
This isn’t anything new for us. Beer names that fall into poor taste—except when newsworthy—have largely been kept out of these pages and our online reviews. We see no benefit in rewarding juvenile behavior, and often the names in poor taste were there to distract from poor beer. This is a topic we will continue to tackle—head-on—both in person and in our coverage. Demeaning or objectifying women has no place in society or on beer labels.
Editor’s Note: This editorial appears in the March issue of All About Beer Magazine.
John Holl
John is the editor of All About Beer Magazine and the author of three books, including The American Craft Beer Cookbook. Find him on Twitter @John_Holl.
If you don’t list the names of beers your find offensive, or in poor taste, or sexist and juvenile, you’re completely waxing philosophical with this.
Writing a total fluff piece to feel a part of the inclusivity crowd is a joke without actually calling out the beers and breweries you disagree with.
Have the courage of your conviction to list these beers and begin the dialogue with your audience.
I doubt very much that anyone could name all the offending beers. The article uses examples to make the point.
The author did give 5 examples of such beers:
Date Grape
Once You Go Black
Panty Dropper
Panty Peeler
Phat Bottom
Aside from the obvious references (Date Grape, Once You Go Black, etc), I am hoping that BA keeps a level sense of perspective regarding beer color. Blond, amber, black, brown are legitimate color references to beer color and therefore style. Beer style names shouldn’t endure the political correctness BS that infiltrates other segments of our national conscience.
I’m not sure that was the point the writer was trying to make. At least, that is not how I construed it. I believe he was referring to beer names that include the beer style as a reference to a derogatory term. For instance, a local brewery used to name its blonde ale “Babbbling Blonde,” with a label that depicted a fish wearing a Marilyn Monroe-esque white dress and blonde wig. They have since changed the name, although admittedly to something significantly less memorable. As a woman, and as a beer drinker, I did not find it offensive, but in retrospect, I can see how some others would.
As a home brewer I see more and more women getting Involved. I don’t feel it is sexist at all. I named one of my beers a Smokin’ Body Porter. It’s all about what the consumer wants and mine is based on a full body smoked porter. What name would catch the consumer’s eye more?
I don’t think a name like “Smokin’ Body” targets a specific group. Whoever reads it can think about whichever body they consider “smokin'” while still describing the beer.
As a woman and an avid beer consumer, I’m not offended by that name.
And a few seconds into reading the article, I’m hit with a pop up to sign up for your newsletterl that says “Beer in your box”. ?
Lol. You are absolutely right! Lol
I only thought of the title as in “mailbox.” Lighten up.
It actually says “Beer in you Inbox”… 😉
https://goo.gl/photos/raf3GGBhjLpp7SwZ6
Take this leftist PC garbage and shove it. Leave beer alone.
This. Please stop politicizing everything. We know you mean well, but you are destroying the possibility of honest dialogue and, worst of all, humor. Words are not actions, no matter poorly chosen or tasteless they may be. We’re adults. Stop lecturing us as if reading a stupid label like “Date Grape” immediately turns someone into a rapist.
I agree that this rag is too PC, but after all it is published in Durham, NC. If I find a beer label too offensive I choose not to buy that beer! Let the public be the judge of what to purchase. If a lot of customers don’t buy a product because of a name, the brewer will likely change the name.
I don’t feel the author is trying to say “By either looking at the label, or consuming Date Grape, you’re now a rapist.” I think it’s more about bringing attention to crass names that polarize a certain group of people in this industry. No, not every name will be offensive to every woman, but relying on sexual heavy names like “Slam Piece”, for instance, isn’t how you should be trying to push your product.
No, a beer label will not turn someone into racist but making fun of something so serious does legitimise rape culture. This in turn will affect both men and women who are victims of rape.
If you feel like rape is an acceptable thing for a beer to be named after then you deserve lecturing.
Make a note that the Date Grape name was crowd sourced. The brewery didnt think of the name. Its customers and followers did. So apparently there were enough peolple out there who thought it was a worthy name. I personally wouldnt have chosen it but it is only a name.
You can crowdsource white supremacy, too. It’s not an acceptable justification.
Crowd sourcing is not a good sign of a good name…Boaty McBoatface for example.
Rape Culture doesn’t exist simply because a craft beer brewer named a beverage (doesn’t exist at all actually). Humor has no limits and frankly that’s a funny name. Nobody is legitimizing rape. Jokes are made about 9/11 that are funny as hell but those jokes don’t legitimize flying a plane into a tower.
Peter, do you believe that by joking about rape I am more likely to be a rapist?
Your profound insights have truly made a difference in the world I live.
But I bet if a beer was named “Oppressive Cracker” you’d be stomping around like a child claiming white oppression. Way to take a stand, “John Doe”
Absolutely!
Jeez is nothhkng sacred anymore!
This is PC bullocks is becoming a real drain.
I bet the BA is located somewhere in California, somewhere where you’re not allowed to have any fun anymore
If you equate ‘fun’ with offensive language towards a group of people, I think you should reevaluate your use of the word. There’s nothing wrong with starting a dialogue about less offensive/objectifying terminology.
Nope, BA is located in the Peoples Republic of Massachusettes, not here in the Peoples Republic of Kalifornia. No fun in either state anymore.
No it is not! The BA, Brewers Association, is based in Colorado.
The good old sanctity of being a chauvinist asshole. Is NOTHHKNG SACRED!
Ugh!! We have to respect women. What a “drain”
Thank you!
As a 10 year professional brewer who very much wants to see craft beer open itself up to people other than straight white males more than it has, allow me to respectfully tell you to stuff it. Just because our culture is used to disrespecting people doesn’t mean that continuing to do that is right.
Thank you liberal, people like you are exactly why someone like Trump was elected.
The fact that you have issues with what are essentially cartoons and jokes on craft beer labels is a joke in itself. While I’m not a brewer,I do know a few and none of them take labeling as anything more than a decoration. It’s not what’s on the bottle it’s what’s in it that sells. As a craft beer consumer not once has the art or name of a beer label influenced my decision to buy it. If this is really an issue, people are taking beer labels way too serious!
Bravo, John Holl and AAB.
This has gone on far too long. I stand with my friends, with my wife, sister, and daughter. I won’t buy beer with sexist names. The practice is juvenile, stupid, and low class. We can – and usually do – provide better.
I concur, the overtly offensive is not only demeaning to the victim of the ‘joke’ but to the brewing trade in it’s entirity. The same thing is going on now branding cannabis, and some of the names of the strains are extremely rude, which to a bunch of stoners was funny. Now, looking at legalized mega-business, those names are not appropriate. To reach a larger public, is the goal of every brewer, so insulting any sector of the market is foolish.
You alcoholics need to get your heads out of your asses and stop pretending your jobs have real social value.
It must have some social agency, you just puckered your little cleft asshole about it.
Sadly this article shouldn’t have to have been written even more sad are the fools who think that sexist branding doesn’t have a negative knock on effect that is demeaning toward women.
Grow the fuck up men. Stop stroking your cock over a cartoon woman on a pump clip. She’s not going home with you and neither is anyone else for that matter. Infantile apes.
I’m with Dan! Here, here!
So which is more rude, your response or the aforementioned labels? Not doing a good job of making your case Dan.
right on
“54 per cent of women say they now visit the pub regularly. 32 per cent of landlords under the age of 35 are now female…. the number of women drinking real ale changed from 14 per cent five years ago to 39 per cent today. Of 8,000 business customers… more than half of pubs today (56 per cent) are run by at least one landlady.” (Source Telegraph 15th Feb2017)
Female ale drinkers – an increasing market
Female buyers on the increase (landladies) 1/3rd of under 35s, and part of the team in 56% of pubs…
Not to mention the large number of male ale drinkers and landlords who wouldn’t touch a brewery that chose to market its beer towards the “The 1970s Were Great” dinosaur market…
Even if some brewers/buyers/punters are from the dark ages – don’t understand sexism, or simply don’t care to do anything about it – surely the straightforward economic idiocy of only pitching towards the shrinking part of a market should sway the most Alf Garnett among us!
Well said. It is time the beer industry got into the 21st century.
Libtards are always so full of themselves but still cannot comprehend that they only speak for themselves and their ever shrinking idiotlogy.
Even though we may miss out on a lot of excellent US craft beers, this is one of those occasions I’m very happy not to live in the US (actually, there have been a lot of those lately). What a load of politically correct nonsense. We should not call a beer ‘blond’ because of the hair color? And who has ever heard of a ‘dumb amber’? In my experience, when you start avoiding words because they may offend, you’re not working on the solution, you’re ignoring the actual problem. And calling blonds stupid has nothing to do with EBC’s.
It’s appropriate to call a beer a blonde. It’s inappropriate to label your beer “Six Foot Blonde” with a cartoon of a woman depicted as a stripper. It’s the not the word, it’s the context.
That isn’t what the author said. He just blasted Blonde and Amber as sexist. They are words that denote color. I didn’t see anyone attack St. Pauli Girl, a reference to the old “red light district” of Bremen Germany.
“…use the color of a woman’s hair that also coordinate with a beer style—Blonde, Amber—and take a large bra size to create a name.” It’s words that denote color combined with objectifying images of women that is sexist.
Please control more of what we think!!! We totally need it.
Are there not woman strippers? Of course there are, so are strippers inappropriate. It’s their choice to strip.
Well I am SO, SO SAD we aren’t blessed with your chauvinistic presence in the US.
I’m sick of all these assholes claiming the world needs to be a safe space for them to mock and objectify others. It’s just like when the Christian right says they are oppressed by gay marriage.
Guess what, asking you to not mock women or depict them as sex objects isn’t oppressive to you. Stop whining about your loss of privilege, nobody cares.
when men deal with being objectified by other men, or hounded and harassed then they know what we go thru daily. What if a beer were named “bend over buddy” ” better have a big cock” you would not like it either. Women do not put their hands on men unwarranted, yell at them daily, harass them, get in your space, almost every woman has been sexually assaulted – definitely all have been sexually harassed. Get over it you guys and step away from the porn. You can do it! see us as humans and you might open your mind.
Too little too late. This isn’t a new issue, but the community only now seems to be growing some balls to address it.
The BA are spineless on this issue, and will probably continue to be so.
Will you review my new beer even though it has a sexist and agist name: “Large Bald Aged Porter with hints of amber Crocks with black Socks” ?
Ha!
This walks a fine line between petulant SJWism and genuine concern. However, a few seconds into reading it there’s a popup ad that says “beer in your BOX”. It probably wasn’t meant to be a double entendre, but one could certainly view it as such. If you really are concerned about stopping sexism and all that, perhaps you should re-word that advert?
I also noticed that you didn’t mention all that many beers specifically, just a select handful. And while I agree that the examples you cherry picked are indeed awful, it’s not indicative of an industry-wide problem. Are you afraid of honking-off potential sponsors?
I recently decided to take a survey of the Tampa Bay area craft beer scene to see how many “sexist” beer labels I could find. The results were surprising:
http://www.hypeorlando.com/orlando-beer-blog/2017/02/10/is-the-craft-beer-industry-lousy-with-sexist-beer-labels/
Hey Chad,
The pop-up should read “Beer In Your Inbox.” Is it reading otherwise on your screen?
Thanks,
Daniel Hartis
All About Beer Magazine
Your anecdotal evidence is not indicative of the problem as a whole. Your subjects were also comparatively tame to many of the offerings that people take issue with. Yes, only a few egregious examples are listed here, but there are countless ones available just a google search away.
But this is also pretty par for the course for you, so no big surprise there.
Here’s a protip: nobody takes anyone seriously who regularly uses “SJW” in conversation.
Growing up in the 70’s when classified personal ads were a thing, “SJW” will always mean “Single Jewish Woman” to me. Which gives me another reason to laugh at the people who think it’s some kind of insult.
If that were true, Trump wouldn’t be president right now.
Funny thing, nobody takes him seriously either. SJW is just a crutch term used by feckless, angry, white limp dicks who didn’t get to lay all the women they thought they were owed. Choke to death on a beer cap, you walking micropenis.
LOL! Angry much, Tom?
It is very funny that people say this is political correctness gone mad when I know for a fact that when the boot goes to the othe foot it is the men who get all uppity, I recently replaced all the hand pumps in my pub with giant dildos in the shape of the male organ which I painted silver and gold, and so you would have to grab the phallus to pull a pint, and instead of pint glassesI made great phallic dildo objects that shot the beer into the punters mouth, almost 100% of the men who drink in my bar said they were disgusted and fed up of being objectified and refused to drink here ever again. poor little snowflakes. it is interesting to note that all the women who drink here think it is hilarious. so long it will continue!
That’s a fantastic way to honk off your core demographic. At the rate bars are closing in the UK I can only assume yours will be on the chopping block soon.
And you’re a perfect example of why this article was written.
Never happened
I respect your decision to do it. Would I be a Patron at your bar? No. If I wanted to handle phallus’ frequently I’d be gay. But on a personal level it doesn’t bother me at all that you get to have your joke. If people don’t like how you run your bar, they can just go elsewhere. Clearly, you have a niche and it works for you, no one should be able to interfere with your business.
What many seem to be missing in their commentary is that there is a serious issue with the images on labels (and often combined with their names), not just the names alone. Whenever this topic is raised, someone always says “oh, come on, you can’t be offended by words and dumb puns…” I urge you, if you think this, to consider the bigger, broader picture. The name, the doll-like, top-heavy woman in a seductive pose and the fact that the product is an intoxicant all combine in an inappropriate combination that ultimately will not be healthy for the industry.
When a woman on a lablel is objectified – literally, made into an object, in a way that she is reduced to parts, or lacks any autonomy, or is purely there for the purpose of attracting and titilating the male audience – then it is a statement of the brewer’s vision and attitude towards their audience, which they assume are straight men who will be “attracted” to the label. The label, then is created soley as enjoyment for men, and thus, so are its contents. Because the beverage itself is not gender-specific, it is problematic to not just target heterosexual men, but do it at the *expense* of women.
As a woman who shops in beer stores where lines of packaged beers greet me at eye level, it would be easy with some breweries to assume that their beer is clearly “not for me” just by looking at the vacant women staring back at me from their labels. And to that, many of you say, “vote with your wallet and just don’t buy it.” But there’s a problem with that. First, I (still) make up a minority of beer consumers, so my “vote” not to buy it will not matter enough to make a dent. But perhaps more importantly – it rubs off on the other breweries in the industry that are not making the choice to sexualize their beer labels.
The reason that I agree that All About Beer and The Brewers Association and groups and publications like them need to take stand on this is that letting it continue unquestioned hurts the entire industry. If I see those labels as a beer-curious consumer, I don’t just think that the particular brewery is being sexist, but that craft beer as a whole is not a welcoming place, and that can hurt everyone.
If the craft brewery industry is in it for the long haul, they need to either stick up for the minority voices that are raising these objections, or do whatever they can to make these examples seem like outliers in an otherwise friendly industry. But if they want to continue to court new craft drinkers who are ready and willing to spend money in the beverage sector – silence is not going to be an option.
^ This.
Thank you. A a female craft beer drinker, I’m really offended, but more like disappointed in these juvenile names of brews created by supposed ‘professionals’.
It’s just another reminder that being a customer of craft beer is Straight White Boy Society. I am not particularly welcome in the pub, microbrewery tour, or beer tasting event(unless I’m with a qualifying male or a serving wench/booth babe). Thanks to the adult men for standing up for us.
Saying that you not buying a beer will barely make a dent is the exact equivalent of saying “I’m not going to vote because it’s just one vote”. I don’t think I need to explain the idiocy of that statement. (Or maybe I do? People clearly need a lesson in that after that election…)
If someone is turned off from craft beer by a sexist label, then they were unlikely to ever stick to craft beer anyway. Drinking brings out vulgarity in people, it comes with the territory.
There is no point trying to interfere with micro breweries business practices. If the beer really is that offensive, it will not sell, and if it still does sell, then who are you to interfere with someone else’s business and their livelihood? Keep in mind: Some people and their families rely on the income from selling these beers. Let capitalism work, and stop demeaning it.
Quit it.
Noooooooo! Snowflakes are brewing beer?
They are silly comical logos and branding images. Get out of the industry already.
Dear AAB,
Get off your high pc horse. Did you already forget where pc got the losing presidential candidate just 3 months ago? Lighten up. Only a few whiners care and they likely don’t even drink beer. If you are going to exclude beer reviews due to their names, then I will exclude you from my subscriptions. I’ll be watching.
Not true. This is a frequent discussion on the Pink Boots Society FB page, full of hundreds of women working in the beer biz.
I’m surprised you read anything, actually. What do you do with your copies of all about beer? Wipe BBQ sauce from the corners of your fat fucking mouth?
As a woman married to an avid beer drinker, I am absolutely, positively sickened….by all of you whining about beer labels. If you feel “objectified”, that is your problem. If you feel offended by the name of a beer, that, too, is your problem. You are so fragile. I don’t think that a woman being appreciated for her form, her beauty, or her sexuality is demeaning or objectifying in any way. It is complimentary and empowering. We are made to be attractive. Deal with it and get over yourself. As soon as commercials with men in tight jeans, no shirts, slicked back hair, and obvious crotch padding are thought of as being “objectifying” and you absurd “feminists” declare them inappropriate, then you can complain about a beer label. I will continue liking the fact that men find me beautiful and that my sexuality is so incredibly powerful that it is the most influential selling point in existence.
THANK YOU! Well put Taryn.
Well said.
I don’t buy the beer for the label or name I buy the beer for the taste.
As a woman I drink a lot of craft beer and when I go to breweries I see as many as if not more women there then men.
You’re right, you should be happy men find you attractive, because there’s fuck-all rattling around in that vapid coconut of a skull you’ve got there.
But what if you’re a woman who doesn’t want to be beautiful in the traditional sense? What if you’d prefer your power come from what you do and not the way you look? Not that there is anything wrong with appreciating the power that comes from beauty, but women don’t really have a choice in the matter — they essentially have to buy in to what you are saying and work to be beautiful, or else they risk being powerless. Not to get too far off topic, but sexism is still especially strong in the alcohol industry (I work in the beer industry, and I get it from all sides pretty frequently, it can make it hard to actually get any work done when someone assumes you know less than you do because of your gender). I think the point being made in the article, though, is that offensive jokes on beer labels are OK, as long as they offend everyone equally. If not, the craft beer industry risk alienating groups of people. Maybe not everyone from those groups, but possibly a majority, if it isn’t addressed.
Not all products have to be made for broad appeal, you know. There are many products that are not offensive and taste great, there is no need for any alienation. Some breweries will target a niche category in hope to capture that audience, thus allowing them to succeed where there would normally have failed.
Well, this won’t get me to re-up my subscription anytime soon.
I agree with this article, and at the same time I worry for a society where slightest things offends everyone. That being said a lot the beer names and label art shouldn’t be tolerated. The craft beer movement always claimed to be different, but here we are pulling the same objectification shit that I have come to associate with Budweiser and the rest of the macros.
Here’s a protip: Keep your SJW political agenda out of my craft beer. It gives it a bad taste.
Naming a beer category blonde or amber is not sexist. Neither is an attractive woman wearing a dirndl. It’s on you if attractive people in advertising causes you so much distress. We know you don’t really care about craft beer in the first place, so the quicker you move on to the next trendy thing on your outrage radar, the happier we’ll all be.
And yes, the market WILL correct itself and flush out beer names that cross the line between irreverent and sophomoric. Can’t wait that long. Too bad. Craft beer has gotten this far without your interference. It will continue to grow, and improve, and be more inclusive if you don’t screw it up by interjecting an overt political agenda of disparate impact and the fake outrage over naming beer categories. You’ll only succeed in forcing people into tribes.
‘You’ll only succeed in forcing people into tribes’.
Unlike your way, which is to be exactly like your tribe now or bugger off because you are already wrong. Good one mate. Go back to your cave. Gotta love the number of men arking up that their entitlement is under threat.
For those who say they buy for the beer, not the label – awesome. You won’t mind then if shitty labels get called out now and that happens. The beer won’t change so you’ll be all cool, yeah?
For those saying bad labels will correct themselves over time – awesome. You should have no issues with it happening sooner than later. You’ve already assumed it’s going to happen.
Seriously – why deliberately be a jerk? There are thousands of names a beer can be called without taking yourselves back to sexist locker room ‘humour’. Time to step up fellas.
I’d buy or order more of any beer you’ve described just to piss off the leftist, PC losers destroying our country and culture…I damn sick of the whiners who have nothing better to do than complain about everything (for whatever pretext)…including names of beverages…I just don’t sive a good ghit!!!
WOW….we need to knock off this PC Crap. I love women, I don’t want to demean them. Anyone that does is an A Hole. But the BATF already decides what name you can use and what you can’t. Just ask Lagunitas. So if you don’t like it, don’t buy it. Sex sells, the Ad industry figured that out a long time ago. What sells even better is a great product. I agree some things may be inappropriate but what’s even worse is stifling free speech because it’s “offensive”. Keep it up and there will be no more….
I’ll take a Blonde or Amber or Brown or Black anytime. Oh yeah…..we’re talking about beer….did I need to clarify that?
AAB isn’t saying that “offensive” beer labels should be banned, but they are stating that they won’t be reviewing them in their magazine. It’s a free market system and, as a private entity, AAB can do whatever they want in their magazine/website. I’m really shocked by all the so-called “Conservatives” on this thread whining about a private entity exercising their right to free speech. If you are so offended by their decision, then just unsubscribe.
This all seems silly if you are offended by cartoon beer labels and want to be all PC go back to your free trade $7 coffee. Simple economica here folks if the market didnt like the product it would fail on its own. I dont see places like Hooters, Tilted Kilt or Twin Peaks going out of business and if the beer was half way decent I bet a beer called Jugs sold with a bra shaped coozy would sell like hot cakes. The only thing about beer that should taken seriously should be the brewing & bottling process.
Serious? Can we have one facet of our life not drowning in PC and angst? ITS BEER. Nothing is simmering anywhere except in a few fevered little brains.
Please dont make me put this site and news letter on my ban list.
It was suppossed to say “fare trade” coffee.
Enjoy your beer and leave your politics at the door. We’ve already got ideology-checking everywhere else in society. If something offends you, don’t buy it. If enough people don’t buy it, it’ll go away.
I don’t buy your schtick, will you go away?
We read your article with interest. We’re The Sparkke Change Beverage Company in Adelaide Australia. Sparkke.com
We’re a company of nine young women, breaking down the gender stereotypes of Australia’s 4 billion dollar a year brewing industry. We crowd funded ourselves into existence in the largest and most successful alcohol crowd funding exercise in Australia’s history in November 2016.
Our branding takes on social issues – directly. So our values are on our cans. This has made us controversial in some eyes and mavericks in others.
The industry’s sexism is systemic. But there is change – in our experience it comes from women prepared to swim against the tide – and the response is not always supportive from within the industry. Aka – see some comments above.
Our head brewer, Agi Gajic, one of the hottest young brewers in Australia, is in the US right now and would be happy to chat about our experiences if you’d care to.
Blonde? Amber? Brown? Really? WTF? How do I unsubscribe to your stupid emails?
Ask someone smarter than you to show you, so basically anyone.
Give it a rest, John!!! Let free enterprise be just that, FREE. Let the market decide. I don’t find some of the names reasonable, so I may choose to not purchase the product. I may like the liquid and choose to ignore the name and drink the beer. We need to stop watching out for everyone! Let our free country be free. Let Brewers have some fun and if the insult someone let them live with the repercussions/consequences.
Exactly! As and a free enterprise, AAB decides what beers to review (and to not review) in their magazine. And you, as a subscriber, have the ability to keep reading or to unsubscribe. THAT’S free enterprise!
I subscribe to this rag to learn about beer, not to be indoctrinated by liberal snowflakes. I’m UNSUBSCRIBING, effective immediately!!
Byyyyyyyeeeeee!
Who’s the snowflake? You just threw a bitchy tantrum over an e-mail? Need a safe space, you little cuck?
Wow, first post you have that I actually agree with. Nice alt-right insult though.
Thank you, John Holl, for writing this. I’m sorry that the comment section is filled with angry people shouting at you and mischaracterizing your comments (especially the recurring bit about you wanting to ban color names in beers). But I appreciate you standing up for your principled (but apparently unpopular?) opinion.
I am all for irreverence, but objectification and sexism are a different thing and have no place in an industry that values the contributions of women.
I think the big piece missing from the article is a female’s opinion. Is anyone seriously offended by beer label names? That’s a little thin-skinned!
Generally, I find that beers with gimmicky names are not great beers. I’ll buy beers based on my experience with the brewer, maybe their reputation, and reviews about the beer or the brewer. If there’s a beer with a sexist name, no matter how degrading or how hilarious, I would move on to the next beer if it’s not a brewer that I trust.
I would love to see a beer called “Swinging Dick” or “Blue Balls” or something that could be considered offensive to males. If it was a beer that sounded interesting or by a brewer that I like, I would give it a try. If not, I would laugh or move on.
I can’t imagine a name offensive enough to really bother me, unless the name attacked me personally or something. Otherwise, grow a spine!
I can’t believe this much time is spent on an article like this, I’m a little annoyed that I’m even spending time commenting on this. I honestly thought it was a joke, and I read the article looking for a punchline!
All About Beer, falling behind websites with more funding for better reporting and web design, finds a new niche grovelling for Pink Boot advertising – SAD!
Take the PC BS and tap-it! If you craft it, you get to name it. Shut the F up already.
Call it all wankers beer .. then it fits all the nasty stereotypes ad encapsulates the beer drinker perfectly. Guessing they won’t like that as it’s offensive. Well guess what …..
Interesting that 9 out of 10 comments criticizing the political correctness of the sentiment here are men. I applaud All About Beer for this. And, Way to go Sally!
Thank you for taking a stand against this stupidity John, I’m happy to say I’m a subscriber and will continue to be one. As you can see by the knee-jerk responses by some here, hate, sexism, and racism will always be around, but I still believe most people are good. Not being an A-Hole is good thing.
I’m opting out of this email publication. Goodbye.
This article is unhelpful. While I appreciate that you feel motivated to speak out on real sociological issues, this reads like you are trying to put on a good face.
Some of the comments have more insight than the article.
If something is important and needs to be said, it ought to receive the proper investment of time and editing. It’s not enough to touch the issue, you have to affect the reader!
I’ll keep reading your articles, but I hope you take my advice.
What a snowflake piece. Good grief……ohhhhh let’s talk about “inclusivity.” How about…… creativity? How about free speech? How about taking things in stride, instead of attempting to being acquiescent to crybabies? It’s beer, for crying out loud. How about letting the market decide? How about strapping on a pair, and talking about some real issue surrounding beer making, like offensive tax laws, regs, that create barriers to entry for craft brewers, and protect “big beer?” Please talk about BEER issues and stop trying to justify a degree in gender studies…. is THIS satire? Good one?
To those who are crying for people in the industry to shut up and “let the market decide…”
You do realize that “let the market decide” does not mean that no one is permitted to question the ethics, integrity or character of a brand, right? “Let the market decide” does not mean that the producers quietly produce products, and the consumers decide exactly what they like or dislike without any information – and without any influence from producers. The freedom to influence the market – and compete – are basically the hallmarks of free market economics.
When industry people speak out like this they are trying to inform consumers, and convey values through their comments – either about their own brands, or about the brands of others. No one has proposed regulations to ban these types of labels (in fact, those regulations already exist, but are subjective at best) they’re, instead, using their freedom to make a statement about companies or products, in the hopes that their colleagues will listen to their arguments. Discussions like these ARE letting the market decide.
I agree about letting the market decide. But since the majority of craft beer drinkers are probably straight white males, it’s understandable that using T&A imagery might appeal to them.
And yes, those who don’t like absolutely are within their rights to complain and campaign against it. That too is part of the market. Now if any of those whining about sexy beer names and labels want to have government step in and start curtailing/banning them then we’ve got a serious problem (thankfully, no one seems to be making that argument – yet).
That being said, in the bigger picture this is totally a First World Problem. If we’re at a point where cartoon boobs are making us fret, then we’ve got it pretty good.
Frankly, the beer industry DOES have much bigger fish to fry. Now that AB-InBev owns a third of the entire GLOBAL beer market, they’re going to keep doing everything they can to make it more difficult – if not outright impossible – for smaller breweries to compete. They’ve got the power of government on their side. Now THAT is an issue worth freaking out over.
Hi Chad,
I don’t disagree that there are certainly larger, legal issues that the craft beer industry as a whole will need to face as the global beer market evolves.
However, one way to strengthen craft beer’s position in those battles is to continue the work to broaden the appeal of craft over macro beer, and to bring more new drinkers into the fold. On the first point, craft beer has, and could be seen, as a reaction to many of the ills of the macro beer world – mass-production, cost-cutting, and use of slimy marketing tactics. One way in which craft beer has attracted more diverse audiences is by talking about beer in their marketing efforts instead of using half-naked women to sell it to them. Encouraging or ignoring the inclusion of the juvenile, straight-male oriented labels is a backwards step – craft is supposed to be able to speak for iteself, and shouldn’t rely on boobs to sell it.
Secondly, if the craft beer audience is going to grow, it will have to begin to include groups that are not traditionally represented in the macro beer audience – and that includes women. It is in the craft beer industry’s best interest (as a collective) to create an appealing product and support values of these potential new consumers. Turning a blind eye to labels that are clearly designed to include only men is not how this broadening will be accomplished.
That is why I am in favor of breweries, publications, and organizations making their objections known. It benefits the entire industry to be more open to non-traditional beer-drinking audiences.
Again…let the market decide. If people are turned off by the marketing, naming, labeling…they will make a decision all by themselves. Last I checked, we’re all 21+ and have our big-person pants on. Boobs on a bottle don’t make the contents mothers milk…labels that are clearly designed to include only men now marginalizes lesbians and gay men…or maybe men of color…or something logically regressive…the point is, when you stand in opposition of the free market you stand in opposition of real, actual progress.
Carla said a lot of what I was thinking in response, but more eloquently than I was about to say it.
But I want to reiterate that you’re right that the craft market is mostly white men. And current practices (T&A, etc) are likely to keep it that way. Do you want craft to be exclusive to white men? (I assume not.) If not, do you want to tell women that if you want to join us, you have to be just like us in terms of what’s aesthetically appealing? (I hope not.) Or perhaps we can acknowledge that changing the way some beers are marketed can help some women feel like they are wanted in this club, too. (But the choice should be made to not be jerks, not because of govt censorship.)
I think this is a bit ridiculous. Really John, you’ve nothing better to editorialize about. I did look and your mag reviewed Shotgun Betty with a woman on the label sporting a bustier. I am quite offended.
And Bikini Blonde. IN A HULA SKIRT!
Ahhhh, emotional reasoning at its finest. You assume that your negative emotions reflect the way things really are. You are letting your feelings guide your interpretation of reality. This is bad! It is not good for your mental health or society in general. For instance you say to yourself “This beer label has a sexy woman on it and that makes me feel like this brewery only sees women as sex objects therefore I must take a stand and shout them down and convince others to do so until they stop their behavior that I find offensive”. You have based your behavior on an emotional response and are encouraging others to do so as well. A claim that someone’s words (or beer labels) are “offensive” becomes not just an expression of your own subjective feeling of offendedness. It is now, a public charge that the speaker (or brewer) has done something objectively wrong. You have not presented any evidence that having a sexy woman on a beer label (or a name that is in your opinion poor taste) actually results in objective harm to women. Next someone will be arguing that “Mothers Milk Stout” is offensive to trans-gendered mothers who have no mammary glands. The thin argument “I’m offended” becomes an unbeatable trump card. This leads to an “offendedness sweepstakes,” in which opposing parties use claims of offense as cudgels. In the process, the bar for what we consider unacceptable speech is lowered further and further. Please stop using emotional reasoning, stop letting other peoples views dictate your reality. (DISCLAIMER In making this comment I “borrowed” heavily from an article called The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and jonathan Haidt)
What a load of rhino dung.
I stopped reading when the writer posited that “Blonde and Amber” are only colors of women’s hair.
Lets just sanitize everything: concrete everything, white paint- and refer to each other only as mr and ms- and never talk about feelings, differences, or shortcomings.
Cue the thought police…
god forbid we don’t provide a safe space for every offended feeler.
Taste tester: “This tastes like our plant’s drainage.”
Marketer: “Call it EnlargeMaleBeer” and it’ll sell to the idiot market”
Oh gawd… this made me want to drink every offensive beer I can find. I am going out tomorrow and loading up. No.. really. gawd.
DOESN’T ANYONE HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR ANY MORE? LIGHTEN UP, FER CHRISSAKES. I’M SO SICK OF THIS POLITICALLY CORRECT BULLSHIT, THAT I’M ACTUALLY BECOMING ASHAMED TO BE AN AMERICAN. WITRH ALL OF THE PROBLEMS FACING THE WORLD, DOES ANYBODY REALLY HAVE TO WASTE TIME WORRYING ABOUT WHAT A DAMNED BEER IS NAMED?
>WITRH ALL OF THE PROBLEMS FACING THE WORLD, DOES ANYBODY REALLY HAVE TO WASTE TIME WORRYING ABOUT WHAT A DAMNED BEER IS NAMED?
Apparently they have enough time to leave all-caps comments complaining about said worrying, so I guess so.
Suggesting a beer named after a woman’s hair color (Like Stoudt’s Scarlet Lady) promotes rape culture is culture policing at it’s most hysterical. How about you let the market (craft beer drinkers) decide whether something is in good taste or not — flavor or labeling — instead of censoring the art? You can still foster a conversation, without being cultural fascists.
This article is a joke and pure click-bait. Stop making everything political.
Funny this is the first and LAST TIME I will read All About Beer! You don’t need to babysit adults, if I see something I don’t like I don’t look, and this I do not like! If the name of a beer helps me make a decision so be it! Good job leftys!
I’m so glad that AllAboutBeer has decided to stay true to its name and be all about beer…that complies with their feelings…and takes their feelings and forces them on their readers. So…does this mean you won’t be reviewing any Amber beers, or Blonde beers…are Red beers and Stouts next because they are a product of the obviously implicated white-male supremacy?
I think I lost a few IQ points reading the first paragraph…the stoopid almost hurts with how cringe-worthy it is. Maybe you’d be more comfortable reviewing reviewing the magazines soon to be published All-About-Whine-Beer.
I think I’ll actually join you in taking a stand, also. I’ll stand for beer reviewing publications that review beer…not how the name of the beer makes them feel or how the name of anything directly correlates to the choices people make in their interactions with others…because we all know beer drops panties, whether the name is panty-dropper or not.
Thanks, John, for speaking out. Clearly your readers disagree.
For those who don’t see the point:
Would you buy a brand named Rock Cock? Or Blushing Balls? Blue Balls or Shrivel Ale? Blonde Cock? Tiny Tim?
How about Letdown Lager. Label features a guy: A giggling, blushing, blonde, nearly nude, and decidedly small-, limp-dicked.
Or, a thought experiment.
Guy says: “grab ’em by the pussy.” How would you feel if your spouse/sister/mother/daughter were so grabbed?
That’s what it feels like when I see brewers use crude trash to woo little boy beer drinkers.
Omg, and don’t forget pale ale, I find that so offensive. A constant reminder through beer that in life I have a genetic flaw. When I whip off my shirt on the beach I instantly blind everyone within a 500m radius. Why can’t I have natural olive toned skin?! I am so offended! Give me a break. This is so ridiculous. Grape rape, ok that needs to go. Blond ale, fat bottom. Come on.
If we just stop talking about it will these quacks go away…?
Finally, someone is taking a stand against this horrible misogynist drinking culture.
I’ve long been lamenting the inappropriateness of names of alcoholic beverages.
White Russian? More like Straight White Male Russian, am I right?
Orgasm? Sex on the Beach? Perpetuating rape culture!
Planter’s Punch? Promoting domestic abuse!
Pink Lady? Harmful gender stereotypes!
I’m just so glad that we’re focussing on the important things.
Please tell me this article is satire. Blonde and amber are off limits? Guess what? MEN can have blonde or amber hair too! It’s pretty sexist of the author to assume that these descriptions must refer to women’s hair. By the way, I can’t recall the last time I ever heard anyone refer to someone as having “amber” hair. Imagine what hell life must be for red-haired people everytime they see a beer referred to as a “red” ale!!! Oh the humanity!
Why on earth would anyone find these descriptive words sexist or offensive. Unless you’re actively looking for something to be offended by, that is. Here’s a good video for the author of this nonsense to review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-mju_gW3c8
Seriously? Blonde, Amber, and others, are styles of beer, and have nothing to do with “women’s” hair at all.
Also, blond for hair, is spelled with no E on the end, while blonde beer does.
Have you stopped and thought that maybe the names as descriptors actually come from beer, from many years ago, and not hair color.
Bottom line, if your delicate snowflake nature is so offended by the name of a beer, there is a simple way to protest it. Just don’t buy it. Leaves more for the rest of us.
Wow. Funny how you think you can mansplain blonde. BLONDE and BLOND both are different spellings for the hair color. Holy moly. I may be a snowflake to you, but at least I can educate you. AND it shows you can’t read. The article CLEARLY STATES attaching a description like a large BRA SIZE along with blonde is the issue and other such stupidity. Oh, honey…don’t go showing off your obvious superiority lol.
So much anger from some fellas here. Boys, grow up. Why do you get SO ANGRY about trying to be decent? When has being decent to others and being respectful become unmanly? I AM A WOMAN WHO HAS LOVED GOOD BEER BEFORE IT WAS COOL. I also happen to be painfully aware to how everyday, women are subject to be portrayed as NOTHING but an object to be consumed. I am human. This may SEEM trivial but it wears me down. Have you ever had a guy buy you an unsolicited beer and then proceed to call you a whore, c**t, b*tch, etc. if you don’t put out or give your phone number? Let me tell you. IT STINKS. Happens all the time. Objectifying women as a commodity is not good. Not kind.
Let me ask you, why are YOU so upset about just “a name”. If it doesn’t make a difference to you what is on the label, then what’s your problem? Those who are all offended by a plea for change, saying it’s just a name, or just a picture getting all high and mighty and getting nasty…if it really is JUST THAT to you then wtf. Just drink whatever beer you like, no one is stopping you. As for me, I’d prefer not to have my beer “put me in my place”. Than you so MUCH for this effort.
These beer labels are disgusting!!! Watch a youtube video called “Dear Daddy” produced by a Norway company, if you think this kind of advertising that objectifies women has no impact.
Men, some of you have daughters….think about it!!!!!
Don’t mind if I brew and market a beer called Cut Your Dick Off Red Ale and see how you boys like it.
Raging Mansplainer
This is one web site full of PC crap to ignore.
All these people trying to appear as if they are so cultured and I’ll bet on a Friday night you’ll see these same people at a strip club. And the author… Oh Dear God… Where did they dig this loser up?
This article goes after men and an industry for men that appreciates women and if you don’t like a healthy interest in beautiful women, we’ll I’ll refrain from some 4-letter words, but let’s just say “off” as the last word.
Two more words: First Amendment. Quit trying to regulate ideas and thoughts and let the free market of ideas sort through what works and is wanted.