In 2018, we published: From Sparkleberry Ale to Star Child Pilsner, Breweries Celebrate Pride Month with Special Beers to bring attention to breweries that participate in Pride Month by sponsoring events, donating to charities and nonprofits, creating special release beers, or, sometimes, a combination of all three. What are some of your favorite breweries doing to support the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month (June) this year? I look forward to your replies, and happy Pride Month to all of our LGBTQ+ members!
Goose Island released Shea Coul-Alé. The can artwork was gorgeous. "She’s here, she’s queer, and she’s a beer. Shea Coul-Alé is a joint effort with renowned drag superstar and fellow Chicagoan, Shea Couleé." https://www.gooseisland.com/shea
I've noticed an indignance within the LGBT+ community that rejects some of these beers as trying to use Pride as solely a marketing ploy and using them as a demographic to sell to rather than brew these beers in actual support of them. They end up not buying them save for the few breweries who donate to LGBT+ causes. To be honest I wouldn't buy a Black History Month beer from Founders so I get it.
Agreed. Unfortunately there will always be breweries (and companies in general) that'll use cultural events (good or bad) to their advantage.
Collective Arts is doing something called the Pride Series, using artists in this community to design can art for their beer Life In The Clouds. Here is a link describing the initiative. https://collectiveartsbrewing.com/stories/special-edition-pride-series/
I'd have to agree. I think marketing that a % of sales going to LBGTQ causes or a similar push would make these beers show to be more than lip service to a cause.
I think it's correct and understandable, but I appreciate that many are doing it despite the blowback they know they'll get from the "wHY ArE yOU PRouD" and "whEN iS STrAIgHT prIDe???" section of society. Part of broader acceptance is having these things coopted. I'm happier out in a society where I have to side-eye some brands than where I don't feel comfortable out.
We usually have a couple locals that do pride themed beers but i haven't seen any sign of them this year
Honestly, I have felt that indignation before - not necessarily at breweries (there was probably some rainbow Bud Lite or something at some point, but it's slipped from my memory), but at the use of rainbows to sell products without any actual input from the various queer communities or any real benefit for those communities. Not trying to get heavily political here, but it basically seems like a marketing gimmick to me, which feels pretty bad. I kind of wonder - being that it's almost two-weeks into Pride Month, do we know any queer-run breweries? Because ideally, if I was gonna be buying Pride beer, that's who I'd want to buy it from. I can 100% make that question its own post if need be, not trying to pull things onto a tangent.
I believe red bear in DC is gay owned. Was there awhile ago and they had a great selection of some well made beer
Happy Pride Month! We could use more like this in Belgium. We saw a fun special release the last couple years from an occasional brewing collective in Brussels with the wonderfully bilingually funny name "Les Biches" (the does as in female deer, but also close to an expression for being proud). I ran into it somewhere and just thought it was a tasty session ale. More, please.
You definitely can’t go wrong with a can of Gay IPA! I had this for the first time last summer when visiting my sister and am hoping to try it again. Unfortunately the pandemic has limited my trips to Chicago so I might have to wait until next summer.
It's a proud day for the LGBT community as the Supreme Court has ruled in their favor. A sincere toast to my friends who all seriously love their beer as much I do.
I've been there! They have really good beer, although I'm not sure I like the direction the company is headed in (they brought in their own kitchen staff, and are developing more of a brewpub model). It seems like they have switched up their business model a little bit, as a result of the Coronavirus (ie: introduced a canning line). Worth a stop, if you're in DC.
Fremont Pride Kolsch is a really tasty beer for the occasion I think. +1 on Marz Gay IPA too. That's a really good beer.
My favorite brewery for Pride Month is a nanobrewery, Servaes Brewing. It became a walking-distance favorite because the beers were/are good and within an identity that leans toward desert beers. But au contraire, mon frere! The offerings go beyond that. Inconsequential to me, the female owner married her female partner three days before Kansas law said that was cool. As a nanobrewery, of course it gives back to the community, from using Kansas hops, collaborating with other nanobreweries and more. A celebration is in order for breweries and nanobreweries who donate, in one way or another, to the nonissue of freedom to love.
