Beer branded with white nationalist imagery draws outrage

Beer with white nationalist lingo, imagery draws outrage

One of the men responsible for the beer Economist. erning documents that reads, “In matters of says it’s all just an honest mistake. The can itself, day-to-day trade, members will avoid prac

“It’s unfortunate,” said Brandon Hintz, produced by tices which are illegal in the state of North co-owner of Currahee Brewing Company, an Currahee, bears an Carolina, detrimental to the interests of fair Alpharetta, Georgia-based brewer with a competition substantial taproom in Franklin. “I can understand why some people are upset “Racism has no place in our or harmful to the industry about it. I’m disappointed in myself for not knowing, [not] taking more steps when we named the beer to figure out kind of more of society on any level including craft beer.” on the whole.”

culture as the ABA is to ensure that nobody is doing anything that is harmful to the industry or to others.”

According to Rainis, Currahee’s “use of offensive imagery and language” on the Boogaloo can warrants removal from the ABA, a craft brewing industry group that represents more than 100 brewers and allied BY CORY VAILLANCOURT new definition by alt-right groups, according Slang that’s sprung up around the movetrade members in North Carolina’s 19 westS TAFF WRITER to Dr. Enrique Gomez, a Western Carolina ment has also produced variants, with some ernmost counties. A s cities across the nation smolder University professor and current president adherents to the boogaloo movement refer“The Asheville Brewers Alliance definiteamidst the destruction of racially of the Jackson County branch of the NAACP. ring to themselves as “boojihadeen” who are ly condemns the actions of Currahee charged rioting over the murder of “My information for this comes from the awaiting “the boog” or “the big luau.” The Brewing Company with this new release,” George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers, Southern Poverty Law Center, which moni“luau” connection has also resulted in a speshe said. “It’s a direct violation of the ethics social media backlash against the branding tors hate groups around the country. What cific piece of attire, the Hawaiian shirt, being section of our bylaws. We are in the process of a locally-brewed beer has some people levthey’ve started to see in the last few months associated with the movement. of making moves to refund their member eling accusations of alt-right white nationalis the rise of groups on social media sites A May 16 story in the [London] Times dues and remove them as members of our ism and anti-government militia sentiments that use the term ‘boogaloo,’” said Gomez. makes note of the Hawaiian shirt connecorganization.” at the brewers. “The recent coinage and the use of this word tion, as does a May 23 story by The Rainis cited a section of the group’s gov

The beer in question is an imperial stout Brewing called “The Boogaloo” and was released in adaptation of a owner Joe Rowland, a board member of the March but conceived back in January. Hintz famous portrait of ABA, didn’t mince words in his statement to said the concept of the name and logo arose George Washington The Smoky Mountain News. out of the protests over anti-gun legislation painted by “This industry was built on a foundation that took place at the Virginia capitol and in American artist of openness, acceptance and collaboration. other states around that time. Charles Wilson It’s a strong commitment to each other

“So we were kind of playing with that, Peale while regardless of who you are, who you love, due to the fact that I’m a fairly avid sportsWashington was where you came from or the color of your man. We’re also very Constitutionally-oristill alive. skin that’s helped us thrive,” Rowland said. ented. Our First and Second Amendments, In the painting, “It’s that ‘together all ships rise with the tide’ all amendments, we try to support and Washington leans mantra that’s given us a voice in an industry defend,” he said. “So we figured we’d make a slightly to his left, traditionally dominated by large multinabeer to kind of go along with what’s going has to do with supposedly the start of a sechis hand resting on the barrel of a cannon. tional corporate brewers. It saddens us to on and play off of this whole Virginia issue ond Civil War — essentially, people who are Currahee’s can has Washington sporting a learn that a member of our craft beer comthat was happening.” organizing potentially to start an uprising or Hawaiian shirt under his topcoat — obvimunity made a mistake and created a brand

Hintz said he was under the impression commit violence against the federal governously not what Peale painted. that is associated with racism and hate. that the word boogaloo was simply an antiment and other government officials.” “We were seeing some memes on the Racism has no place in our society on any authoritarian slogan denouncing governHidden in plain sight, the word boogaloo internet, quite a few about George level including craft beer.” ment overreach, but he’s since come to learn has become what’s now known as “dog whisWashington and kind of the joke was him A similar statement was also issued by that to many, it means much, much more. tle” — a sort of coded message that is targetwearing a Hawaiian shirt, you know, a modthe owners of Sylva-based Innovation

“We did not by any means know that it ed toward a specific audience that’s prepared ern day general obviously is not going to be Brewing, Nicole and Charles Owen. was being used by any type of racist white to receive it while also passing undetected by wearing a Hawaiian shirt,” Hintz said. “So “We were shocked and extremely upset nationalist group at all, or we would never the ears of those who aren’t aware of its sigwe kind of played with that and we kind of to see this come from someone in our indushave used it or we would have dropped it,” nificance. rolled with it.” try,” said the Owens. “This industry has he said. “This can now has implications that “There seems to be overlap with groups The can also shows, under Washington’s unparalleled heart and has always representwe did not mean. We will be ridding ourthat are white nationalists,” said Gomez. right elbow, a small dark figure in a hat, ed community, inclusion and togetherness. selves of the brand and we just hope that “We are deeply uncomfortable with this crouched down on all fours as though pickWe as people, brands and businesses have a people can accept our apology and underbecause this could for instance mean the rise ing crops — also not in Peale’s original responsibility to work towards positive stand it wasn’t done with any ill will at all.” of groups that are actively advocating viopainting. change in society.” lence, the overthrow of the government and Hintz, for his part, continues to urge the WHAT’S IN A NAME? essentially violating people’s civil rights. This is in the context also at a time in which BREWING INDUSTRY REACTION public not to judge his or Currahee’s identity based on what he maintains was an uninten

The word “boogaloo” stems from a paryou have white nationalist groups that show Executive Director of the Asheville tional mistake. ticular style of Latin music and dance popuup in state capitals, armed with guns and Brewers Alliance Leah Rainis wasn’t aware “This isn’t who we are as a company,” he larized in the United States during the also groups that are essentially taking vigiof Hintz’ explanation of or apology for the said. “It doesn’t matter your race, religion, 1960s. From there, it evolved into to the lante actions against people of color. So all Boogaloo Imperial Stout, but that may not political voice, we do not discriminate “electric boogaloo,” more closely related to of this is of deep concern.” make much of a difference at this point. against anyone nor do we want people to feel the 1980s breakdancing phenomenon. Gomez isn’t the only one concerned “This was brought to our attention about like we are discriminating because that is,

The 1984 sequel to the movie Breakin’, about the word and the movement; a January 12 hours ago, on a Saturday night. I’m comagain, a hundred percent not what we want.” titled Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo gave the story by NPR National Security Reporter mending our board of directors for moving Smoky Mountain News Arts & Entertainment word its widest cultural awareness, and the Hannah Allam calls it “a word coined by swiftly on this,” Rainis said. “We’re happy to Editor Garret K. Woodward and Blue Ridge word would have likely faded right back into black and brown people now used by some have members who are so supportive and Public Radio’s Lilly Knoepp contributed to this obscurity were it not recently given a sinister who envision a country without them.” concerned. One of the cornerstones of our report.

Bryson the meaning, not just going off a couple of things you see on the internet.” — Joe Rowland, Nantahala Brewing City-based Nantahala