The fight against fascism and racism is being brewed into a beer.
Owners of Kelowna’s Boundary Brewing and Red Collar Brewing in Kamloops will show up early tomorrow morning at Crannog Ales in Sorrento to brew a Not For Nazis Nut Brown Ale, which will be available in mid-December.
On Aug. 13, one person died and 19 were hurt when a speeding car slammed into a throng of counter protesters in Charlottesville, Va. where a “Unite the Right” rally of white nationalist and other right-wing groups had been scheduled to take place.
In response to that event, Oliver Glaser, owner of Kelowna’s Boundary Brewing, put up an anti-fascist flag in his tasting room and posted the move to Facebook.
“About a week later, Glaser started receiving abusive commentary and death threats,” says Crannog Ales co-owner Rebecca Kneen of some of the social media responses. “People were threatening to burn down his building and then he started getting phone calls of a similar nature.”
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Concerned about the safety of his children, who often go to the brewery after school, Glaser moved the flag from the tasting room to the brew house.
“When we knew what was going on, we posted, saying this is very weird because we’ve had the same flag up for five years,” says Kneen. “We put it up because we have been anti-fascist activists for a very long time. We didn’t see any reason why we shouldn’t – have the flag, like the flag, put it up!”
The flag flew at Crannog Ales and Left Fields Farm in Sorrento until Kneen and partner Brian MacIsaac showed their support for Glaser by posting a photo of their flag to social media.
“Whereupon, we did discover where people are,” Kneen says, noting support from people in the B.C. Interior has been positive. “The negative feedback, most of which was highly illiterate and unbelievably ignorant, included that we are supporting domestic terrorism and that we are indeed fascist, which is clearly nonsense.”
Kneen says none of the commentary has been specific enough for them to be alarmed about.
“Brian says somebody mouthing off on Facebook is not an issue, especially when they live in Indiana.”
The response by Crannog Ales, Boundary Brewing and Red Collar Brewing is far more palatable.
On Wednesday, Nov. 22, Crannog Ales will host the other two brewers to make a co-operative beer.
The Not For Nazis Nut Brown Ale will be available before Christmas, in growlers and on-tap.
“Making this beer together shows that co-operative action and mutual support are what these B.C. breweries are all about,” says MacIsaac.
Brewing will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and members of the public are welcome to drop in from 1 to 5 p.m.
For more information, contact Crannog Ales at 250-675-6847 or email crannog@crannogales.com.
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