North Carolina craft brewers take stand against discriminatory law

It would do the world good to adhere to the ethos of the craft brewer. And for the love of LeBron, I am not invoking the term “craft brewer” today in the way that is custom — small businesses, local jobs, economic impact studies, not “selling out” and so on. Business stuff.

Those conversations are fine. We definitely write about them. Hell, our entire site is dedicated to it. But no, today I’m talking about the ethos — the character, the soul. This is the unspoken definition of the craft brewing industry. The part that is hyper concerned about the environment. The part that hosts events across the country and donates all proceeds. The part that sends water to help in a humanitarian crisis. The part that just makes you feel right at home, no matter who you are, when you walk down some weird back alley to find its tasting room. I’m sure not all of those craft brewing company LLCs by the BA definition out there fit what I’m talking about either, but I believe that spirit of community and shared responsibility and just being a decent person is what really sits at the heart of being a “craft brewer.”

Oh, and not taking shit.

What I’m trying to say is best summed up here: More than 30 craft breweries from North Carolina have decided to join forces and collaborate, as brewers do, to brew up a special beer that will raise money specifically to fight House Bill 2. You may know it as the law that is totally cool with discrimination.

From The News & Observer:

“We didn’t feel like HB2 represented us as businesses or as residents of North Carolina,” Erik Lars Myers of Hillsborough’s Mystery Brewing Company said in a news release Monday. “We wanted to do something in response and making beer is what we do.”

The beer will be brewed on April 16 at Ponysaurus Brewing Company in Durham using support, labor and ingredients provided by more than 30 breweries.

“We’ve gathered support from dozens of our fellow brewers, and we have the ability to make a significant social impact by working together for a greater good,” Ponysaurus owner Keil Jansen said.

CBB says cheers to these 30 breweries that chose to take a stand. We expect nothing less from the craft brewing community.

“Don’t Be Mean to People, A Golden Rule Saison” will be released in May, with the profits donated to two LGBT nonprofits. The anti-House Bill 2 beer project is also soliciting donations here.