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September 4, 2006
The beer you like supports the developer you can't stand
The Indypendent
By Scott MX Turner
Brooklyn Brewery, a heretofore favorite with Brooklyn-philes, has been a vociferous cheerleader for Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards project. Owner Steve Hindy, who built his business on the back of Brooklyn's history and mythology, backs a project that would overrun the borough's special qualities with box-store blandness.
In February, the political sports fans' groupv Fans For Fair Play launched a boycott of Brooklyn Brewery. The "Think Before You Drink" campaign intends to keep consumers who oppose Ratner from inadvertently aiding him. Brooklyn Lager is a sponsor of Ratner's New Jersey Nets basketball team, has hoted parties for the Nets, and owner Steve Hindy has spoken publicly in support of Ratner's luxury development.
Fans For Fair Play and Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn met with Hindy, walked him through the neighborhood targeted by Ratner and presented him with evidence that Ratner's skyscrapers and arena are bad for Brooklyn. The next day Hindy told the press he was 100 percent behind Ratner. So much for loving Brooklyn.
Brooklyn bars have stopped selling Hindy's beerm, including Freddy's, the community pub that would be destroyed if Ratner gets his way. These days, "whattya got that isn't Brooklyn Lager?" is being heard more and more.
And if you're thinking a beer boycott is just plain nuts, we offer you this copy we found on the back label of a bottle of Samuel Adams George Washington Porter:
George Washington's favorite brew was Porter. In fact, he felt so strongly that there should be an American Porter, he adopted and encouraged a policy of buying only American-brewed beer rather than imported British beer. This policy was part of the Non-Importation agreement of 1774 drafted by Samuel Adams. Washington signed the agreement at a meeting of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.
George Washington believed that the fight for independence was worthy of a beer boycott, giving new meaning to "DRINK RESPONSIBLY."
Posted by lumi at September 4, 2006 8:49 AM