Slumbrew, a new local beer company

[ron_newman]

Slumbrew is a new Somerville-based craft nano-brewer which last week introduced its first three beers: Flagraiser IPA, Happy Sol, and Porter Square Porter (which has cacao from Taza Chocolate).

Their official launch party will be this Friday from 5 to 8 pm at the Independent in Union Square.

Comments

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

oh wow, thanks for posting! i might not be able to make it (but will try), but would love to hear reviews.

[ron_newman]

Yes, see their press release:

The name is a snarky throwback to the term ‘Slummerville’ because, as with the relationship between craft beer and large macro beers of the last century, the modern city of Somerville is nothing like its former days.

“Somerville is an incredibly vibrant place in its people, culture, businesses, food and beer. The best way to put the old term behind us as a community is to juxtapose its historical sense with the exciting new future of Somerville. For us, the name Slumbrew embodies a forward thinking enterprise to make exceptional beer with roots in a storied past,” said Jeff in describing the inspiration for the company.

Some locals are definitely not going to be happy with this. I've already caught hell from Jimmy del Ponte for Liking Slumbrew on Facebook.

[teko.livejournal.com]

Their FAQ definitely sends a weird mixed message. They say that "Slumbrew" would only be a negative name if they were "making yellow, fizzy swill and selling it in 40oz bottles out of a van at the railroad tracks," and if you're offended, "it might be time to get out and see what's happening... we don’t see anything slummy about our city".

I get the joke, but it doesn't change the fact that their beer is named "Slumbrew". Then again, I thought Clown Shoes was a lousy brewery name, too, when I first heard it.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I think I sit with the other folks here in not liking the name, and their rationalization kinda makes it worse. Nice to see I wasn't the only one who cringed, anyway.

[moria923.livejournal.com]

Can't wait to try these!

[bluesauce.livejournal.com]

I want to try this just because so many people are getting offended about the name.

[ron_newman]

Are you coming to the Independent?

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

on the one hand, hoppy sol sounds like a beer i might actually like, and i am all for somerville businesses moving out into the wider world. on the other, i am totally turned off by the typos on their web site. (i doubt the ipa commemorates the raising of the FLAT on prospect hill....) and it sounds kind of like they're using slum and referencing slummerville "ironically", which is a giant hipster turnoff. (imagine sarcastic air quotes for those quotation marks.)

that said, good beer is good beer, and i'm really curious what people think of it once they've tried it.

[kalimba21.livejournal.com]

just a heads up -

I went to their web page and submitted a comment about their name. It required leaving my email address. When I hit submit, I got a message "look for your comment on our guestbook page." With a link that didn't quite work. I sent them a second note stating that I wrote the note without the intention of it going onto a public page. And certainly not with my email address. Ugh, I shouldn't have touched it. We'll see what happens now.

[ron_newman]

Where is this guestbook page?

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

I find it offensive and patronizing. They are trying to capitalize on a not-so pleasant past, using it to publicize their product. If their product were good they wouldn't need such an offensive gimmick. There are people already in Somerville and from Somerville who are launching campaigns to boycott the product, and at the very least get the name changed. I certainly won't buy it, and don't think I'd shop where it is sold.