EP-206 Ben Duckworth and Steve Grae of Affinity Brew Co.

“It’s just beer” is a mantra screamed into the social void daily. Its
believers just want to enjoy a beer in peace, to escape the world for a
damn second.

The problem is, it isn’t just beer. Beer is both an artisanal and
commercial product. Craft is a social construct. Small batch brewing is a
way of life, its marketing often an act of rebellion. So drinking it is a
statement whether you want it to be or not. What we drink, where we drink
it, how it gets there, and what we pay are all infused with politics.

So what happens when a brand embraces that by stamping its beliefs on its
cans, or plastering them on their social media, or making viral campaigns
preaching to their customers? Should a company be allowed to do that? And
on the flip side, do they have a responsibility to do so?

My guests today believe this decision is made for them by the juxtaposition
of their beliefs and the way the world is heading. Save for their
anti-Trump beer, Ben Duckworth and Steve Grae of South London’s Affinity
Brew Co don’t cram their left-wing ideas down people’s throats. But anyone
with a passing interest in British politics will note the roses on their
cans and Labour Party slogans that make up many of their beer names. In
doing so, they hope to encourage friendly debate and keep politics at the
forefront of drinkers’ minds during one of the greatest political upheavals
in British history.

Inside their beautiful cans and bubbling through their Belgian-inspired
session beers there is even more room critical thought—the responsibilities
of a brewer to moderate alcohol levels, regulate serving sizes, and to
challenge the government’s approach to alcohol licensing.

But first lets just talk about beer. This is Ben Duckworth and Steve Grae
of Affinity Brew Co. Listen in.