Sovereign Nations: How Canada's Indigenous Brewers Are Making Craft Beer Their Own

"In March 2021, three Indigenous brewers known as the Indigenous Brew Crew, or IBC, spearheaded the "Celebrating Sisters" craft beer campaign across Canada in support of Indigenous women. I was excited, and ready to buy some of the beers if they came to British Columbia. My optimism was well-intentioned but naïve. Although I knew that alcohol has caused significant harm in many of Canada's Indigenous communities, I hadn't fully understood the deep pain some felt as they saw Indigenous folks embrace craft beer."

"Online, Indigenous users posted anguished criticisms alongside praise for the project. One Anishinaabe artist, Chief Lady Bird, created a beautiful beer label for the campaign, a blackbird with wings spread across a woodland background sprinkled with stars, that prompted waves of both backlash and support. To her credit, she allowed space for hard conversations; she listened to concerns, explained her position, and thanked people for their feedback."

In March 2021 three Indigenous brewers, the Indigenous Brew Crew, launched the "Celebrating Sisters" craft beer campaign across Canada. Initial enthusiasm met anguished criticism online as community members raised concerns about alcohol's harms and historical trauma. An Anishinaabe artist, Chief Lady Bird, created a label that generated both backlash and support; she engaged with critics, explained her position, and thanked people for feedback. The IBC and Chief Lady Bird acknowledged the difficulty of reconciling alcohol with Canada's legacy of Indigenous exploitation, and the IBC dissolved months later. Underneath silence, Indigenous people continue to work in the beer industry. The 1876 Indian Act and related laws contributed to cultural genocide and ongoing pain.

Read at CraftBeer.com