SANTA ROSA (KRON) – A North Bay brewery has issued an apology after releasing a “themed” beer that’s sparked some backlash among some Bay Area residents.
Shady Oak Barrel House in Santa Rosa announced the new “F— PG&E” brew last week, describing it in a Facebook post as “a classic California pale ale, featuring Cashmere and Simcoe hops and a touch of malt sweetness.”
While the profane beer drew some praise, it also prompted some backlash after some pointed out it could be directed at utility workers, not corporate.
“As a wife of a very hardworking, compassionate PG&E gas serviceman who was born and raised in Santa Rosa, I find your new beer label completely insulting,” one person commented. “My husband has been working 18 hour days and not seeing his little boys for the past two weeks to help our local community. Your label is hurting the men and women that work day in and day out for their community.”
Shady Oak Barrel House took to social media over the weekend to try to clear the air.
“The name was not intended to go after honest hard-working people that have been and still currently ARE helping our community … The name doesn’t suggest anything remotely like this; however, some people chose to read it this way,” brewery management wrote in a Facebook post. “The name instead was chosen in some contempt for the corporation itself.”
The brewery said that “corporate bigwigs at PG&E chose to line their pockets and ignore their responsibilities in their role that led to the destruction of communities across California.”
PG&E has made recent news over several planned power shutoffs that left thousands in the dark, some for up to a week.
PG&E is expected to credit customers affected by one of last month’s blackouts, and the state may also be getting reimbursed for time and resources spent during the shutoff.
PG&E recently reported it took a substantial hit in the last financial quarter.
The utility is bracing itself for possibly incurring up to $6.3 billion in costs this year related to recent events.
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