Dartmouth brewery faces more backlash for different beer

Dartmouth — The Nova Scotia microbrewery accused of running a misogynistic advertising campaign is in hot water again.

Just days after Dartmouth-based Nine Locks Brewing Co. ignited a debate on social media for the marketing of its Dirty Blonde brand, which has included slogans such as “Everybody loves a dirty blonde from Dartmouth,” a second complaint has been filed, this time targeting the brewery’s recently released Frig Off East Coast IPA.

Dartmouth resident Randall McIvor says while he enjoys Frig Off’s light bitterness and hoppy finish, he’s come to find the name offensive and filed a complaint with the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia on Nov. 27.

“I’m no snowflake, but the other day I was having a beer and my girlfriend’s 10-year-old daughter told me to frig right off,” he said. “I was flabbergasted that a child would talk to me like that. My mother would have washed my mouth out with soap.”

The NSLC says it is aware of McIvor’s concerns and agrees that certain elements of the branding could violate its advertising rules of conduct, more specifically, a section that states that: “all beverage alcohol and cannabis advertising must refrain from using offensive language, such as: racial slurs, misogynistic language, anti-LGBTQ+ and so on.”

“It’s less vulgar, sure, but at the end of the day it’s a four-letter word that starts with F,” McIvor said. “I think we all know where it goes from there. The slogan is, ‘Hey Buddy, Frig Off!’ It’s rough language — or ‘gateway slang’ if you will.”

When reached for comment, Nine Locks president Shaun O’Hearn said the brewery would re-evaluate its marketing and branding.

“Truth be told, our clientele are primarily millennials who think exposed-brick cocktail bars are cool, so we’re a little surprised it took this long to blow up. But not to worry, we are already looking at rebranding some of our popular beers as PC Pilsner, New Age Ale and Liberal Lager, among others.”