WOKERS Forced A 114yr Old Brewery To Change Its Name…

After 114 years, New Orleans’ Dixie Brewing Company has undergone a name change in response to the nationwide upheaval following George Floyd’s death in May 2020. Brewery owner Gayle Benson announced the change in November, and the Southern brewery is now called Faubourg Brewing Company. The company’s iconic tower signage was covered on Wednesday.

Faubourg Beer will hit store shelves in the coming weeks. The decision to change the “Dixie” name was made after customers complained, deeming it racist in light of the national discourse surrounding racial issues during the summer.

Brewery manager Jim Birch expressed excitement about the change in an interview with the local newspaper, The Times-Picayune, saying, “What this means is we’re in the final countdown to the official introduction of Faubourg.”

The official transition will take place on March 22, 2021, months after the decision to change the name was made. At that time, the company will update all online materials, including social media handles and its website, to reflect the new name. By May, beer cans with the new name will be available for purchase, and restaurants can expect deliveries of Faubourg kegs by the end of March.

The company’s website further explains the rationale for removing “Dixie” from the name, stating, “We decided to retire the name ‘Dixie’ this past June, as the nation undertook critical conversations about social justice issues.” They added that the brewery’s main goal is to bring people together, so the name should represent the diversity of New Orleans and encourage unity and inclusivity across the country.

The renaming process began in Spring of 2020 when the company asked the public for suggestions. Over 5,400 ideas were submitted by locals. The chosen name, “Faubourg,” is a French term often used interchangeably with “neighborhood,” which the brewery believes serves as a unifying name that celebrates every corner of New Orleans.

Gayle Benson, the owner of the brewery, also owns the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans. She moved forward with the rebranding in June. The brewery reopened last year after being closed due to damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Benson’s late husband, Tom Benson, purchased the brewery in 2017 and worked to revive it after years of challenges. Gayle Benson commented on the brewery’s success since reopening, stating, “Since opening, the brewery has been extraordinarily successful in attracting thousands of people to visit New Orleans East and enjoy good food, great beer, and good company in a beautiful setting.”

However, she acknowledged the ongoing national conversations about racism and systemic social issues that have caused immense pain and oppression in black and brown communities.

Source: AWM