Furbrew and Overmorrow Brewing Company have partnered to support Hanoi Pride 2023 by launching the collab ‘Bia Đia’ Session IPA.
Hanoi Pride is a coalition of LGBTIQ+ groups in Hanoi aiming to raise social awareness, create safe spaces, and promote unity among the LGBTIQ+ community.
This collaborative project has deeply involved the beer industry, from ingredients suppliers to brewers, including Yakima Chief Hops providing NZ Wakatu and Pink Boots hop blend and supplier Thái Tân donating malt and yeast, along with a charitable donation to Pink Boots Society for gender equality in the brewing industry.
The can label was chosen through a community-driven design competition orchestrated by Hanoi Pride, with the winning design created by B^ng, a queer graphic designer based in Ho Chi Minh City, and was developed and enhanced with the support of QLM Label Makers.
The name ‘Bia Đia’ riffs off a former slur (“bê đê”, a loanword from the French ‘pédéraste’) that has recently been reclaimed as a positive badge of identity by young Vietnamese in the LGBTQ+ community.
The Session IPA was brewed under Hanoi’s intense heat and will debut at the Hanoi Pride Parade on September 24, 2023, with sales proceeds going to fund the coalition.
“The innovative beer concept this year celebrates a delightful fusion of Overmorrow, Furbrew, and the vibrant queer community,” shares Hanoi Pride Partnership Secretary Quang N. Tran.
“We hope that this year’s campaign will serve as a stepping stone towards fostering even more meaningful collaborations in the times ahead. Cheers to many more exciting endeavours in the near future!”
“I personally find it important to take first steps towards gender equality in the workplace in Vietnam, as I know many talented female and/or queer brewers and beverage-industry employees who have been unfairly discriminated against,” shares Overmorrow Founder and Head Brewer Chris Jarvis.
“I am excited that with the help of our suppliers, we’ve been given a golden opportunity to give back to the LGBTQ+ community in Vietnam and to participate in this global discourse regarding making the workplace a fair, safe and supportive environment.”
“Being gay, and a proud member of the big rainbow family in Hanoi, I am happy to be able to support Hanoi Pride,” echoes Furbrew Founder Thomas Bilgram.
“Being able to do so with a great beer, made with the help of great people and sponsors, makes it perfect. I hope you will all enjoy Pride and the beer. Skål!”
