In January 2021, bright cans emblazoned with “Dyke Beer” began popping up at New York City bottle shops. Those drawn in by the can art found a beautiful Saison, brewed in collaboration with Brooklyn’s Wild East Brewing Co. Then came the message behind the beer.
Loretta Chung and Sarah Hallonquist met through Dyke Bar Takeover, an initiative dedicated to protecting and celebrating queer spaces. According to The Lesbian Bar Project, there were around 200 lesbian bars in the US in the late 1980s; today, it’s around 21. Chung and Hallonquist became organizers with Dyke Bar Takeover, producing events that both transformed venues into these spaces and raised awareness of the need to save them. When the pandemic hit, however, events of any kind obviously got a lot more difficult. Enter: Beer.
Using the liquid often at the center of their convivial gatherings as a way to spread their message made sense for beer lovers Chung and Hallonquist. Their first release proved a hit, and by the time the two were able to start planning events again, they were onto a collaboration with Greenpoint Beer & Ale Co., Tall Girl Gose. They then unveiled Witch Please, a pumpkin Märzen. Chung and Hallonquist plan to keep brewing, organizing events, and eventually open their own taproom.
Even in a pandemic, Dyke Beer has made significant strides in bolstering visibility and informing the general public on the dire need to save queer spaces. The inaugural Saison came with zines for consumers to read up on disappearing lesbian bars. The project’s name itself is Chung and Hallonquist’s way of reclaiming the word “dyke.” The awareness-spreading, the reclaiming, the inclusive events, the simply well-done beer—it all plays into Dyke Beer’s supportive environment, making this (for now) nomadic beer brand a valued queer space in and of itself.
Words,Courtney Iseman