‘Beer Goggles’ ale pulled after Twitter outrage

A pub has been forced to remove an ale named Beer Goggles from sale after it sparked outrage with Twitter users describing the name as “sexist” and “outdated”.

Elgood Brewery, the ale’s manufacturer have defended the product saying it was a “bit of fun”. The ale’s pump clip featured the image of a princess on one side and a haggard looking woman on the other side, creating an optical illusion.

Twitter users branded the beer and its marketing material “nasty, sexist and not at all funny”, while some jumped to the ale’s defence calling it “very clever” and criticising the King’s Arms for removing it.

https://twitter.com/WikiSussexPubs/status/1034175707688194048

https://twitter.com/MelissaCole/status/1033349450985562115

The King’s Arms has since issued an apology which read: “We notice that a pump clip on show in our pub seems to have caused upset. Our interests lie in selling good beer to all with cheer, as long as you’re between 18 and 118 you’re welcome. This pump clip or beer will not feature on our bar again.”

A spokesman for Elgoods Brewery said: “This is a beer, and pump clip, that we have sold nationwide in both 2017 and 2018 and it has been well received in trade. The pump clip and name is based on an old, traditional image (somewhat older than the 1970s!) and is meant to be, and is generally accepted as, a little bit of fun.

‘We are a very old family brewery, owned and run by three sisters and would not seek to intentionally offend people although it is always possible to do so inadvertently.”