Western Australian-based Colonial Brewing Co is considering changing its name amid the Black Lives Matter movement and the international push to remove monuments recognising colonial figures.
The brewer received backlash on social media which led independent bottle shop Blackheart and Sparrows dropping its product from shelves.
“It speaks to a broader history of colonialism and colonisation that has caused irreversible harm to the First Nations people in Australia and Indigenous populations around the world,” Blackheart and Sparrows owner says.
“While we appreciate that the people behind Colonial Brewing had no malicious intent in their choice of brand name, words have power.”
It says that it has had discussions in the past with the brand about the name.
Colonial Brewing Co managing director Lawrence Dowd says the name was not chosen to celebrate colonisation but because the company was one of the first of its kind to set up in WA’s premier wine region.
He goes on to say that he hears the criticism and is working on a solution with an announcement on a name change to be made soon.
