by Travis Mateer

Ten years ago, at a different blog, I wrote about a new brewery attempting to leverage the owners’ humanitarian work in order peddle alcohol. Here’s how I opened the post in 2012:

Helena native Robert Rivers and his partner Fernanda Menna Barreto Krum are trying to monetize 25 years of working for global peace by opening another brewery in Missoula.

But this won’t be your average brewery. No, it’s going to be a conflict resolution brewery, because nothing makes people more peaceful than alcohol, right?

This obnoxious marketing of a brewery in a brewery-saturated market is probably going to continue under the new owners, who got their very own fluff piece from Gomer Kidston’s digital rag, the Missoula Current. From the link:

Imagine Nation has often collaborated with local non-profits, allowing different organizations to design a label for their beer, and thus, spreading their message to a larger audience.   

“The beer is a vehicle for something bigger than itself,” said Rivers.

This schtick of leveraging humanitarian work in order to make and sell alcohol was bullshit ten years ago, and it’s bullshit now, so I’m glad the originators of this bullshit are running to Europe to get their war itch scratched.

So, What’s next for Krum and Rivers? They plan to relocate to Europe to pursue the type of work they were doing before opening Imagine Nation, international humanitarian work in places like the Middle East, Africa and South Asia

For fans of this brewery, don’t worry, it sounds like the new owners will continue propping up the illusion that buying their booze leads to awesome social change. Just drink enough of their product and see for yourself how the humanitarian magic of beer changes lives!

Have a great week, and thanks for reading!