A small Brooklyn brewery that was seeing great sales of its gimmicky “Hop Obama” beer during the presidential campaign got a buzz kill a month after its namesake was elected – the federal government ordered it to stop selling the suds.
“The crazy thing is, the federal government, it approved this brand when many people didn’t know who Barack Obama was,” said Shane Welch, owner of Sixpoint Craft Ales. “Once he got elected, they tried to put a stop to it.”
Yesterday’s disclosure of that curiously timed order by the Tax and Trade Bureau – which cited rules that ban booze named for someone who hasn’t endorsed it – comes weeks after the White House revealed it wants to control use of Obama’s image.
“Our lawyers are working on developing a policy that will protect the presidential image while being careful not to squelch the overwhelming enthusiasm that the public has for the president,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said last month.
Early this month, a company stopped selling Ty Girlz dolls carrying the names of Obama’s daughters, Sasha and Malia, after mom Michelle objected.
Sixpoint said it brewed its last batch of Hop Obama on Election Day and had no plans to make more when the feds in December ordered it to stop selling the brand.
The brewer’s publicist, Jeff Gorlechen, said Sixpoint “might” sell the brew under another name in the future.
The White House said it was unaware of the order regarding Hop Obama.