Brewery renames White Face beer after customers say it sounded 'a bit racist'

May 12, 2023

A brewery has decided to change the name of one of its award-winning beers after customers said it sounded "a bit racist".

North Norfolk-based Moon Gazer Ale changed the name of its White Face golden IPA to Cheeky Jack.

The brewery named several of its hare-inspired beers, including White Face, from a medieval poem called the Names Of The Hare.

As it began to sell its drinks further afield, some misunderstood the name of the beer.

Owner David Holliday said it sometimes resulted in the "feeling that there was an undercurrent of discriminatory language".

"This is, of course, a complete misunderstanding," he said in a statement on the brewery's website.

"But the fact that it created that impression was a genuine concern to us.

"To add to this, Mrs Moon Gazer and I were recently sitting in a pub beer garden and overheard a man showing his pint to his beer buddy and proclaiming, 'Now this beer is totally lush'.

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"There was a short pause before he continued, 'Name's a bit racist, though'.

"So, again this made us stop and reflect.

"Beer should do one simple thing - that is to bring pleasure - so if the beer, or more accurately its name was moving away from that, however small, for us, it was time for a change."

The new name "is a play on the American name for a hare - jack rabbit", Mr Holliday added.

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