This week — as recently as this afternoon — 5 Rabbit Cerveceria founder, Andres Araya decided to pull the trigger on the second batch of Chinga tu Pelo, an ongoing protest against bigotry and hatred, through the medium of one of our most inclusive industries: craft beer. And he's inviting everyone else to join him.
“This isn’t over for us,” says Araya. It’s never enough to simply scold someone for their prejudice in our society. You need to keep the pressure on for change, with whatever tools you have at your disposal. And for us, that means beer.” Therefore, until Trump drops out, 5 Rabbit Cerveceria will continue to brew up Chinga tu Pelo, and rally their fans who believe in a civil, respectful, and inclusive society.
This Friday, July 24th, starting at noon, anyone who would like to hang out in the taproom while they brew the next batch is invited to come to the brewery, have some beers and burgers, and join in the community atmosphere. A portion of the beer’s profits and all the t-shirt sales will continue to support The International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago.
The golden ale was originally created in collaboration with a beer buyer from Trump Tower in Chicago (who also has since cut ties with the hotel), and intended to be served as a house beer until Donald Trump’s racist and derogatory comments toward immigrants forced 5 Rabbit to re-consider their relationship with the sidehow presidential candidate.
Local support has been impressive. Since the original announcement, Chinga tu Pelo has garnered support from more than a dozen bars and restaurants in Chicago, and hundreds of fans across the country showed their own camaraderie through the purchase of Chinga tu Pelo t-shirts, helping raise thousands of dollars for the The International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago. But with Trump continuing, almost unabated, into a leading position in the Republican primary, the brewery recognized that until he drops from the race and enables a productive discussion about the future of our country (through his absence) then the intent behind Chinga tu Pelo is far from accomplished.
Why is this so important to Araya and the 5 Rabbit team? Araya has previously said:
"We would be doing an injustice to the community we serve (and live in) by engaging in business with someone who does not accept our role in society and expresses a rhetoric of hate and ignorance towards us. On a personal level, if I did, one of the things that scares me the most is sending the wrong message to my daughters. We are active members of this immigrant community and we need to stand up for ourselves, and more importantly, for those who do not have the voice or means to do so. The very foundation of the United States of America was built on acceptance and inclusion. That is what drew us here, and that´s what why we feel so strongly about this. As a company, an integral part of our vision reads that we are “not only based in, but also look to promote a strong and positive image of Latin America, its heritage and people." It would be hypocritical of us to sustain the relationship."
5 Rabbit Cerveceria is in Bedford, Park, Illinois.
5 Rabbit has set out to celebrate the rich tapestry of Latin American culture and historical cuisine through latin-inspired beers with a 21st century point of view.
