Stone Cold

A wrestling event in Dundee. It’s a bit rough around the edges, with a community feel more like the arenas of Mickey Rourke’s ‘The Wrestler’ than the polished, heavily merchandised experiences of the WWE and its ilk.

The acrobatic athleticism is arguably no less impressive (sometimes it’s more extreme - I’m led to believe) but the characters definitely reflect their audience. One wrestler, in response to an incessant chant from the crowd – “You can’t wrestle! You can’t wrestle! You can’t wrestle!” – immediately stops what he’s doing, points his fore finger like a dagger at the culprit, targeting his angry response: “shut it ya fat ride!” A ride doesn’t seem to be a good thing in this case.

Half time, and the cigarette break can’t come soon enough, with a blue haze rising above the crowd that swells from the venue entrance. In the gents’ toilet a wrestler in his full get up, wig and all, comes in for a pee. A young boy, about 10-years-old, is there with his dad so of course they ask for a quick selfie: “Aye go for it, but hurry up before any other c*** comes in.”

The boy doesn’t seem to notice or care, but the fourth wall that separates audience from performance comes crashing down. He’s not the hero of the ring, he’s a guy in a costume.

It seems ridiculous to think that anyone believes it’s real, that a man can be elbowed in the face a dozen times and shake it off never mind collect an epic shiner or a nose bleed at the very least. But the fans know this, and they still revel in it because at the end of the day it’s a spectacular chapter in a characterful storyline. It’s hero worship of an ordinary guy, and fans know as much of what goes on behind the scenes as the wrestlers.

And just as wrestling has gone from the fake-old-days of family fun, to the more grown-up acknowledgement (and enjoyment) of the artifice, the world of brewing has similarly benefitted from fans’ appetite to understand and be part of the stories behind their favourite breweries. Despite being two very separate subcultures, the worlds of wrestling and craft brewing have tracked a similar path, especially in the US, giving rise to a natural affinity.

Professional ‘vert’ skater and snowboarder Matt Lindenmuth is founder and owner of the Saucony Creek Brewery in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. He draws from his personal love of beer and wrestling, naming one of his ales after the sport.

“The name Hop Suplex came about as a bit of a spoof on Bell’s Hop Slam,” says Matt. “They’re both 10% ABV double IPAs that are brewed with honey. I went a little more into the wrestling terminology because I grew up a fan of WWF, WWE, WCW, and so on. My buddy, Steven Liebensperger, who does the graphics for our labels is also a big wrestling fan. We grew up in the era of Ultimate Warrior, Macho Man and Hulk Hogan, and that’s where the inspiration came from. I guess the inspiration was too comparable because WWE and Macho Man’s wife sued us over the use of the first label. We changed it up to the new design this year.”

So the stereotype of lads in the arena supping cheap beer from a plastic cup may be fair, but the relationship has evolved over the years, perhaps as that generation of wrestling fans has matured. 

Matt continues: “I think the love of beer and wrestling has always been there, we’ve just upgraded in beer quality. 20 years ago we were all watching Steve Austin chug cheap light beer and smash beer cans while standing on the top rope. Now [he] has an IPA out with his name and logo on the bottle. I think that same transition has happened for us as fans also.”

The counter culture that wrestling fans of the 80s and 90s grew up in is similar to that of the craft beer world; it’s not mainstream, it sets you apart and that provides a comfort zone. You can sense that Matt is content in his place outside of the mainstream, and that this view is not only a result of the passion that brings people to wrestling or beer, but is almost a requirement for its survival.

“I personally grew up in the counter culture of action sports world, punk rock music, rebellious mindset,” he continues. “I have always felt comfortable in the craft beer world, first as a home brewer and now as a craft brewery owner, because of the comparable sense of counter culture exclusivity. It’s a small industry and there’s close camaraderie among the brewers and fans.”

Mexican craft beer Cervecería Sagrada, bears a label that, if you’re in the know, recalls a very famous depiction of a wrestling mask, more theatrical than threatening. The label’s designer, designer José Guitar, was of course fully aware of this cultural significance.

José says: “The brand’s identity is inspired by the golden era of ‘lucha’ in the 1950s, when movie heroes were not Superman or the X-Men, but El Santo, fighting creepy monsters on a silver ‘52 Alfa Romeo with surf music in the background.”

Clown Shoes Beer from Ipswich Massachusetts make a beer called Chocolate Sombrero with a label that also pays homage to Mexican wrestling, but their reasoning behind it is much simpler.

“All of our labels are very character-driven and we wanted to make sure we had a nice character as the imagery for this beer,” says Brand Manager, Sean Geary. “At the time this was first released, the owner of the company had recently watched the Jack Black movie ‘Nacho Libre’ and so the theme of luchador’s was at the forefront of his head. One idea led to another and we came up with a fun, quirky name and image. The whole idea had to mould itself around the beer of course, and we had always planned this beer to be modelled after Mexican hot chocolate, so it all sort of fitted.”

So, it’s not all about deeper cultural references; sometimes it’s a simple case of a brewer’s whim, and the need to make packaging as eye-catching and appealing as possible.

Jennifer Royo is the co-founder of the No Label Brewing Co in Katy, Texas where in November they’re hosting a wrestling event at the brewery itself.

“We were very excited when Domination Zone Wrestling contacted us, this is the first time we are holding this certain event with wrestling and beer, so it will be nice to see if it works together,” says Jennifer. “I think beer and wrestling are both fun hobbies, so they should go together. I think people that enjoy wrestling enjoy a good show, and you really need a beer to enjoy a good show!”

DZW is based in the same town as No Label, and the relationship between the two businesses is born out of a genuine sense of community. Former pro-wrestler and owner Colony Soto says a father brings his children to watch wrestling, the children grow up, and in turn bring their children: “It helps families bond and helps provide an environment in which each family member can openly voice their opinion and hear feedback, in a way that isn’t damaging to anyone’s ego or sense of self.”

Beer and sports are merry bedfellows, where there’s an attitude and a place for everyone. There’s no typical size or shape for the beer lover or the wrestle fan; they’re comrades in a culture that welcomes the casual hobbyist and the obsessive semi-pro with equal warmth, and where the end product – the beer in your glass or the spectacle in the ring – is only part of the joy of belonging.