New England Brewing Company’s “Ghandi-Bot” double IPA has, predictably, offended some from Mahatma Ghandi’s homeland. The BBC reports that, in response to a petition filed in the Judiciary of India, New England Brewing’s brewmaster Matt Westfall apologized saying, “Our intent is not to offend anyone but rather pay homage and celebrate a great man who we respect greatly.” The apology didn’t include a recall of Ghandi-Bot. In rather questionable taste, the brewery intends to continue making their double IPA, along with its tequila-barrel-aged cousin, Zapata-Bot, named for a major leader in the Mexican Revolution.
Westfall went on to say that Ghandi’s grandchildren approve and even applaud the New England Brewing Company’s homage, though he didn’t specify which grandchildren. With Ghandi portrayed as a C-P3O-esque robot, Ghandi-Bot is “punishable under Indian laws,” and a somewhat ironic show of respect, considering Ghandi didn’t imbibe. For those who hold his life’s work in reverence, seeing him branded and marketed is, understandably, offensive.
New England Brewing Company hopes that objectors might “[…] respect the freedom we have to show our reverence for Ghandi.” No matter how irreverent the reverence may be, the decision to support or not support Ghandi-bot is—ultimately—up to the American consumer. [BBC News] [Image: Flickr/R]