The world’s first ‘protest beer’ was launched today – mocking Vladimir Putin’s anti-gay stance in Russia.
‘Hello My Name is Vladimir’ is a drink which comes in a bottle featuring five garish Warhol-style images of the Russian president wearing makeup and lipstick.
And the cheeky brewers have made the double IPA with Limonik berries, which is an ingredient regarded by some Russian hunters to enhance sexual performance in men.
The 8.2% beer was unveiled today by Scottish beer maker BrewDog.
It has been launched as a ‘protest beer’ designed to support the LGBT community ahead of the Winter Olympics.
James Watt, BrewDog co-founder, posed shirtless on a horse to mock the notoriously macho Putin, who has been slammed for Russia’s allegedly anti-gay legislation.
The country passed a law last year banning ‘propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations’.
James said: “It’s been our mission at BrewDog to upend the status quo in whatever form it occurs.
“Whether it’s the stranglehold the mega brewers have had on beer production in Europe over the last 50 years, or in the case of Russia, the sick legislation that discriminates against millions of its citizens.
“Our core beliefs of freedom, integrity and passion drive all our actions.
Since we started in 2007, we’ve always striven to strike fear at the heart of the gatekeepers and establishment, the launch of Hello My Name is Vladimir is simply a continuation of that tradition.”
Hello My Name is Vladimir went on sale for £2.89 per bottle in all BrewDog bars and online at brewdog.com.
BrewDog will be donating 50 per cent of profits from the beer to charities which help oppressed minorities.
Mr Watt added: “We sincerely hope that when Vladimir Putin is tired from a busy day riding horses with his top off, grappling with burly men on the Judo mat or fishing in his Speedos, he reclines on a velvet chaise longue and has one of his handsome helpers wet his whistle with a glass of Hello My Name is Vladimir.”
“As Hello My Name is Vladimir is clearly marked ‘not for gays’ we should bypass the legislation introduced by Putin outlawing supposed ‘homosexual propaganda’, so Vlad shouldn’t have an issue with it.
“He might even invite us to ride bareback with him in the Siberian mountains.”
