By Canadian Press

Despite ample opportunity, Dildo, N.L. brewery dodges salacious beer names

Jul 1, 2018 | 12:15 PM

DILDO, N.L. — A recently opened brewery in Dildo, N.L. says it’s mostly eschewing lewd puns in naming four new beers, in spite of ample opportunity.

The unusually named small town provided the Dildo Brewing Company and Museum with a chance to give its beers naughty names, but co-owner Angela Reid said they’ve managed to keep it classy — for the most part.

“We had a lot of fun, and of course, we had many ideas,” she said in a phone interview Sunday. “It’s always fun naming beer.”

The building has been a museum for years, but it’s recently been renovated to make it equal parts museum and brewhouse.

The names of the new beers are inspired by the sights and culture of the Newfoundland community. Reid said they act as a tribute to the small town, while also poking fun at its provocative name.

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“We’re trying to, as much as we can, keep things local and keep things a little bit light as well,” said Reid.

The punniest beer on the list is “I’se Da Bye-PA:” an IPA referencing the traditional foot-stomping Newfoundland folk song “I’se The B’y.” 

Written in the Newfoundland English dialect, the name translates to standard English as “I’m the Boy.” Reid said the new beer is “a reflection of Newfoundland and our slang.”

More locally, “Blonde Root 80” is a blonde ale referencing Route 80, a coastal highway which runs along the northwestern coast of the Avalon Peninsula — and leads to the brewery.

Made with beets, “Red Rocks Ale” references a popular nearby fishing spot.

And last but not least, “Stout Dildo” is not, as it may sound, a lascivious play-on-words of the adult toy with which the town shares a name. 

The beer, which brewmaster Lionel Rodrigues describes as having a “coffee, toffee flavour,” is a shout-out to the community’s friends in South Dildo.

“I’m a big fan of the double-entendre,” he laughed. “I jokingly call it an homage to our South Dildo neighbours.”

Rodrigues, who recently turned to beer after spending more than 20 years in the wine industry, said the Newfoundland and Labrador craft beer industry is beginning to gather steam.

While the province had a late start, a number of breweries have cropped up in recent years — and it seems as though the government is eager to support them.

The Dildo Brewing Co. and Museum recently received a $300,000 grant from the federal and provincial governments to help set up processing facilities.

“I’ve always loved craft beer,” Rodrigues said. “Now that it’s here, I consider myself really lucky to be a part of it.”

He said the town’s name is sometimes met with incredulity: recently, he said an equipment shipment to the brewery was held up in U.S. customs for nine days after there was some confusion over the name of its destination.

In his childhood years, Rodrigues said he and his friends had to lie about where they were from while signing up for a national fundraising event over the phone because they would get hung up on when they told the truth.

Reid, however, said living in Dildo is just like living anywhere else.

“We’re definitely a community that’s proud of who we are,” she said. “First and foremost, we’re proud Newfoundlanders, but we’re also very proud Dildonians as well.”

“We own it, and we’re all good about it.”

Reid added that she hopes everyone can stop by and “get a little taste of Dildo.”

Alex Cooke, The Canadian Press