October 30, 2001

8:30 AM

Only in Utah -- with a twist. Check out the beer list of Wasatch Beers of Park City, Utah. Their copywriters do OK -- but the real genius is in the last beer on the list: Polygamy Porter. "Why have just one" -- indeed!
posted by mattpfeff (10 comments total)

The label:


The Economist has a story on this, too (which is how I found out about it myself). I can't tell if you need a password to see the story, though....
posted by mattpfeff at 8:33 AM on October 30, 2001

Apparently, one does need a password.
Great example of target marketing. Yes, Mormons will be offended. But they ain't going to buying much beer anyway, right?
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:40 AM on October 30, 2001

[this is bad]
posted by jpoulos at 9:06 AM on October 30, 2001

What - no "Polyandry Porter" for moi?
posted by Dinzie at 9:38 AM on October 30, 2001

Actually, Polygamy Porter is for everyone! Polygyny Porter would just be for the menfolk.
posted by witchstone at 12:46 PM on October 30, 2001

Being in Utah, I'm familiar with most of these. Wasatch Brewery has a lot of religiously target advertising which routinely annoys the majority culture here. "Baptize yr Taste Buds."

And it turns out the Mormons were more than pissed: they were out for vengeance. The LDS church managed to get the Utah ABC to pass regulations prohibiting the use of religious imagery in alcohol advertising, but these regulations were overturned after some underhanded deals and secret meetings by the ABC were revealed by the local press.

Its really a pity that Wasatch isn't very good beer. I wish I could support a product which tweaks the nose and naughty bits of the church but their stout is pathetic.
posted by pandaharma at 4:50 PM on October 30, 2001

Witchstone, polygamy doesn't mean having multiple spouses; it means having multiple wives. Polyandry, the word I used, means having multiple husbands. Of course, after today, one seems like too many.
posted by Dinzie at 1:30 AM on October 31, 2001

after today, one seems like too many

how so, if I may enquire?

(Also, if you admit you already have too many, you can't really claim on principle that you won't take one more....)
posted by mattpfeff at 6:05 AM on October 31, 2001

mattpfeff, you made my day!

I'd never claim on principle that I wouldn't take more. It was just one of those days when my otherwise outstanding hubby was driving me crazy. All better now. Must...eat...more...Halloween...candy...
posted by Dinzie at 3:08 PM on October 31, 2001

And the New York Times, in its almost-year-end Week in Review, includes an item on this in a piece on some of the weirder news stories the Times says have been pushed aside by recent events:

A Salt Lake City brewery owner introduced a new beer brand called Polygamy Porter. "Why have just one?" asked a radio advertisement. After angry local Mormons protested, the brewer abandoned plans to put up billboards that said, "Take some home for the wives."
posted by mattpfeff at 7:39 AM on December 23, 2001