Boise’s Mad Swede brews up support for Ukraine

Story by Kurt Orzeck

Mad Swede Brewing Company’s “First King of Kiev” beer has been renamed “First King of Kyiv” to support the “Brew for Ukraine” movement. | Photo courtesy of Mad Swede

Count the number of times you’ve sat on a bar stool watching news on TV or talking with your fellow imbiber about world affairs, getting worked up and increasingly frustrated both by the events taking place and your inability to do anything about them. As the effects from the booze intensify, it can lead to a volatile situation. Enter Boise’s Mad Swede Brewing Company, which recently developed a pièce de résistance through which its patrons can contribute to a good cause and party at the same time.

Shortly after Russia began its horrific, internationally condemned invasion of Ukraine, Mad Swede heard about the resistance efforts of Ukrainian brewery Pravda Brewing, who are using their equipment to manufacture molotov cocktails and have asked brewers around the world to “brew for Ukraine.” Mad Swede’s imperial stout was initially named “The First King of Kiev” after the Viking king who ruled the city in the late 800s. After a customer recently pointed out that Mad Swede was using the Russian spelling, the brewery changed the beer’s name to “The First King of Kyiv.” Proceeds from the sale of the imperial stout will go toward efforts to help Pravda.

Mad Swede’s “Molotov Cocktail” craft seltzer features spicy peppers, ginger and blood orange.| Photo courtesy of Mad Swede

“We don’t see it as us taking a political stance,” manager Danielle Reynolds said. “It’s a genuinely worrying situation, and none of our patrons have complained, according to our bartenders.”

The brewery’s fundraising efforts also extend to one of the gluten-free hard seltzers that it offers. Mad Swede developed a new “Molotov Cocktail” craft seltzer, which is spiced up with fresh habañero and Serrano peppers, ginger, and blood orange.

Mad Swede previously lent its support to some other noble efforts, channeling proceeds from its “Black Is Beautiful” brew to raise awareness about injustices faced by people of color. The Boise brewery also participated in Sierra Nevada’s Camp Fire Relief Resilience Project, an effort to raise funds for wildfire relief efforts, and was part of Boise’s “Pure Water Brew Boise Project.”

Reynolds said raising money for local causes and broader crises is part of the culture of independent craft brewing.

“There’s a sense of community obligation in craft beer circles,” she said. “Craft beers and their grains are more complex, and they naturally lead to more complex conversations.”

Reynolds said once the imperial stout runs out, Mad Swede won’t brew it again until next winter. Same goes with the Molotov Cocktail seltzer. She said she’s proud of the effort and passion everyone on the Mad Swede team put into coming up with and creating the two brews.

“The nature of beer brings people together, and we hope it does under the common cause of helping the Ukrainian people,” Reynolds said.

Mad Swede Brewing Company
2772 S Cole Rd. #140
madswedebrewing.com