Chicago’s Urban Renewal Brewery Faces Criticism For Its Name | Eater Chicago

"Opened seven months ago in the Ravenswood space vacated by another brewery, this small operation moved into a 4,500-square-foot site and hopes to open a taproom by October at 5121 N. Ravenswood Avenue. Its name and a beer called the “Razed IPA” — which features an excavator on the label — sparked backlash after readers connected the term “urban renewal” to mid-20th-century, federally funded displacement of predominantly people of color and to ongoing gentrification concerns. Co-founder and head brewer James Moriarty says he was unaware of the phrase’s harmful connotations, that the name was meant to reference revitalizing the space, and that the business still lacks name recognition; his public defenses have been poorly received on social media. The episode is being discussed alongside broader critiques of insensitive beer names and the role restaurants and bars play in neighborhood change." - Ashok Selvam