Feb 2, 2011
Queer beer: An amusing instance of a confusing product name
I was at Tracy’s the other night with some out-of-town friends. They asked what local brews to try and I recommended Surly Bender.
(Image via David Erickson)
Our discussion included such sentences as…
- You should try a Bender.
- Should I get a tall Bender or a small one?
- Is the Bender pretty dark?
- We’ll take a round of Benders!
- Four Benders, then.
- Oh, yeah! This Bender is tasty!
- I suppose I have time for another Bender.
None of us noticed that the one British guy with us hadn’t been talking…until he said, “That word must mean something different here.”
Turns out, Surly might want to tweak that product name if they decide to go global. Or they could keep the name and just aim at a more niche market…
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There’s a funny story about Matt Chandler using the term “fanny pack” while preaching in Australia until a person in the congregation yelled to him “stop SAYING that”. Apparently “fanny” is one of the most crude profanities in Australia. Some terms don’t travel well.
No-one uses the word anymore, but I understand that in the past it was indeed a very crude term.
We would tend to use the word bum-bag to describe miniature bits of luggage that you strap around your waist.
LOL! I love this kind of cultural crosswire humor.
True! Considering “bum” is a term meaning a useless person here in the USA
Isn’t it a great beer? I was just telling Brent how it is my favorite, *favorite*…”even more than Blue Moon?” he asked and I had to say “even more than Blue Moon.” I can’t imagine a more tasty treat than the Surly Bender.
Wait a second… all this time I’ve been reading 22 words and it’s been a Minneapolitan? I had no idea!