A Sooke B.C., brewery that has no affiliation with the business at the centre of the “Show Me the Evidence” T-shirt controversy says it is facing backlash after customers confused the two businesses because of their similar names. Sooke Oceanside Brewery owner and founder Ryan Orr says his business has received one star Google reviews, boycott threats, private messages and calls to cancel wholesale orders since the controversy erupted. CTV News Vancouver Island contacted Orr after seeing a wave of online backlash directed at Sooke Oceanside Brewery as the story unfolded. “It’s been an extremely trying experience,” Orr said. “It’s very emotional as well to see my business getting tied into something that we had absolutely nothing to do with.” Orr says the fallout began almost immediately after the photograph of a Sooke Brewing Company co-owner wearing the shirt on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation sparked widespread criticism online. Sooke Oceanside Brewery and Sooke Brewing Company are separate businesses with no affiliation, Orr said. But the similarity between their names has created confusion before, he said. Orr says Sooke Oceanside Brewery had already been operating for about a year when Sooke Brewing Company opened and chose a similar name. He said he had raised concerns at the time because he worried customers could confuse the two businesses. “I could have never foreseen something like this,” Orr said. “But I did always think there would be, and there always has been, confusion.” Now, Orr says that confusion is having a direct impact on his business. He says several wholesale customers contacted him saying they wanted to cut ties and cancel orders. “I’ve spent basically the last however many hours trying to put out fires,” he said. Orr says he spent much of the following day contacting wholesale accounts to explain that Sooke Oceanside Brewery was not involved in the controversy. The brewery has also received private messages from people threatening to boycott it, along with criticism of the business and its beer, he said. The confusion has also spilled over a liquor store that carries Sooke Oceanside Brewery beer, with staff facing angry customers who appear to believe they are selling products from the brewery at the centre of the backlash. Orr says one call to the brewery’s taproom became particularly hostile, and he has seen what he described as vulgar comments directed at the business. He does not want to get into specific examples but said much of the backlash can be seen in comments and messages sent to the brewery. “It’s been a lot,” Orr said. The brewery has also received support from people who understood the distinction between the two businesses, Orr said. He is now asking customers and members of the community to verify which business they are referring to before posting criticism or joining a boycott. “I think all of us, everybody, has to do some due diligence,” Orr said. The backlash comes as Sooke Brewing Company faces continued fallout over the T-shirt incident. The brewery apologized after the photograph circulated online and said the message on the shirt did not reflect its values. It later announced that co-owner and head brewer John Adair had been terminated, effective immediately. The company has also cancelled its upcoming events, including Oktoberfest celebrations planned for this weekend, until further notice. The controversy escalated further Friday after Sooke RCMP opened a criminal investigation into vandalism at Sooke Brewing Company. Police said someone spray-painted the word “evidence?” on the building and announced increased patrols in the area. Orr says he understands why the similarity between the brewery names could lead to confusion, but he wants people to make sure they have identified the right business before directing their anger at it. “We have absolutely zero affiliation with them,” he said.
