BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that the U.S. Constitution does not protect the right to an abortion. That ruling overturned Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) and gave states the right to regulate any aspects of abortion not protected by federal law.

On the second anniversary of the Dobbs ruling, Otherlands Beer in Bellingham hosted a Beer of Choice release party featuring their American pilsner and a gose beer from Aslan Brewing. The event kicked off a county-wide fundraiser for reproductive health.

“The crowd was really nice. There were a lot of people that I had never seen here before, which was lovely. A nice mix of older folks and a lot of young people,” said Otherlands owner and manager Karolina Lobrow. “It just had a really good festive feel to it and people seemed really glad to come together to support a cause they care about.”

According to Lobrow, Monday’s release party raised $2,500 for The Brigid Alliance, an organization that provides support for women seeking abortion services.

Otherlands brewer and owner Ben Howe said the idea for Beer of Choice started two years ago when he and some other brewers were discussing the Dobbs ruling on their brewery’s patio. Someone mentioned brewing beer to raise money for the cause and it took off from there.

They realize it is a touchy cultural and political issue, but most Whatcom County breweries agreed to take part. That year, 15 breweries collaborated to make four different beers that were released one week after another. In total, they raised over $25,000 for various organizations by serving Beer of Choice.

This year’s Beer of Choice fundraiser is a bit different. Otherlands decided to brew an American pilsner and Aslan Brewing went with a gose, a German style with sour notes and a salty finish. They invited brewers from around the county to join them to brew the beer.

“So, we did that and then basically we’re providing the beer to the breweries. Almost everything was donated (malts and hops) so it didn’t really cost us much to make,” said Howe. “A hundred percent of the sales at Otherlands are going to The Brigid Alliance.”

Otherlands brews using traditional, old-world techniques that create drinkable Central European style lagers. Photo by Adam Smith.

Howe filled the other breweries’ kegs and sent them out. The individual breweries have a choice based on their own abilities to determine how much of the proceeds are donated. They also have the freedom to donate to whatever organization they choose.

Lobrow thinks giving the breweries that freedom of choice is important because, while all the breweries want to support reproductive rights, what it means for a business owner and their community can differ. At Otherlands, it was news out of Idaho that pushed them toward The Brigid Alliance.

“Idaho is literally what set the gears in motion this year. I was reading an article while brewing one morning about how awful it is in Idaho and was like, let’s do it again,” said Howe.

After the Dobbs decision, a near total ban on abortion went into effect in Idaho. That change was felt across the Pacific Northwest. According to U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, in the months following the Idaho abortion ban, patients from out of state seeking abortion services in Washington jumped 36 percent.

That number is conservative. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found out-of-state patients receiving abortion care in Washington increased by 54 percent in 2023. It also found out-of-state patients paying out of pocket increased by 67 percent. There were minimal changes among in-state patients.

Organizations like The Brigid Alliance can help with those out-pocket-expenses as well as costs incurred from travel and lodging. They also help with childcare and other costs that might arise when people are away from home.

Fifteen Whatcom County breweries are serving Beer of Choice this year. Photo courtesy Otherlands Beer Facebook.

When you walk into Otherlands, you feel like you’re walking into someone’s home. Their environment of hospitality is rooted in Howe and Lobrow’s time working together at Cambridge Brewing Company in Boston, Massachusetts and the time they both spent in Europe. The goal was to capture a welcoming feeling of community and family.

“This place is kind of like our house. Imagine people are coming into your home and you want to take care of them, you want to get them fed and taken care of,” said Lobrow. “But at the same time, we are going to fundraise for these causes, and we don’t have to ask permission to do that.”

Beer of Choice specifically is a response to what Howe describes as a sense of powerlessness he has felt in recent years, but they don’t want to ram their cultural and political opinions down anyone’s throats. That’s not the goal.

“We’re really lucky. We’ve been able to start a business. We have wonderful people who work for us. We have more power in that sense,” said Howe. “I’d just feel bad if we weren’t using it to make the world a better place.”

Our founding fathers crafted the principles this nation is built on over pints of beer in taverns. The ethos of Otherlands and other local breweries allows for patrons to have similar discussions. So, if you’re interested in supporting reproductive health, swing by Otherlands Beer or any of the other 14 Whatcom County breweries taking part and raise a glass for Choice. If you don’t support the cause, grab a few of their other beers and strike up a conversation.

Just make sure you do it responsibly.

On Tap is a monthly column by Adam Smith exploring the ever-expanding beer culture in Whatcom County.  You can read last month’s column here.  If you taste a beer you’d like us to cover in the future, send an email to asmith@cascaderadiogroup.com.