Coronavirus Beer: Mexican Brewer Names Beer After Deadly Virus; Plus a Sweet Treat Also Named After the Virus
We all know coronavirus as the deadly microorganism that caused the COVID-19 pandemic, but did you know that somewhere in Mexico, coronavirus can get you drunk?
There isn't much to celebrate with the present global crisis but when it does end, what could be a better way to celebrate it but to gather and hug, kiss and, of course, drink a toast to good health - with a glass of Coronavirus beer.
Earlier this this year, hundreds of Americans thought that the origin of the virus was Corona beer of Mexican origin, which ultimately led to the decrease in sales of the said brand, Latin Post reports.
Coronavirus Beer
According to a recent article, a cheeky brewer in the state of Hidalgo decided to appropriate the name and use it for a product known to bring people together, rather than keep them apart.
On March 9, Isaac Palafox registered the name with the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property.
Palafox, who is the president of the Regulatory Council of Real del Monte-Cornwall, also owns The Coffee Legacy, a cafe chain with locations in Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo, in Hidalgo, and in Guadalajara.
READ: Corona Beer Sales Drop Due to Name Association with the Coronavirus
In a recent article, Palafox said he had already crafted the beer recipe but had yet to name it.
The coffee shop owner described it as an English-style brew with hints of chocolate, molasses and coffee extract.
"This drink is already being produced and sold in my cafes, but it didn't have a name, until now," he said, adding that the coffee used to make the beer is toasted by artisanal roasters whose methods date back to the year 1900.
He also said they incorporate practices brought to Hidalgo by German immigrants to the region.
In order to register the trademark, Palafox first had to make sure no other products in the market may already have the name. Obviously, the name "coronavirus beer" doesn't exactly cry "go out and buy me," and he had no trouble nabbing the moniker for his beer recipe.
ALSO READ: Some People Think You Can Get Coronavirus from Drinking Beer
Palafox is uncertain as to whether his Coronavirus beer will take off, but his main goal is simply to maintain the quality of his recipe and continue producing it for his cafes.
Other COVID-19 Inspired Goods?
Meanwhile, also in Mexico, a bakery in the borough of Iztapalapa also joined the craze as it recently launched a new product it calls conchavirus - the Mexican sweet bread known as concha, or shell, decorated to look like the coronavirus - which has become a hit among neighborhood sweet-tooths and the local media.
READ MORE: [VIDEO] Viral Wuhan Shake: Optimism and Humor Amidst COVID-19 Scare
According to bakery manager Martha Rivas, they wanted to think of a new but familiar product that takes a humorous stab at the pandemic, thus the birth of conchavirus. She added that the neighborhood is seeking the product out and buying it, and that the fun-named bread gives them something to get excited about in these anxious times.
This is not the first time that people have drawn inspiration from the global pandemic to create a trendy product. Aside from Mexican businesspeople, six brands in Spain have made trademark requests for names related to Covid-19, including T-shirts that read, "I survived the coronavirus."