PORTLAND, Ore. – It's called "Governator" beer — and Portland Brewing CEO Jerome Chicvara says he was surprised that no California brewer thought of it first.
The craft brewing veteran says the 3,200 cases bearing the Pumping Iron label are a humorous tribute to the 38th governor of California, "Terminator" actor Arnold Schwarzenegger (search).
The label had to be approved by both federal and state agencies after an exhaustive search that turned up no takers in Oregon's neighbor to the south.
"We couldn't figure it out," Chicvara said. "Maybe they thought the governor wouldn't like it and they'd be on his bad side, or it was just silly."
Chicvara said the idea came to him while kidding around with his college-age kids and their friends, who like many had morphed the words "governor" and "terminator" into "governator."
"And I thought that's good, that could be a beer," Chicvara said. "Sometimes we get carried away, but we did this for fun."
Portland Brewing Co. is known regionally for its MacTarnahan's (search) label that is sold mostly in California, Oregon and Washington.
The commemorative beer is being sold only in California. It's an extra special bitter ale that comes in a 22-ounce bottle with a label bearing a muscular figure posing like a body builder.
Chicvara, meanwhile, promises the quality of the brew is excellent, with a smooth finish and bit of a bite.
"It's no 'girly-man' beer," he said.
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