In Light Of Controversial Remarks Threes Brewing CEO Is Stepping Down
Since it was established in 2014, Threes Brewing managed to make its mark as a popular Brooklyn brewpub with a range of beers that were a hit with both fans and critics alike — including its Vliet Pilsner and Logical Conclusion IPA.
In early 2021, Josh Stylman, one of the company's co-founders, told Brewbound, "As a company, we have always been actively involved in the communities we serve. As we think about expansion, we've always had our sights on participating in new neighborhoods, including those outside of New York City. When the pandemic hit, Threes Brewing immediately launched a direct to consumer e-commerce site as a way to safely enable our customers to order beer from us, with the added benefit of keeping our business alive and our staff employed."
But Stylman appears to have fallen short of this intended goal after his views about the COVID-19 vaccine caused some to consider boycotting the brewery. And after weeks of pressure, Stylman agreed to step down as CEO from the company that he had helped start.
Stylman was critical of New York City's coronavirus response
Threes Brewing CEO Josh Stylman's departure was revealed in a series of company tweets, effective immediately. The post noted that Stylman felt his responsibilities to the brand were "in conflict with his duties as a parent and citizen and [he] is choosing to be able to speak his mind without concern that the team at Threes will be held responsible for his personal views." Following on, Threes would be lead by COO Jared Cohen.
Stylman caused a stir when he posted on Twitter, describing vaccine mandates as "a crime against humanity," writing "If you are not speaking out against them, you are a conspirator." He also went after New York's mask mandate, claiming that they couldn't prevent the spread of disease, and called out New York governor Kathy Hochul, asking why she chose to "terrorize our children." In a now deleted tweet, Stylman also criticized vaccine passports as "against any defensible scientific reality, echoes early sentiments in the Jim Crow South, Nazi Germany, Stalinism, Maoism, and other dark times in human history," per Brooklyn Magazine.
Stylman's departure could help turn the company's image around
When asked to explain his views to The New York Times, Stylman equated the mandates to "biomedical segregation" and added that he "acted out and wanted to share a point of view publicly to try to preserve any level of personal integrity or humanity."
His views weren't just contrary to scientific fact that vaccines help prevent people from getting seriously ill with COVID; they also appeared to be in conflict with those of his employees, who refused to reopen until all workers were able to be vaccinated. The bar released a statement, saying that it wouldn't stand by Stylman, nor would they condone his "comparisons of the mandate to historic atrocities based on religion or race."
Stylman's departure could well save the image — and the finances — of the brewery that he helped start. Several fans had said they had no intention of returning to the venue, and with him gone, they could be pressed to change their minds.