The line for the bathrooms at the Israeli beer fest “Beers 2014” is long — after all, the beer here flows freely and takes its toll. Those in line are a bit unsteady on their feet, but I make use of the time to find out which of the dozens of boutique breweries and premium imported beer stalls are particular favorites. One name keeps coming up in a quick survey: ISIS.
There is indeed an Israeli microbrewery with the same name as the Islamic State terror organization — formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, or ISIS — but it’s not a public relations gimmick. Ten years ago, its owner Itsik Levy from Dekel, a cooperative farm bordering the Gaza Strip, decided to turn part of his farm into a brewery and named his beer after the Egyptian goddess Isis (who, according to ancient Egyptian mythology, discovered barley).
