A Mystery Street Artist Is Spray-Painting The Word "Beer" All Over Akron, Ohio

Street art is one of our most elusive media. It's often gorgeous, and designed with the knowledge that it will eventually disappear. It's a form of personal expression that mandates anonymity because, well, it's illegal pretty much everywhere. To fall in love with it is to know that no matter how simple it might seem on its face, there's always a story there, whether goofy or meaningful or somewhere in between.

How is this food-related, you ask? The Akron Beacon Journal reports of a mysterious artist who's been tagging various locations around Akron, Ohio, with the word "beer," writ large and in capital letters. Is it a simple celebration of the fermented alcoholic drink? A declaration of intent, in some way? Perhaps it's just an inside joke, as tags can often be. All we know so far is that he has an Instagram account, where he identifies only as "Coach Beerski" and declares Pornhub his professional affiliation.

In any case, Beerski has captured the imagination of the locals (at least the ones not aggravated about public property)—in particular Ron Shea, the founder of local craft brewery R. Shea Brewing Company. In speaking to the Beacon Journal, he shares his mirth at the ongoing mystery, and wants to commission a piece for his own facility: "Shea is offering a paying gig, even saying he's willing to protect the identity of the artist."

If your immediate response upon reading that was "Yep, that's exactly what somebody setting a police trap would say," well, The Takeout shared your initial concerns. However, Shea's intentions seem pure enough, and if "Coach Beerski" can parlay his sudden infamy into a payday, who are we to forbid it?

Wherever you are now, Beerski, we raise a pint in your gently anarchic honor.