It's a pun, Adams is noted as a brewer

ETA: "Adams has often been described as a brewer, but the extant evidence suggests that he worked as a maltster and not a brewer."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Adams

My initial reaction. But then I saw it's The New Yorker. They're being clever as they are wont to be.

I get sick of that kind of clever that consists only of playing with language. I know The New Yorker is known for this sort of thing, but I expect more of them; they are, when at their best, both clever and thoughtful. This particular piece is insufferable.

As I learned on a different post on HN, you can use either ferment or foment in this context.

Definitions by Google.

> Ferment: 2. incite or stir up (trouble or disorder).

> Foment: 1. instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action).

I still think ferment sounds totally wrong too.

It's a pun. His father's business was grain malting.

thank you hckrnews i came here with this question and knew in my heart it had already been answered