The buzz and chatter surrounding trademark disputes in the brewing industry is getting loud lately, especially in the Colorado craft beer scene. Denver Pearl Brewing Company, which opened in the spring, is announcing its new name this Saturday, Sept. 6th. After pressure from Pabst Brewing Company, which owns Pearl Brewing in San Antonio, and perceived pressure from a fellow local brewery bearing the name "Denver," Denver Pearl chose to forgo a legal battle with either brewery and will brew under another name going forward. It's an apt time for me to shine a spotlight on another Denver craft brewery that underwent its own name change this year, Strange Craft Beer Company.
Strange Craft, formerly known as Strange Brewing Company, was started by head brewer Tim Myers in 2010. In the fall of 2012, Strange was hit with a threatening legal letter on behalf of a shop in Massachusetts called Strange Brew Beer & Wine Making Supplies demanding a name change. The letter cited confusion for its customers with the existence of a company called Strange Brewing, although more than 2,000 miles separate the two businesses. Strange responded with an offer to help promote the supply shop, while retaining its name, but the shop's lawyers rejected the offer and dug in their heels. After months spent fighting the dispute, Myers and his team settled with the shop and changed their name to Strange Craft in March of this year.
Fortunately, the name change was a rather minor tweak that didn't really affect Strange Craft's branding and reputation. Though it started small as a one-barrel brewery, Strange Craft has grown a bit in the last several years and is known in the Denver area for its great beer and friendly attitude. Strange Craft has garnered some major awards already, including two medals at the Great American Beer Festival, and a 2014 World Beer Cup gold medal in the fruit beer category for its Cherry Kriek. Speaking of that delicious fruit beer, Strange Craft also collaborates with Epic Brewing Company to conjure up an amazing blended beer called Strangely Epic. The blend combines Cherry Kriek with Epic's Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stout, creating one heck of a beer drinking experience.
I had a chance to try a wide selection of Strange Craft beer on a recent visit to the taproom, which is located near downtown Denver at 13th and Zuni. Myers and his team dabble in a full range of styles, from hop-forward pale ales and IPAs to Belgians, to darker styles like porters and stouts. The quality is high across the board, with some creativity thrown in as well. The ZORA Rosemary Pale Ale is a very enjoyable herbed beer with a depth of crisp flavors. Others that really stood out are the Le Bruit Du Diable Farmhouse Ale and each of the IPAs on tap. The Breakfast Grapefruit IPA, IPAphany IPA, and 1000 Barrel Imperial IPA are all intricate and different in their own way, highlighting the unique hops varieties used in each. Honestly, you can't go wrong here with whatever style fits your mood.
Though their situations aren't quite the same, I'd say Denver Pearl can look at Strange Craft and rest assured that a trademark issue won't derail its brewing hopes and dreams. Strange Craft has achieved success with its excellent beer and by embracing the local craft beer community, and there's no reason why the soon-to-be-former Denver Pearl can't do the same.
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