To say the last two weeks have been hectic around here might be the understatement of the year. Not only did we reach our investment goal of $1.225 million ahead of schedule (officially putting into motion the construction and building portion of our project), some of you might have heard that we changed our name.
As of November 19th, Bryn Mawr Brewing is now Utepils Brewing® (note the new branding and website). Your response to this news has been overwhelmingly awesome! The countless phone calls, text messages, emails, and social media posts (some in support and others less-so) have really given us a gauge on how passionate this community is about their beer and about this project. At last count, our announcement on Facebook had over 60 “likes” and 25 shares – that’s simply incredible considering you have yet to even taste how good our beer will be.
Now that the dust has settled from last week’s big announcement, let’s take a moment to review how Utepils Brewing came to be and where we’re heading from here with a good ol’ FAQ:
So Utepils Brewing, huh?
Yep! You can find out exactly what makes Utepils the perfect name for a brewery here but from a legal standpoint, we own the trademark. Every other brewery in the U.S. really missed the boat on this one – how did we get so lucky?
So Bryn Mawr Brewing wasn’t trademarked?
As a matter of fact it was, just not by us. A winery in Oregon already had the rights to the Bryn Mawr name. Many times, these situations can be worked out with a little give-and-take; unfortunately, this time it was not that simple.
But you’re in Bryn Mawr, doesn’t that mean anything?
This is where it gets slightly complicated. Case law does allow for companies to use the same name based on location (think of how many businesses you can name that start with “Twin Cities”). However, case law within the beverage industry also states that two companies cannot have the same name regardless of location. We know, it’s kind of frustrating.
I really liked Bryn Mawr Brewing, couldn’t you fight for it?
Yes, we could have and might have won the rights to use it but that’s not what we’re in the business of. We felt that our investors’ dollars would be best spent for what they intended it for, not climbing mountains of legal fees.
So Utepils Brewing is really here to stay?
Sure is! In fact, before deciding on our location in Bryn Mawr, Utepils Brewing was the first name we had down. Bryn Mawr Brewing would’ve been the perfect name to highlight our great Minneapolis neighborhood, but it just wasn’t meant to be.
Utepils Brewing is just another chapter in a dream that started years ago among a few friends sharing beers at a bar. While our name has changed, this dream remains the same. We will still brew the finest European style beers in town. We will still be located on the picturesque banks of Bassett Creek, surrounded by city parks and bike trails. We will still be a place where you and your family and friends can share stories and enjoy great beer any time of year. And even though we can’t name ourselves after it, we will still use everything our location has to offer to create a brewery, tap room, and beer garden like no other.
So what’s in a name? Not much if it isn’t built around creating a great product and memorable experiences for its customers. Lucky for you, Utepils Brewing has always planned on doing just that.
