You love the blog, so subscribe to the Beervana Podcast on iTunes or Soundcloud today!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Deep Thought

In the latter part of the 19th century, breweries were often named after their founders (Weinhard, Schlitz, Anheuser-Busch, Coors, Pabst, Hamm's, etc.), but that's pretty uncommon now. Instead, the names are often rather abstract: Upright, Breakside, Migration. And few are named for the owner. Interesting how conventions change.

Update: In comments below, DA posts this gem:
It's all branding. Alworth brewing would probably confuse most, while Alameda pulls the neighborhood local, Hopworks pulls the IPA drinker, Hair of the Dog the glutton, Lucky Lab the dog lover, Full Sail the sporty outdoorsman, 5th Street the drunk who can't remember where the pub is located, 7 Brides the Salem Mormon population, Mt. Hood the ski bunny, Harvester the crunchy hippie, Fearless the courageous soul who braves Estacada.

9 comments:

  1. Heater Allen, Max's (previously), Bill's in Cannon Beach?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Widmer, Bells, Mikkeller, 3 Floyds, McMenamins, Avery Brewing, Short's Brewing, Stoudts, Kuhnhenn. But I do agree, more creativity these days.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You'll note, mister literal, that I shaded my language with qualifiers like "often" and "uncommon."

    And in fact, you point out a mini-change. It seems like more of the early micros were named after people, fewer now. (Widmer and McMenamins as you note and also Hale's, Hart, Thomas Kemper).

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hart and Thomas Kemper beers are no longer brewed. But who's counting?

    Doc Wort seems to have a 'interesting' take on this subject.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Maybe they are trying to separate themselves as far as possible from the old timers.

    It's all branding. Alworth brewing would probably confuse most, while Alameda pulls the neighborhood local, Hopworks pulls the IPA drinker, Hair of the Dog the glutton, Lucky Lab the dog lover, Full Sail the sporty outdoorsman, 5th Street the drunk who can't remember where the pub is located, 7 Brides the Salem Mormon population, Mt. Hood the ski bunny, Harvester the crunchy hippie, Fearless the courageous soul who braves Estacada.

    See how this goes? Really you just look for the population segment that isn't represented and name accordingly.

    What will be next?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hart and Thomas Kemper beers are no longer brewed. But who's counting?

    This doesn't change the point at all--and anyway, they are, too. TK is brewing Root Beer and Hart is called Pyramid.

    ReplyDelete
  7. DA, your last comment was brilliant. I may move it up to the post. (However, Alworth Brewing would of course be greeted with joy and delight, not confusion ... until they tasted my beer.)

    ReplyDelete
  8. @DA

    So where do the quality beer drinker go who want quality beer with no branding? :-o

    ReplyDelete
  9. @Dr. W

    No branding you ask? Well how about Ambacht brewing? They've been around for over a year in Hillsboro and no one new they existed. How's that for a lack of branding.

    Can't speak for the quality side however, still haven't seen one of their beers around.

    ReplyDelete