What’s in a Brewery’s Name?

For every brewery, there’s a reason behind the name. It’s important to have a name that can tie in with the brand in order to establish brand recognition with consumers. Brewer talked to breweries with interesting names to get the story behind the names and how the brands reflect the name.

Wildlife Brewing was founded in 2003 in Victor, Idaho by a heli ski guide who always liked to push the boundaries. In that region, there’s a lot to do outdoors, including skiing, fishing, mountain biking, so the brand of the brewery reflects ‘living the wildlife’ outdoors, and then being able to come back to the pub for a beer.

“‘Live the Wildlife’ is our slogan,” said René Ceja, a sales rep for Wildlife. “Go Big! Golden Ale…that one is an easy-drinking beer, with a skier logo on it. You go big all day with extreme sports and then you come back and can drink the beer, and you can continue doing that sport without being hammered.”

Mighty Bison Brown Ale, the brewpub’s flagship beer is a big hit locally, and Ceja pointed out the nod to wildlife in the name as well.

Great Change Brewing of Bakersfield, California came out of two brothers’ love for craft beer. Steve and Tim Belmont opened a 10,000 square foot facility with the help of head brewer Kyle Smith, former brewmaster from Kern River Brewing.

The brewery opened its doors in January earlier this year, and for a community that’s relatively new to craft beer, Smith has been working on different recipes that are “a little bit different bodied,” said Tim Belmont.

Belmont said a lot of sleepless nights predated the naming of the brewery.

For Smith it was a huge change, because he thought he’d be at his former brewery — Kern River — forever. Leaving was a big move for him. Likewise, the Belmont brothers left their job after working there for 20+ years.

“So it’s a huge change for everybody,” Belmont said. Smith’s brewing experience, paired with the brothers’ homebrewing knowledge made for a good fit.

Great Change is now trying to grow into its space, and Belmont thinks it’s important to not be intimidated by expansion. Through careful planning, the facility is built for a small brewery that can be expanded.

As a new brewery, establishing name and brand recognition is key.

“Making sure our logo is out front and making sure that our name is being said, over and over and over,” Belmont said. “I know a lot of people get tired of it, but you’ve just gotta keep repeating it.”