E-Malt.com News article: USA, NY: Double Barrel Brewing Co. becomes Eastwood Brewing Co.

A small, less-than-1-year-old craft brewery behind the Sacred Melody Plaza in Eastwood officially rolled out its new name from Double Barrel Brewing Co. to Eastwood Brewing Co. via Facebook last weekend, syracuse.com reported on August 18.

Owner-brewer Pete Kirkgasser made the change after hearing from the Firestone Walker Brewing Co. of California. That brewery, founded in 1996 in Paso Robles, has a trademark for a beer called Double Barrel Ale. Firestone Walker previously forced a brewery called Double Barrel in Cincinnati to change its name.

"We're in a transition now," Kirkgasser said. The new name is first appearing on new growlers (half-gallon to-go jugs). Kirkgasser will be changing the brewery's sign and ordering new T-shirts, too.

Kirkgasser opened his brewery just before Thanksgiving last year at 108 Walter Drive. He knew he might have a problem with the name.

After getting a cease-and-desist letter from Firestone Walker's lawyer, he started talking to the brewery's owners. They, too, had once been struggling to start up a small craft brewery.

He also consulted with local lawyer Brendan Palfreyman of the Harris Beach firm, who is developing brewery trademark issues as part of his practice.

Kirkgasser said the talks with Firestone Walker have been friendly, which was confirmed by the California brewery's co-owner, Adam Firestone last week. "He's a good guy, very polite, very business-like," Kirkgasser said of Firestone.

Kirkgasser's brewery is small, making mostly 1-barrel batches (31 gallons). He says he's made about 80 or 90 different beers in 38 different styles. The best-seller is his IPA (India Pale Ale), followed by a Pale Ale and a Brown Ale.

So far, all of Kirkgasser's sales have been at the brewery's tasting room, which is open 3 to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday, noon to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Kirkgasser hopes to have his beer sold in some local bars - with Eastwood Brewing Co. tap handles - by the end of the year.

Another small Central New York brewery, Rogue's Harbor Brewing Co. of Lansing (near Ithaca), is trying to settle a similar trademark issue with the larger and better known Rogue Ales of Oregon. Rogue Ales has a trademark on its beer, but the name Rogue's Harbor has been used by the inn for 100 years.


20 August, 2014