The Name Game: Sam Adams vs. Fezziwig's

What’s in a name? This is the question Fezziwig’s Brewing Company (5621 Palmer Way, Carlsbad) begged when approached by the legal henchmen of The Boston Beer Company. Rather than allow Fezziwig's owner Daniel Guy to weigh in on the query, the makers of the Samuel Adams line of beers let its actions to provide the valuation of a moniker. What’s in a name? A helluva lot. Enough that Boston Beer has demanded Guy change the name of his rookie nanobrewery so customers in no way confuse his beers with their Old Fezziwig Ale, a seasonal porter released each year during the holiday season.

A big fan of his name, which like the Sam Adams beer is a nod to Ebenezer Scrooge’s party-throwing ex-boss from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Guy did his homework to see what he could do to keep the handle in place. After consulting with his legal associates and hearing how much it would likely cost to battle Boston Beer in court, it was a no-brainer—David would need to concede to Goliath.

So, it’s time for a new name. Guy has a collection of just under a dozen that he’s considering. Whatever he selects, his company’s image will change in text only. So, the new title will fall in line with his logo, which features a steam punk-esque combination of clockwork gears, a top hat, and a spread set of feathered wings. But don’t suggest Steam Punk Brewing…that name and its associated domains are already taken. (But how perfect would that have been?)

Rather than bitch and moan, Guy is doing his best to make a lemony IPA out of the bag of citrus fruit swung at him by the country’s largest craft brewing company. His method for doing that: holding a pair of “grand renaming parties” at his tasting room on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1 “to show the community the company’s still kicking and good beer prevails.” Updates on the event can be found on what’s-their-names’ Facebook page.