A small proposal for craft breweries

First off check out this article from NPR that got my attention a few weeks ago:

 Craft brewers are running out of names and into legal spats.

I was doing some research on small breweries out in the Rocky Mountain region and saw them write about this problem over and over again, it almost always leads to litigation. We all know we now live in a litigious society. I could get into a whole big discussion and rant about that, I can see both sides of the issue. I will not do that here.I realize that folks of the legal profession gotta eat too.

I just would like to make a modest proposal to those micro and craft breweries out there to try to find a better way to settle this very real issue and think out of the box, bottle, can, growler or any vessel you may choose. Besides it's just fun.

Instead of ringing up your lawyer why not call that other brewery or hell if local go on over to the other brewery with some of those like named beers and suggest a friendly competition. I was thinking of like a game of kickball or softball. An alley cat or MTB time trial. A game of 8 ball or a few hands of black jack or poker? Winner gets the name. Loser sells through their remaining labels and merch and agrees not to print more you get 4-6 months to do that. While playing whatever game talk about alternate names that either brewery could use for who ever loses. If ya keep having probs call a lawyer. At least you tried.

You never know you might make friends and decide to do a collaboration brew of some sort.

I know it's a nutty idea. I just drink fine microbrewed beer on occasion. I don't make it and I certainly do not have any money tied up in a brewery (cause I hardly have any money) I just think it's a more civil fun way to do things. If you wanna get a contract drawn up to make it all legally binding and pay the law types then you could do that too. My point is you're small, I imagine there is some latitude in such matters. It's a thought. I'm considering an online petition to send around.

I got some history notes to catch up on today then I'm going to ride up over at dauset then run some errands. Thanks for reading.