LOGAN SQUARE — A Logan Square brewery and distillery that first made headlines last June is back from hiatus with a new name.
After a cease-and-desist order led to a dispute over its name of choice, the former Mercenary Brewing and Distillery, 2717 N. Maplewood Ave., has decided to rebrand as the Maplewood Brewery and Distillery.
The decision to change the brewery's name was a matter of trademark, according to Ari Megalis, one of the brewery’s co-founders. And when a letter from Odell Brewing Company arrived alleging an infringement on its Myrcenary Double IPA beer, the Logan Square brewery was forced to consider its options.
The owners decided to change the name after pitching a resolution to “amicably coexist” with Odell that was ultimately declined.
“We offered Odell multiple potential solutions and explained that we have been using the name Mercenary [albeit informally] since we began homebrewing in 2007,” an announcement from Maplewood said. “However, as is their legal right, Odell refused to allow us to continue to use any form of the word “Mercenary.”’
Odell, however, was kind enough to allow the former Mercenary Brewing and Distillery to run through its current label stock before the name change.
"In the interest of not becoming dastardly trademark infringers, we have decided to move forward and change our name to Maplewood Brewery & Distillery,” the announcement continued. “This name was chosen in honor of the former village of Maplewood, which was one of the areas that survived the Great Chicago Fire and aided in the rebuilding of Chicago after the fire.”
Maplewood was later annexed by the City of Chicago in 1889 and helped form Logan Square. Maplewood Avenue is also where the brewery and distillery is located.
Maplewood Brewing was founded by brothers Paul Megalis, Ari Megalis and their longtime friend Adam Cieslak. The brewery grew out of a hobby that snowballed into a business, they said back in June.
Their new beer, Creepy Ginger — a Belgian golden strong ale brewed with organic ginger — will begin distribution Monday. The group recently acquired a federal craft distiller’s license and soon will begin distilling and aging whiskies and gins.
A 1,100-square-foot taproom and cocktail bar also is in the early stages of construction at the brewery.
To honor the name change and release of its new beer, Maplewood Brewery & Distillery is holding a “Creepy Ginger Release and We-Were-Going-To-Be-Sued-So-We-Had-To-Change-Our-Name” event at Kaiser Tiger, 1415 W. Randolph St. on April 24, starting at 6 pm.
The brewery makes three beers: The Charlatan (American Pale Ale), Creepy Ginger (Belgian Golden Strong Ale) and Fat Pug (Milk Stout).
Here's hoping Maplewood's designated quality control inspector "Fat Pug Otto" is as good at quality control as he is at standing around being handsome.
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