I need your opinion guys (microbrewery ideas)

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csutton2012

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I just turned 40, and I've been dreaming of opening a microbrewing for 20. I have been all grain brewing for about 18 of those years. My best friend just died and I realized how short life really is. I don't want to waste another minute not going for my lifelong dream. The brewery is going to be a small boutique brewing that only supllies kegs and sells growlers to go at the brewery until we can afford a bottling line. Hey Three Floyds did it and look at them now. Of course when I start to make enough money and get enought local interest to attract investors, the dream location, dream equipment, and bottling line is ON!.

Here's my dilemna.
I need opinions on the names and the branding I've decided to go with.
The few people I've show are basically mainstream bud and coors light drinkers who just don't get it, and I'm starting to have my doubts. My wife loves them but that doesn't count.
So the three names of the brewery are:

1. Anodyne Brewing Company (Definition: Anything that relieves or assuages stress or pain, soothing)
2. Wedge Head Brewing Company
3. City Cat Brewing Company
4. Hollow Moon Brewing Company

I'm leaning strongly on Andoyne and EVERYONE else hates it. Please give you your honest opinion.
Also, I have attached some logos and labels of the 5 five beers I plan to brew.
Honest opinion encouraged and heavily valued. Thanks,
SO here they are:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csutton/sets/72157623764213228/
Thanks All
 
OK. Good to know. Thanks.
Although there is an Anodyne brewing in New Mexico that is quite populare, they only brew tea however :)
 
I hear brewing is a hard business to get into but I am all about going for your dreams. The only real input I can give you is about the name. I like Anodyne Brewing a lot, has a great meaning and and ring to it. It also is one of thoe words that has a mysterious sound and look that says "Yes we are unique." The monkey themed labels are pretty good too, simple and creative but stick in the head.
 
Thanks! I love Anodyne too, but I just can't get anyone else to agree. However, thank you because you seem to have good taste and I needed to hear that. You like it for the same reasons I do.
 
I'll preface my reply with the statement that my family has been in a number of businesses in the past. All have been successful until the "family" got tired of running them. They would close/sell the business, but in a year or two, they would have a new one starting. There's a thread on this forum by a guy that did his own start up. I haven't read it in a while, but as I recall, it had some good info.
Any name is good as long as you push it full force. Also, I think WW is correct about not getting attention here. Get your thoughts, name, logo, and BUSINESS PLAN together and pitch it to your investment banker. I would suggest practicing your delivery on friends and family. If they are not behind you 100%, you want to know up front. It wouldn't hurt to study the start up plans of similar businesses. Finally, if this is your dream and you are going to pursue it, don't listen to the naysayers. If you attack it with everything you've got, you'll make it. Luck - Dwain
 
I'm new to home brewing, but I've been a craft beer drinker (connoisseur) for many many years. I like Anodyne Brewing Company the best. The others sound very cliche like so many others these days. Love all the images. 800 Pound Porter made the slit in my face curve up.
 
Thanks, I've got the business plan, financing, (not a lot) and mostly from my life saving and retirement money, but enought I think, applied for federal brewing permit, got location, and ordered equipment (small 2bl brewery). Yeah, I know, it's little, but like I said, I want to specialize in small,intense, extreme, unique, but most of all top of the line beers that change peoples life and by that I mean, once you drink them you become beer obsessed, it happened to me when I first tasted a Krystal Weizen in Grerman and then again when I tasted an authentic ESP at Broad Ripple Brewing COmpany, so if I can do that for just one person, I'll feel successful. Thanks for all the honest feedback everyone. I also should add that at this point in my life I've decided that I'd rather have tried and failed than not to have tried at all.
 
Eric, Thank you! Music to my ears!
I agree, the others are too much like others.
800 Pound Porter is my favorite too.
Hell who else out there is making a borderline imperial Porter? It's going to be challenging but can't wait to brew it.
 
Dwain said:
I'll preface my reply with the statement that my family has been in a number of businesses in the past. All have been successful until the "family" got tired of running them. They would close/sell the business, but in a year or two, they would have a new one starting. There's a thread on this forum by a guy that did his own start up. I haven't read it in a while, but as I recall, it had some good info.
Any name is good as long as you push it full force. Also, I think WW is correct about not getting attention here. Get your thoughts, name, logo, and BUSINESS PLAN together and pitch it to your investment banker. I would suggest practicing your delivery on friends and family. If they are not behind you 100%, you want to know up front. It wouldn't hurt to study the start up plans of similar businesses. Finally, if this is your dream and you are going to pursue it, don't listen to the naysayers. If you attack it with everything you've got, you'll make it. Luck - Dwain
Click to expand...

Well said! Thank you
 
so where is your brewery going to be? and yah i agree wedge head brewery is pretty catchy. :mug:
 
This will probably sound lame, but I'm not ready to announce the town yet. I want to wait until it's a sure thing. I have my reasons. Sorry, I would like to tell you, but hopefully soon enough.
 
csutton2012 said:
This will probably sound lame, but I'm not ready to announce the town yet. I want to wait until it's a sure thing. I have my reasons. Sorry, I would like to tell you, but hopefully soon enough.
Click to expand...

Let me guess....Tampa?

FWIW, I kind of like Anodyne. That's one of my favorite albums (Uncle Tupelo).
 
McGarnigle said:
Let me guess....Tampa?

FWIW, I kind of like Anodyne. That's one of my favorite albums (Uncle Tupelo).
Click to expand...
Ah.....Someone finally mentioned one of my favorite albums too. And yes, that's the first time I heard the word. 20 years ago or so. Another reason for the name.
Tampa? LOL. Maybe....
Cigar City would be awful hard to compete with unless I brewed some pretty unique beers, perhaps even some Sakes which I've always wanted to do.
Unfortunately I don't have 600,000 dollars of capital to start with like Joey did.
 
McGarnigle said:
Let me guess....Tampa?

FWIW, I kind of like Anodyne. That's one of my favorite albums (Uncle Tupelo).
Click to expand...

If it were Tampa, (not that it is)do you think the town would be big enough for the two of us?
I think it would be great. It would help make Tampa a sort of beer destination for serious beer fans. I don't plan on making "introductory ales" like Blondes or Reds...Also I haven't even begun to show all my cards yet. There are still several Tricks up my sleeve that could make Cigar City and Anodyne two of the best in the country and all within a few miles from each other. Not a bad idea McGarnigle.
Also, while on the topic of CCB, their Humidor series Ales was a stroke of Genius. Wayne Wambles is one of the best brewers in the country.
 
If my opinion means anything...

"Wedge Head" sells beer. The labels don't.

"Anodyne" sounds to me like the name of a bad-tasting medicine, not a good-tasting beer.

You might consider setting aside some funds to employ a professional graphic design artist to design your labels. Getting professional help for your individual beer designations wouldn't be a bad idea either. Remember, your expertise lies in brewing beer - delegating matters that aren't in your sphere of proficiency can make or break your business.

Good luck! I hope it works out for you.
 
Although Anodyne makes sense when you explain it, it reminded me of medicine/something medicinal the first time I read it. I think you'll lose customers before you have a chance to explain it.
 
I agree that Anodyne sounds medicinal, but I do like the labels.

Also, just my opinion, but I think that labels do help sell beer. That's why big companies spend millions on figuring out the most appealing package for a product. Not everyone is going to know the "wedge head" brand, at least to start. You want something that pops off the shelves.

Congrats on following your dreams. Best of luck.
 
Anodyne doesn't sound medicinal to me. It's more cerebrial...you're making drunks think...and since they don't know what the word means it'll make them feel stupid, ergo, your brew is stupid. In short, that's not a good thing. ;)

Whether it's "Wedge Head" or "Widgit" it's got to be simple...and rhymes always work.;)

I have to agree that the labels, well, in a word, suck. Nothing catchy. What are those baboons? As for the "wedge", will your brews have fruit wedges in them or what's the "theme" you're trying to project?

All my comments are provided with love and concern...it's good to go after your dream, but I think you need a better plan before you start your journey.
 
Anodyne Therapy is infrared light therapy device used to increase circulation and reduce pain, stiffness and muscle spasm. It also is good for healing wounds. My wife, the nurse immediatly thought of this as she was reading over my shoulder.
 
Get your name first. +1 on Wedge Head. Get your identity/angle/theme then when you are ready, hire someone to design the bottle based on the attitude of your brewery.
-Jefe-
 
Welcome :mug:
I agree with Anodyne Brewing Company, think that would be the best of the ones you have.
 
I like Wedge Head the best but it is quite similar to Wedge Brewing Company in Asheville, NC...but not too close that it would cause any problems. As far as the labels go I like the simplicity of them and the pictures are neat - just the formatting is god awful imo - text placement/size/fonts/colors. +1 for consulting a professional about label designs
 
Good Luck. I think what you are doing is great. I am starting down the same road and it is very exciting. Sounds like our business plans are pretty close.

I agree with what some of the people on have said so far. I have been apart of stuff like this in other industries. What I have found and believe is that the most important part of you business will be marketing. Think carefully about your name and how the labels and logos will look. This could make or break you. Yes it is important to have good tasting beer. But that only means people will buy a second batch. In order for them to buy the first batch, you need to grab there attention. Expecting them to read the life story of why you called it "Anodyne" is not practical. I would think more about that name before using it.

Obviously getting friends and family behind you is important. They can be some of the best marketers around. Give them something to work with. If you don't have the design skills to make logos yourself, look to a local college. You can find a kid that would love to get school credit for design work. It would probably not cost you much.

Anyway. Good luck. We are all pulling for you. Live the dream. Don't let anyone tell you it can't be done.
 
Anodyne brewing company...
I could see myself ordering something with a name like that... "I'll have the Anodyne IPA" Its not really hard to pronounce, its simple, I like that.

Hollow Moon- Too much like Blue Moon
City Cat-... I don't like cats...don't like the name anyways...
No comment on Wedge Head, can't really formulate an opinion on that.

I dont really like the labels...
 
A few others have said Anodyne sounds too medicinal. In my opinion beer IS medicinal. Anodyne is a great name. Best of luck to your startup.
 
I like Anodyne. It sounds aeronautical to me. You know, like Anodyne Aircraft Company. Maybe some aviation themed brews. Or maybe even maritime, like Anodyne Racing Boats, so since you are in Tampa, that might work. I did not like the monkey or gorilla themed labels.

I am up near Gainesville, and we have a new brewery called Swamp Head. They are growing well. No bottles yet, just kegs.

Wish you all the best, can't wait to sample your brews!
 
I think you could do fine with a name like Anodyne. People will connect with a brand if the product is good enough. I don't think it will invoke the same emotion that a brand like Stone, Dogfish Head, or the like will, but it is still nice. You have to remember that most of the beer drinking community is still male, and still kind of meatheadish when it comes down to it.

The labels sort of remind me of Shag and Japan. Both are good things, but there are a couple that don't wow me. I like the flat imagery, I like the monkeys, I don't like the smoking guy, and I don't like the 3-D ish guy with the horns. I also think the font is too... typical for that style of art and it gets lost. I think it needs to stand out more. I am a big fan of good typeface and kind of get annoyed by layout/packaging with elements of design that are lacking (Russian River and comic sans... ****ING kills me.)
 
Can't tell you how much I appreciate all the feedback.
I have been in love with Anodyne from the beginning and am going to try my best to make t work. I am going to quickly explain to people the definition of it and hope they relate my beer to something that can take away their stress or pain. Wedge Hedge has a ring to it, but I just can't seem to get full forced love going for it. I am trying to hire someone that can work with me on fonts and improve me labels. In the meantime I'll be dreaming, sweating, and scheming 24/7 until this happens. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks for all the feedback.!
 
Good luck and keep us posted, I am still with Anodyne as well. I mean there are a ton of other names out there that sound just as weird or obscure. The name and will help but it's the beer inside that counts. I honestly think I could see myself saying "Hey lets go to Anodyne."
 

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