In Reply To #1 Themed beers seem to be a pretty good way of marketing your beers. Speakeasy Brewing has a number of beers, all with sly looking eyes on the bottle, and a name referring to the speakeasy prohibition days. The labels are very cool for the company. You touched on Cooperstown brewing, Strikeout Stout, Old Slugger Pale Ale, Nine Man Golden Ale, Benchwarmer Porter etc... Stone Brewing has the gargoyle theme going, which is very cool. Bear Republic has a racing theme to it's labels. Cisco Brewing's beers have names that identify with their location to the ocean; Whale's Tale Pale, Moor Porter, Island Fest, Captain Swain's Extra Stout. Middle Ages has an interesting theme of, well... the Middle Ages. I'm sure you're probably familiar with Flying Dog and it's "litter" of ales. I'm sure you probably have an interesting nickname for that crap too. ;)

In Reply To #1 I will refer you to the latest article I wrote for the site. Flash needs to upload it......Not sure if he received my e-mails....Hopefully it will be posted shortly. Oiz

Theme beers are fun and a good way to market. Saranac has an adirondack theme of sorts. Not so much with the names of the beers but with the artwork on labels etc. A few years ago they made a light beer they called Dax light. It must have not done real well because now their light is Saranac Adirondack Light. I think theme beers help get people interested in the beer (craft or otherwise ) in the beer that is brewed in their local area

In Reply To #4 I agree. If I were to open a brewery, and I hope to someday, the beers would definitely be centered around a theme. Magic Hat does great with their "alternative"/"hippy" theme. It seems to appeal to every pothead I know.