The change comes in light of a conflict between the Horsetooth Brewing Company's name and Cooper-Smith's Pub Brewing's nearly 20-year-old Horsetooth Stout brew.




Jones said Hall was concerned that the brewery's name could cause confusion with CooperSmith's beer's names.

In addition to using the name Horsetooth, Jones is brewing a Cache la Porter beer, and CooperSmith's has also brewed a beer under the same name.

"We had come to the conclusion that our company was not trying to impede," Jones said. "They thought we were."

Hall was reserved in talking about the issue, declining to comment for the most part.

"We are just trying to run our business as best we can, and we feel it is not good for anybody to have two breweries in the same town using the same names," said Hall, who added Coopersmith's, as a whole for the year to date, has had a 6 percent to 7 percent decline in business. Hall said while he is not happy about that, it is to be expected in the current economy.

Jones said he will change the name of his brewery, and he's asking for the public help. At the same time, he said Hall is allowing him to brew using the Cache la Porter name.

A legal document had been drawn up, and Jones said both companies will sign the agreement. Jones' decision to change the name is voluntary, he said. However, if he didn't change the name, he said he would have been forced to hire a lawyer.

Before picking the Horsetooth name, Jones searched for trademarks and company names and, finding none, had his own attorney trademark it. Jones, who was unaware of Horsetooth Stout, said it never occurred to him to search beer names.

"It was surprising, and a very unintentional thing we did," Jones said. "We didn't even really know they had a beer named that; otherwise, we would not have done it."

For the brewery's new name, residents are invited to submit their ideas to the company at LocalBrew@horsetoothbrewing.com by Nov. 7. The names will be posted on the brewery's Web site, www.horsetoothbrewing.com and the selection will be made Nov. 16.

The winner of the contest will receive a half-gallon growler full of the brewery's first beer, and free monthly refills for a year, along with an invitation to the grand opening celebration.

Jones still wants to have a name that reflects local landmarks or Northern Colorado inspirations. The brewery's logo and beers will remain the same; Jones said he will just substitute a new name in place of the old.

The brewery, which has yet to find a home in which to brew, plans to open in summer 2010. The yet-to-be-named brewery will have three flagship beers to set itself apart from the crowd: Old Town Kolsch Style Ale, a lightly hopped Kolsch style ale; Cache la Porter, a English porter with a chocolate character; and Stimulator Pale Ale, a rye pale ale.

In a city famous for its micro-brews, Jones plans to make a name for himself by keeping the focus local and serving his beverages in cans. He is still looking to find the right location for the brewery and investors to work with.

Despite the initial bump in the road, Jones said there is no bad blood as a result of the conflict, and he anticipates having a good working relationship with other brewers in town, including CooperSmith's.

"With community involvement, we can move forward and keep a good work environment with other businesses in the community," Jones said.

For more information, go to www.horsetoothbrewing.com/name_contest.html.