Ravinia Brewing, a 10-year-old craft brewery that agreed to drop its moniker after a legal trademark battle with Ravinia Festival, is rebranding as Steep Ravine Brewing Co.
The name is changing, but many of the beers and one of its iconic logos – a “tree guy” on a bike – will remain the same.
“This is a pivotal day in our evolution, and we are moving forward under this new brand,” Kris Walker, co-founder of Ravinia Brewing, said Tuesday. “But there will still be work to do for us to make this whole transition.”
Ravinia’s move to Steep Ravine will take place over several months, Walker said, with limited-edition gold cans bearing the new name available Tuesday at its Highland Park and Logan Square taprooms. Availability at the Chicago location will also be limited by plans to close the sales floor within a few weeks.
Changing store signs in Highland Park and managing existing Ravinia beer inventory on the ground will take more time, he said.
“It’s going to be a little bit of a slow evolution,” Walker said. “We still have beer on restaurant shelves and other things that we still need to work on, like liquor licenses and things that need to be changed before we can really officially make 100% of the transition. “
The original Highland Park showroom will undergo “modest updates,” but the one in Logan Square – a source of contention with the Ravinia Festival over the use of the northern Chicago suburb’s name – will close on the 14th. December.
Steep Ravine will continue to use the Chicago location to brew its beers, and the space will reopen as a new concept later, Walker said.
Meanwhile, the Ravinia Brewing name will eventually fade into Chicago’s short-lived post-millennium craft brewing history, with the good wishes of its former rival.
“This announcement marks an exciting new chapter for Steep Ravine Brewing Company,” said Jeff Haydon, CEO of Ravinia Festival, in a press release. “We look forward to their continued success.” »
Ravinia Festival is providing “some level of assistance” with the rebranding, Walker said, declining to provide further details.
The battle of brands began shortly after Ravinia Brewing opened its north suburban brewery six years ago in the Highland Park business district, made famous by the outdoor concert venue. Ravinia Festival immediately challenged the brewery’s right to use the common name of its hometown.
The two parties reached an agreement in 2018 allowing Ravinia Brewing to use the name with certain limitations. But Ravinia Festival canceled the deal and filed a trademark infringement lawsuit last fall, alleging the craft brewer violated the terms.
In the October 2023 lawsuit, Ravinia Festival pointed to five trademarks, the oldest of which covers entertainment services dating back to 1936, although it was not registered until 2002. Ravinia Brewing registered its trademark in 2015.
In particular, the Ravinia Festival cited the 2021 opening of the second Ravinia Brewing location, in Chicago, which offered live summer musical performances which it said “had caused real confusion in the marketplace.”
Ravinia Festival also challenged the increasing size of the Ravinia logo on craft brewery cans and the introduction of strains promoting musical themes, relying on an implicit association with the outdoor venue, according to the lawsuit.
The name Ravinia refers to a 152-year-old community that was annexed to Highland Park in 1899, an incorporation predating the outdoor music festival’s first incarnation by five years. While other businesses, from Ravinia Plumbing to Ravinia Barbershop, continue to share the name, the local brewery is evolving.
After a year-long battle in Chicago federal court — and in the court of public opinion — the two sides reached a settlement in September, with Ravinia Brewing agreeing to change its name. As part of the settlement, Ravinia Festival agreed to drop its lawsuit and provide undisclosed assistance to the craft brewer during the rebranding process.
The brewer will retain its core portfolio of beers under the new banner, including its new flagship, Steep Ravine IPA.
rchannick@chicagotribune.com
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