At The Gentleman Brewing Company, we're all about crafting unique experiences and sharing stories through our beers. But recently, we've found ourselves in a bit of a David vs. Goliath situation, and we want to bring you along on our journey.
Our latest creation, "The Botanist FunctionAle," has caught the attention of a big player in the spirits industry – Bruichladdich Distillery Company Limited, the makers of "The Botanist" gin and part of the billion-pound Remy Cointreau group. They've hit us with a trademark infringement claim, despite the fact that our product is a non-alcoholic beer, not a gin.
We were pretty shocked to receive that notice. After all, we're a small, passionate startup that’s been careful to play by the rules. We just released our first batch of The Botanist FunctionAle in May, and to be faced with a pricey legal battle is, well, disheartening. But we’re not backing down. We believe there’s a clear difference between our non-alcoholic beer and their gin, and we're confident that consumers won’t get the two confused.
Thankfully Kristian stumbled across a very similar case from 2015 when J.J. Lawrence of Tiger Gin went up against Heineken’s Tiger Beer brand – and won! His story has been a big inspiration to us, and we’ve even had the privilege of chatting with him for advice. Knowing that others have stood up to the big guys and succeeded gives us so much hope.
The #NotAGin Campaign
To rally support and highlight the clear differences between our beer and their gin, we’re launching the #NotAGin campaign. Starting Tuesday, August 6th, 2024, we’re encouraging our community to get involved. Whether you’re sipping on The Botanist FunctionAle or any non-alcoholic drink, snap a selfie and share it on social media with the hashtag #NotAGin. Let’s show that there’s room for everyone in the beverage world!
What is The Botanist FunctionAle?
So, what’s all the fuss about? The Botanist FunctionAle is the world’s first low-alcohol functional beer. It’s designed to give you the taste and experience of a traditional beer while offering some amazing health benefits. Launched in May 2024, this innovative beer combines botanical infusions with natural ingredients, making it a refreshing alternative for anyone looking to make healthier choices.
This 0.5% ABV beer is packed with a unique blend of botanicals, vitamins, and hydrolyzed collagen. We’ve carefully curated six botanicals – Hibiscus, Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Goji berries, Ginger root, and Elderflower – and combined them with essential Vitamin B Complex and Vitamin C to create a flavour profile that’s truly one of a kind.
As Kristian says, “Our proprietary blend delivers a flavour profile and health benefits unmatched in the industry.” And the feedback we've received from our taste tests has been amazing. Each person finds something unique in the flavour, and it feels like we’ve created something really special that hasn’t been done before.
Join Us
We’re proud of what we’ve created, and we’re excited to share it with the world. But we need your support now more than ever. Join us in the #NotAGin campaign on Instagram and help us show that The Botanist FunctionAle deserves its place in the market. Let’s keep the conversation going and prove that there’s room for innovation in the beverage industry – no matter the size of the company.
Cheers and thank you so much for your continued support,
Amie & Kristian (TGBCo)
