Boss Brewing is a craft brewery in Swansea, South Wales, founded in 2014[1] by husband and wife Sarah and Roy Allkin.[2] In May 2015 the brewery received a Society of Independent Brewers Gold Award[3] and was awarded CAMRA's Champion Beer of Wales award for its stout in 2019.[4]
In August 2019, after applying to trademark its brand name, the brewery received a cease and desist letter from fashion company Hugo Boss[1] and incurred costs of almost £10,000 defending itself in the legal battle.[5] Boss Brewing had to change the name of two of its beers: Boss Black, a stout, became Boss Brewing Black, and Boss Boss, a double IPA, is now Boss Bossy.[6] The rebranding process cost more than £20,000.[7]
In March 2020 comedian Joe Lycett briefly changed his name by deed poll to Hugo Boss in order to support the Welsh brewery.[8]
References
- Welsh brewery changes name of beers after trademark battle with Hugo Boss thedrinksbusiness.com, 12 August 2019, retrieved 2020-03-02^
- Boss Brewing Master of Malt, retrieved 2020-03-02^
- Swansea-based Boss Brewing Win the Champion Stout of Wales Crown