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CEASE & DESIST FEST: Modicum Brewing Co. Returns With Annual Bockbier Celebration
save the date for Feb. 21 to see exactly what this years-long Eau Claire tradition is all about (along with the fest's unique name change)
Evelyn Nelson, photos by Andrea Paulseth |
What happens when an independent Eau Claire brewery gets a cease and desist letter from a larger competitor’s legal team? Well, they turn it into a party, of course! From 12-10pm on Saturday, Feb. 21, beer enthusiasts will have the chance to savor Modicum Brewing Co.’s “Bockbier” lager with its annual festival, just for the occasion.
Folks in the community have likely attended this celebration in previous years under its former name, “Bock Fest.” According to Eric Rykal, owner of Modicum Brewing Co. (4212 Southtowne Dr., Eau Claire), the establishment had received messages from another brewery claiming trademark ownership for what Modicum had titled their event as.
“We received a cease and desist letter from another brewery who owns the trademark so we changed the name in order to not infringe on their intellectual property,” Rykal said.
But, in true Modicum spirit, staff embraced the positives in the situation; consequently, this year’s event has been pointedly renamed “Cease & Desist Fest: A Celebration of Bockbier.”
The real star of the show is not the name change but the brew itself. After three months of “patient lagering,” the team has produced its most anticipated seasonal release.
The beverage, described as a “hearty, zaftig, full-bodied malt bomb” served by the half-liter, is brought to life through the centuries-old German tradition of “Bierstacheln:” where one inserts a red hot poker into the beer.
“It’s admittedly a bit of a gimmick but it’s one of our most popular annual events for a reason,” Rykal added.
For folks who wish to have a bite to eat with their drink, Modicum will also offer a curated food menu – still under development – designed to complement the seasonal brew.
It’s safe to say this February event will be one to mark your calendars for, so get to it!
Visit Modicum Brewing Co.’s Facebook event online to learn more about this year’s “Cease & Desist Fest: A Celebration of Bockbier” from 12-10pm on February 21 at the brewery (4212 Southtowne Dr., Eau Claire).
