Sneak Peek: Scarlet Lane Brewing

Scarlet Lane Brewing Company is one of the many breweries slated to open in Indiana in 2014. That said, they are one of a handful of new breweries that I have been following closely since they were first mentioned at this time last year.


The Scarlet Lane team has done an amazing job in their ramp-up to opening. They have attended multiple events and embraced different members of the community throughout the last year.  If you go on their website, there is even a statement about how willing they are to help new breweries with contact information.

I consider Nick, Elise, and Doug new friends of mine. Chris Knott and I have known each other for a couple of years as well. Needless to say, I am really excited to unveil some of their branding and talk about their beers. Nick Servies and I had a quick chat about some of the branding that you see in this post.

Jake: The shield has an adventurous feel. It looks like the dog is walking down a winding path toward something. What's the story behind the shield?

Nick: The shield comes from the name Scarlet Lane. Our dog that moved with us to Portland was named Scarlet and the red lane through the woods fit with our vision of the brand having a gothic and pre-prohibition feel.  

Jake: Does the dog eventually pee on the tree? 

Nick: Scarlet would have shit on the tree.

Jake: I know you named your fermenters after family members and, as you mentioned, the brewery name is in homage to your dog, which is such an awesome concept. Who inspired the names Dorian, Vivian, and Silas?

Nick: We wanted to stay with the classic styling of the shield and a lamp. Oscar Wilde has been really influential to us, so Dorian is a tribute to the Dorian Gray character. The Dorian stout is going to change seasonally.  During the classic period, there were multiple poets named Silas, so the name fit well with our vision. Vivian was also a popular names in the late 1800s. We wanted to make the names of the beers short and memorable.

Jake: What can you tell me about the decision for the label colors and the tap handles?

Nick: We really want people to recognize the brewery first and then the beer. With the labels, the shield is the most prominent feature and then the color associated with the beer. The tap handles will all have the same street lamp feel to them, but the colors in the lamp will change for the beer.

Jake: Is the party on May 14th at Fire by the Monon public?

Nick: Yes. People can RSVP through our Facebook Page for the event. Our plan is to have the Dorian Stout and the Saison De Silas available for the event. We brewed Dorian on the 22nd and Silas on the 24th, so they should be ready.

I am definitely planning to be at Fire by the Monon on the 14th. If you can't make it to that event, keep an eye out for the Scarlet Lane tap handles and give their beer a try.