Thus begins the recounting of the tale of Ye Merry’d Men Brewing Company...with tales of daring exploits and feats of unmatched bravery! Or, just the story of how the company came together. Yeah, we probably ought to stick with that.

It all started in 2008, when (as it says on the home page) Charles, Scoob and I were trying to figure out how to stay entertained throughout the upcoming winter. My father-in-law had given me a wine-making kit the previous Christmas, but lo and behold, that is essentially the same equipment as a beer-making setup. I suggested making the wine and then using the equipment to make some beer.

So, after much cajoling, coercion and arm-twisting...OK, it was really more like “Hey, wanna make some beer?” and they were both in. And so, the company was formed.

We went along like that for a few months as the Sherwood Forest Brew Company. Then we decided we’d build a webpage and crank up a presence in the world. Well, as it turns out, there is already a (actually several) Sherwood Forest Brewers. Seems like a popular name.

We spent the next few months trying to come up with a new name. Given that we live on Nottingham Lane, we really wanted to stick with the Robin Hood theme. Not to mention we already had our image done (thanks to Dan Holt and his artistic abilities!) and we really liked it, so we needed to keep the theme going, if possible.

Then one day, Scoob was doing a web search and realized that Merry Men Brewing was available. From there, we kept playing with the name until we came up with Ye Merry Men Brewing. I think it was Charles who mentioned that we should somehow honor our wives (and the fact that they tolerate our crazy brewing ideas). So the name became Ye Married Men Brewing. Then, one of those wives suggested we use a play on words and call it Ye Merry’d Men Brewing -- indicating that we’re not only married (and happily, at that!) but also happy when we’re brewing.

And thus it has been ever since.