Once upon a pint glass, three young men sat at a wooden bar in the basement of the Crescent Street establishment called Brutopia. They stared at their full glasses of tasty, cool and refreshing house brews, understanding that this next beer would require a toast far beyond what had already been written. These three comrades- nay, pioneers- could not have anticipated what they began when they composed the first line of their salutation, but with “To hops! To malt! To yeast!”, a magic happened that transcended comprehension. Though none of them knew it at the time- in fact, they barely knew their bartender- in those moments, the TEAM was born.

Not long after, said bartender decided to host an event mourning the upcoming three weeks of sobriety for an honorable compatriot. Ruminating over the guest list, the bartender realized she could not neglect those heroes who created that monumental toast to beer. That fateful night began with a screening of the epic film “Beerfest” and moved to the fabled restaurant of Berlin, where any glass smaller than a litre is scorned. Through boot races and impressive amounts of Jägermeister, through overwhelming the timid brewery Dieu de Ciel with a demonstration of enviable shenanigans and spirit, through vigorous rhythmic nodding on the stage at a bar intended only for those strong of heart and mind, the newly acquainted attendees bonded. The camaraderie was tangible: they finally found themselves among equals.

Many unforgettable nights followed… countless trips to Biftek, Reggie’s, La Boite a Karaoke, and numerous other lucky taprooms witnessed the group’s engaging in outrageous excursions and astonishing feats of consumption-strength. Finally, a perfectly unremarkable Thursday found many of the friends at Brutopia together. They realized they had become something more than a circle of companions. Their imbibing was akin to sporting activity, and their brotherhood was strong and loyal. No, these were not mere friends who joined together with the purpose of alcohol consumption… this group was united. Connected. Supernatural, even. No ordinary conglomeration of friends could succeed in the conquests the likes of which this aggregation defeated every day. This group was a TEAM.

And a team needs jerseys. A member of the TEAM with experience in textile design fashioned a logo, something that presents both the fellowship and intensity that characterize this association. Not long after, every member of the TEAM found him (and her) self donning a garment that marked them as an individual displaying intelligence, enthusiasm, conviviality, creativity, and intimidating talents in all areas of life- especially partying.

And so, the legend of the TEAM began. With an official name (TEAM) and high-quality jerseys, Chris, Harley, Jon, Kimberly, Kurt, Martin, Patrick, Ramy, Skrud, and international representative Ollie were ready to enter into a new phase of their lives… the Era of TEAM.