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Just received this from the international beer shop (Perth) newsletter .Big bun fights over who owns a word , watch out this may happen to you.Such terms as Homebrewer and Craftbrewer may be the next step. :lol: Any way for your viewing:
Your comments?
GB
Quote >CORPORATE BULLIES FIGHT OVER CUSTOMARY BEER TERMS
Some of you may recall our excitement when late last year we took on our first real Radler beer (of the Grapefruit variety) from Germany s Schofferhofer. Briefly, for those that missed it, Radler is the German word for Cyclist, and was used to describe the low alcohol drink (usually approx 2-2.5%) favoured by German cyclists who would stop at a pub or brewery for refreshment during a long ride. The Radler combines the incredibly refreshing and tart nature of German Weissbier with lemonade, as the cyclists would want to avoid inhibiting their motor skills to prevent them from toppling accidentally off the side of a mountain, and dates back to the 1920s.
In recent times, Australians and New Zealanders have been introduced to the term by Barefoot and Monteiths respectively, who brew full strength non-descript beers of which the predominant character is the lemon and lime with which they are flavoured.
In 2003, echoing the moves of an American firm who trademarked the word Ugg then successfully served Australian Ugg Boot manufacturers with cease and desist orders, kiwi brewing conglomerate DB, who own the Monteiths brand, trademarked the word radler. DB recently served an injunction upon Green Man, a small independent brewer of organic beers, in an effort to stop production (or at least sales) of Green Man Radler. Green Man chose to rename their beer Cyclist, but ironically, their beer was the more authentic mid-strength beer and lemonade mix known as a radler throughout Europe.
This wasnt the first time that Monteiths have dabbled in trademark law - late in 2007 they sought an injunction to stop Macs from launching Macs Sundance Summer Ale, claiming that Lion Nathan (owner of Macs) were trading off on the goodwill of Monteiths Summer Ale (a term that also has it s roots steeped in European tradition), and in the alternative that two Summer Ales would create too much confusion at bars, bottle shops, and during phone sales orders. The case was rejected.
Similarly, and coincidentally, Lion Nathan prevailed in court a few weeks ago when one of the worlds largest winemakers, E&J Gallo, attempted to appeal a decision allowing Lion Nathan to use the term Barefoot as part of Barefoot Radler in Australia, as, while a wine of the same name had been trademarked in Australia as early as 1999, it had not been significantly marketed until after the Radler beer was well established.
It s a jungle out there!
Your comments?
GB
Quote >CORPORATE BULLIES FIGHT OVER CUSTOMARY BEER TERMS
Some of you may recall our excitement when late last year we took on our first real Radler beer (of the Grapefruit variety) from Germany s Schofferhofer. Briefly, for those that missed it, Radler is the German word for Cyclist, and was used to describe the low alcohol drink (usually approx 2-2.5%) favoured by German cyclists who would stop at a pub or brewery for refreshment during a long ride. The Radler combines the incredibly refreshing and tart nature of German Weissbier with lemonade, as the cyclists would want to avoid inhibiting their motor skills to prevent them from toppling accidentally off the side of a mountain, and dates back to the 1920s.
In recent times, Australians and New Zealanders have been introduced to the term by Barefoot and Monteiths respectively, who brew full strength non-descript beers of which the predominant character is the lemon and lime with which they are flavoured.
In 2003, echoing the moves of an American firm who trademarked the word Ugg then successfully served Australian Ugg Boot manufacturers with cease and desist orders, kiwi brewing conglomerate DB, who own the Monteiths brand, trademarked the word radler. DB recently served an injunction upon Green Man, a small independent brewer of organic beers, in an effort to stop production (or at least sales) of Green Man Radler. Green Man chose to rename their beer Cyclist, but ironically, their beer was the more authentic mid-strength beer and lemonade mix known as a radler throughout Europe.
This wasnt the first time that Monteiths have dabbled in trademark law - late in 2007 they sought an injunction to stop Macs from launching Macs Sundance Summer Ale, claiming that Lion Nathan (owner of Macs) were trading off on the goodwill of Monteiths Summer Ale (a term that also has it s roots steeped in European tradition), and in the alternative that two Summer Ales would create too much confusion at bars, bottle shops, and during phone sales orders. The case was rejected.
Similarly, and coincidentally, Lion Nathan prevailed in court a few weeks ago when one of the worlds largest winemakers, E&J Gallo, attempted to appeal a decision allowing Lion Nathan to use the term Barefoot as part of Barefoot Radler in Australia, as, while a wine of the same name had been trademarked in Australia as early as 1999, it had not been significantly marketed until after the Radler beer was well established.
It s a jungle out there!