American Brewer Spring 2012 : Page 30
“I think they are clearly infringing on our mark. In fact, they seem to be serial infringers.” Last December, Bell’s Brewery filed a complaint for infringing on its trademark with the private label Copper Bell. citing the fact that the Copper Bell can features the word “Bell” in large letters and “three kettles with bell-shaped caps.” Larry Bell, always known to say what he really feels, told Beer Business Daily that “I think they are clearly infringing on our mark. In fact, they seem to be serial infringers. That seems to be what they do.” Winery Exchange is denying the allegations at this point. Then, in February, Grupo Modelo’s Cerveceria Modelo filed suit, claiming that the private-label producer “attempted to capitalize on the tremendous goodwill associated with Corona” with their own private -abel beer, Playa de La Cruz. If that weren’t enough to keep Wine Exchange’s legal team busy, the company is currently on the other side of the table with its own lawsuit against the 7-Eleven chain over a sub-premium private label called Game Day. They’re charging that the chain did not adequately promote the brand and, when sales dropped off, never cut their orders and eventually refused to accept the beer or pay for it. Heavy is the head that wears a crown—or several—of questionable provenance. com is up and running as of February. I suppose that can be considered strong evidence that consulting with me is not a path you should choose. I have a couple of ex-wives who will back up that conclusion. Beerjobber launched following what they said was a successful three-month beta program “where limited consumer access was available via a code-based system. During the beta test period, Beerjobber registered more than 2,000 users, representing all fifty states, and shipped beer to twenty states across the nation.” They are now licensed in 38 states. The concept is that customers order online and the beers are shipped directly from the brewery to their doors. Beerjobber handles all the paperwork necessary for shipping across state lines and all the rest of the process aside from shipping; orders are forwarded to the brewer along with, as I recall it, proper pre-paid packaging. That’s where I thought the hang-up would come, wondering if potential sales would warrant a brewer taking the time and manpower necessary to make it work. They claim 30 breweries signed on as of this writing and you can sign up online to participate. Trolling the Web One of the most interesting reads on the Internet is Blogging at World of Beer, home base for Canadian drinks writer Stephen Beaumont. If you like opinionated, if you appreciate a fool being called a fool (even if it’s sometimes you), this is the blog for you. A while back, he posted a two-part piece entitled “10 Words NOT to Use When Writing or Talking About Beer.” which I highly recommend. Part I is at http://tinyurl.com/7ptd2mq, and part II is at http://tinyurl. com/83vtk2v. Both are worth the time. Here are a couple of examples to whet your appetite: Authentic: Means next to nothing. Is it a real beer, of “undisputed origin” according to the dictionary? Fine, it’s authentic, and so is every other beer not claiming to be something else. Genuine: See above. (Ironically, in the one place where this word is most widely used, by Miller for its brand commonly known now as MGD, its use is bogus, since there is little doubt that bottled beer cannot be “genuine” draft.) Hoppy (without further qualification): Forget that a generous proportion of the beer drinking public still doesn’t understand what “hoppy” means; to use it without adding a sense of what is meant delivers no information to the recipient. I had a “hoppy” beer on the weekend that was spicy and nutty bitterness wrapped in a comforting blanket of caramelly and mildly fruity malt, and another that was a citrusy, piney assault. Both were “hoppy,” but they could scarcely have been more different. Beerjobber.com: Selling Your Beer Online I should confess up front that a little over a year ago I consulted with these folks while their concept was still germinating. Honestly, I was skeptical that they’d ever get it off the ground. But Beerjobber. 30 American Brewer Spring 2012