Comedy | April 08, 2011 | 20 comments

Troegs Brewing Takes Brew Works to Court Over Elves

source: http://www.drinkphilly.com/articles/read/433

Image
DrinkPhilly
Troegs Brewing Company, who in 2004 launched their immensely popular seasonal beer, Mad Elf, claims “Rude Elf’s Reserve” too closely mimics their own. Both are similarly named, featuring estranged elves on their label, and released at the beginning of the winter season.

Except Mad Elf preceeds Bethlehem Brew Works’ seasonal ale by two years. Being that both independent breweries are located in Pennsylvania - Troegs from Harrisburg and Brew Works out of Bethlehem - they were destined to end up on the same shelf.

It’s this predicament that has Troeg’s calling for a name change, saying that Rude Elf is trying to piggy-back off of Mad Elf’s popularity...

Read more:
http://www.drinkphilly.com/articles/read/433
  1. groups:
    Comedy
  2. tags:
    Legal,  Alcohol,  Beer,  Philadelphia,  13 more
  3. recommended by:
    Vierotchka
  4.     
    |

20 comments // Troegs Brewing Takes Brew Works to Court Over Elves

  • PzLuvHappeniz
    • 0
      PzLuvHappeniz  

    • I can see how this would be a good piggy back operation, similar names and looks could lead to people buying from BBW thinking it is Troegs

    • 1 year ago
  • PzLuvHappeniz
    • 0
      PzLuvHappeniz  

    • The elf for Rude Elf is just making the face you make when you drink it. I love beer but Rude elf is one of the worst tasting beers I have ever had, but I also like to support the Bethlehem brew works because its not too far from where I live.

    • 1 year ago
  • DianaCancer
  • bailey78
  • The_Wanderer_KS
    • +1
      The_Wanderer_KS  

    • Personally, I believe that copyright and trademark laws are getting outta hand to start with...

      Secondly, I don't think you should not be able to copyright or trademark mythical or historical figures for coorporate gains... It is using the popularity of something else to improve your own popularity, just like this lawsuit is claiming....

      Neither should have exlusive rights to the "Elf" imagery, and then as long as the copyright of the individual pieces of derivitive art is respected this should be a non issue

      Damned overly litigious society...

      I want seven million dollars because I burned myself with coffee that no one told me was hot....

    • 1 year ago
  • ecoalex
  • The_Wanderer_KS
    • +1
      The_Wanderer_KS  
    • ecoalex:

      Actually varies quite immensely...what with various processes and base ingredient qualities and other "additives". I will keep my eyes open for anykind of comparative source data tho.

    • 1 year ago
  • ecoalex
    • 0
      ecoalex  
    • The_Wanderer_KS:

      From what I read nitrosamines are made in the malting of the barley,wheat.The old open flame process (quicker) vrs the slower closed flame malting process.This itself is confusing,as malts are made on a floor,not exposed to flame(crystal malt,the most common used malt) the darker patent malt maybe exposed to open flame(used for dark beers,ales)I used to make beer,using dried,liquid malt extracts,plus some cracked malts.In reading about modern factory beers It appeared they bought barley,wheat, and in a process extracted the converted sugars from the grains without malting.It wasn't clear,they referenced grains,not malt in the description, traditional wort stage of beer making.It would be a lot cheaper if they could eliminate malted grains,although the process takes longer.Beer has the same health qualities as wine,the nitrosamine aspect has been known for a hundred years,only a decade or so ago finally laws forced the reduction of them.

    • 1 year ago
  • The_Wanderer_KS
    • 0
      The_Wanderer_KS  
    • ecoalex:

      I know something thats called malting OF the barley and wheat by the growers, it's kinda a first curing process right after harvest to limit moisture content therefor increasing stability. Usually done in like a "screen floor", the tech escapes me, not my field, but with fires in the basement and the grain suspended above in nets and screens...

      This could explain for a closed flame(smokeless) and openflame(smoked) malting differencial in what you read...

      Guess I will move this topic up a point or two on my todo list lol

    • 1 year ago
  • The_Wanderer_KS
    • 0
      The_Wanderer_KS  
    • The_Wanderer_KS:

      If you've brewed you know there are people out there throwing some crazy stuff in thier small brews nowadays ::sips from a dragonfruit cinnamon flavored micro he just remembered was in the fridge:: Ohhh....thats horrible...

    • 1 year ago
  • The_Wanderer_KS
  • The_Wanderer_KS
  • chew_chew
  • bailey78
  • Bruce_Lewandowski
  • Eric_Mayes
    • +2
      Eric_Mayes  

    • This is crazy. Craft beer should not be fighting with craft beer, they should be fighting the big beer companies. What as this world come to?

    • 1 year ago
  • bailey78
  • xoheartbeerox
  • xoheartbeerox
  • kmarkowitz2
    • +2
      kmarkowitz2  

    • Maybe if they weren't so angry this wouldn't happen....

      Also, how many people across the country right now are asking themselves, "What's a Troeg?"

    • 1 year ago
more from Comedy:
from the community

top videos