Craft Brewers Are Running Out Of Names, And Into Legal Spats

Npr ^ | 1-5-15

[InvisibleChurch]

Columbia? Taken. Mississippi? Taken. Sacramento? El Niño? Marlin? Grizzly? Sorry, they're all taken.

Virtually every large city, notable landscape feature, creature and weather pattern of North America — as well as myriad other words, concepts and images — has been snapped up and trademarked as the name of either a brewery or a beer. For newcomers to the increasingly crowded industry of more than 3,000 breweries, finding names for beers, or even themselves, is increasingly hard to do without risking a legal fight.

Candace Moon, aka The Craft Beer Attorney, is a San Diego lawyer who specializes in helping brewers trademark ideas and also settle disputes. Moon tells The Salt she has never seen a brewery intentionally infringe upon another's trademarked name, image or font style. Yet, with tens of thousands of brands in the American beer market, it happens all the time.

"There are only so many words and names that make sense with beer, so it's not surprising that many people will come up with the same ideas," Moon says.

[InvisibleChurch]

beer

[Morgana]

Billy Beer? Taken.

[Billthedrill]

There are two very good winter ales named “Abominable” by two different breweries in local stores. It isn’t fair to take sides so as an impartial observer I’m doing my best to resolve that conflict by drinking all of them both.

[MediaMole]

Hopalicious — delicous, and taken.

[Viking2002]

Just. Beer.

[Ken H]

Call it something common and generic so there are no copyright issues.

I suggest 'Bud's'.

[Right Brother]

Roger Ales

Ale to the chief

Brew Ha Ha

Old Growth Lager

[Right Brother]

Porter Potty

I Missed Stout

[Jack Hydrazine]

Messiah Stout - The Beer You’ve Always Been Waiting For

[a fool in paradise]

Virtually every large city, notable landscape feature, creature and weather pattern of North America — as well as myriad other words, concepts and images — has been snapped up and trademarked as the name of either a brewery or a beer.

[a fool in paradise]

Virtually every large city, notable landscape feature, creature and weather pattern of North America — as well as myriad other words, concepts and images — has been snapped up and trademarked as the name of either a brewery or a beer.

[Right Brother]

“Hold Muh” beer. The choice of rednecks.

[a fool in paradise]

[Jack Hydrazine]

[Jack Hydrazine]

[Jack Hydrazine]

[GeronL]

lol

[Manic_Episode]

No one has tried to take mine yet.

[a fool in paradise]

[Dalberg-Acton]

I hereby claim the name “Cat Piss Pale Ale”. If it isn’t already taken!