Free Republic

PRAGUE (AP) — Czech state-owned brewery Budejovicky Budvar, which has been fighting a long legal battle with U.S. beer giant Anheuser-Busch over the use of the "Budweiser" brand, says its overall output and exports reached record highs in 2014. Budejovicky Budvar NP says exports rose by 6 percent to reach 813,000 hectoliters (21.48 million gallons) of beer, the best result in 119 years. Budvar exported to 70 countries last year, five more than the previous year. Overall output reached 1.457 million hectoliters, up 2.5 percent from 2013. Profit figures from the brewery are due in April. Both Budvar and Anheuser-Busch...

U.S. beer giant Anheuser-Busch said Friday it has won the latest round in a worldwide court battle to prevent a Czech brewing company from using the name of its flagship brand, Budweiser. Anheuser-Busch president Stephen Burrows said in a statement Friday that New Zealand's Court of Appeal reversed a High Court decision and ordered Budejovicky Budvar to stop importing, advertising, or selling beer under the Budweiser name. Burrows called the ruling "another significant victory" after it stopped Budvar from using the Budweiser name in Argentina, Australia, Denmark, Finland, Spain and most recently, Italy. Anheuser-Busch, which brews Budweiser and holds the...