NZ Brewing Giant DB Breweries have threatened legal action against Dunedin microbrewer, Green Man, for using the term Radler in selling one of his beers. Trouble is, as many of would know, Radler is a beer style for a low alcohol beer/lemonade blend originating from Germany!
Basically, the term 'Radler' should never have been allowed to be trademarked (it's against the Intellectual Property Office's own rules of customary use) but it appears DB sneakily took advantage of the Office's lack of beer knowledge. They should have done their research, of course, but DB would have known exactly what they were doing.
And then there is this humdinger:
"Ironically, while Green Man Radler is true to style, Monteith's Radler is not. At 5 per cent alcohol by volume, it is twice the strength of a genuine radler."
Naturally, DB have now rolled out the spin doctors..
Oh no! Should I pour away the Radlers in my fridge?
ReplyDeleteDamn right. Mine is now long gone. The Monteith Summer Ale followed..
ReplyDeleteI think all party's involved should be shamed. Radler's are terminally gay and counter all that beer stands for.
ReplyDeleteJordan
Radler is German for 'cyclist' - how can you trademark a common usage word!?! Next thing you know DB will be suing us for ordering a Dunkel, a Hefe or a Rauchbier! I'm off to the Shiezenhausen for a weizen.
ReplyDeletetheir radler was shit anyway, worst fake lemon flavour... summer was pretty good but now banned from my fridge. I go to NZ yearly and have toured their greymouth brewery and now feel like going over and telling them to get stuffed.
ReplyDelete