Renegade threatened by Sixpoint

I think the other problem is the same one you will see here. A lot of these new brewers don't see the industry in the way they should, as a hyper competitive industry where imaging and branding is quickly becoming the most important part of your brewery. There are just too many breweries in planning or opening right now. These guys seem to come in and see all the collaboration and cooperation but fail to think about how important your brand is. And they fail to think that another brewery may protect themselves. Who knows, maybe they knew about the beer, but thought that it was ok because they are on the other side of the country, and any problems could be settled over a pint. It just doesn't work like that any more.

 

I'm still curious though to see if Ryeteous could be trademarked, considering "Sublimely Self-Righteous" and "Righteous" are in the same industry and have trademarks both in the same category. It's not like Strange vs. Strange or Salvation vs. Salvation, or Gravity vs. High Gravity.

 

So, if youhave a trademark on Righteous, how does that bleed over to ryeteous? they are different words.

 

My gripe with things like this is that it always seems like people are getting a guilt trip about "look at what Avery and Russian River did!"
What if they don't want to collaborate? Nobody should be made to look like an asshole for that.
I'd love to see breweries hash this stuff out, but guilt tripping another brewery into a collaboration they had no intention of pursuing seems kind of lame.

Kind of unrelated to the name, but not necessarily. I'm getting sick of that example being used for everything. Then again, I'm getting sick of the random litigation (and uncreative names), too.

 

Ryeteous != Rigtheous;

Ryeteous.equals(Rigtheous) = false;

'nuff said.

 

So if I verbally recommended the beer in question would you know which one I was referring to?

Spelling differences do not matter, they are homophones of each other and are very likely to create confusion among consumers. This seems like one of the most cut and dry infringements I've seen.

 

Er, so trademarks are based on homophones?

 

Once a lawyer is involved the conversation between the parties ceases and is now between attorneys. In this case it seemed that they were on the "good" path: personal call placed, some discussion....but then it derailed and an attorney was secured. Perhaps the conversation could have continued?

 

Just off the top of y'all's heads, what are some other trademark disputes that you can remember?
Dry Dock/Seven Seas
OB/Gordon Biersch?
Strange/Strange
Avery/RR
Bud/Bud
.....

 

That is definitely one of the criteria, yes.

 

Even if it were too close for Sixpoints liking, they wouldn't have the balls to go after a big boy like Stone.

 

So you are saying Sixpoint would be less worried that Stone has the money to fight against the C&D than Renegade does? I'll be honest, I don't know anything about Renegade other than I know they don't have the pockets or influence Stone does.

I'm not saying I totally disagree with Sixpoint, one day their beers may cross path and cause some confusion, maybe not on a shelf where you can see the difference, but perhaps on tap somewhere you are told they have Righteous on tap and it comes to you and it is Ryeteous. It's the way they went about it that people are pissed about, if they had said "nah, we really don't want to collaborate and we'd like you to change the name" I think Renegade would have complied, but if they didn't, then send the C&D.

 

All this legal mumbo jumbo. I just want to drink good beer.

 

A brewery "dude" once told me, "brewers are not managers". It's a business and needs business-minded people to run it effectively (and profitably). BUT I would not want that to negatively impact the craft "feel" and community, or the beer. Gonna crack open a BA Rasputin (North Coast, mind you ) tonight!