http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=deea7328cf7c76f1fb3d7e67a&id=de75644ff0 "'Hop Drop DIPA' is officially 'GigaBoss DIPA'... because changing the name of one of our most popular beers after multiple years of building it in the NY and NJ market is fun, rewarding, and legally compliant. It might not seem so from the outside looking in, but it's not all sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns in the craft beer industry. Although we do have a ton of unicorns. And some sunshine. Rainbows too. We operate a business, just like the other 4,000+ craft breweries across the country. And sometimes a larger craft brewery in another state swoops in out of nowhere and decides to come after a smaller craft brewery. It happens. Seems mean and unnecessarily aggressive. But it happens. Sometimes an out-of-state brewery just wants to be Billy Zabka and the Cobra Kai Dojo. Sweep Hop Drop DIPA's leg, Johnny. SWEEP THE LEG. And while we strongly and vehemently disagree with how everything played out, we would prefer to spend our hard-earned money on making great beer, rather than paying a team of lawyers to defend a name. After all, a name is just a name. So meet "GigaBoss DIPA". Same amazing beer as Hop Drop DIPA, just with a fancy new name. GigaBoss DIPA: The Eldest of the 3 Boss Brothers" ----------------- MegaBoss IPA 16 Cans Taproom Release Wednesday July 27th Distribution Beginning August 1st
In all fairness Hop Drop n Roll was already out there and quite well known when they came up with the name "Hop Drop"
Makes more sense as Gigaboss anyway, as it is bigger than Megaboss. In looking into this, it seems I've already had the beer but I don't remember it being called Hop Drop anyway.
Funny how they all try to play the victim in order to get sympathy, and presumably good will and sales. I hate to be cynical but it has happened so many times that there likely is a template that all you have to do is plug in your brewery name and beer name in the right spots and post it everywhere. Note to self: if I ever own a brewery do a quick web search when choosing a name for a beer to see if it is taken or if there is one that could be a problem.
It seems pretty laughable for them to consider NoDa Brewing the Cobra Kai Dojo to their Daniel LaRusso. "...mean and unnecessarily aggressive?" Give me a break. I could see that if the beer was called, say, Hop IPA. I wouldn't consider that similar enough to worry about, but Hop Drop and Hop Drop 'n Roll are strikingly similar especially when they're both IPAs. A lot of people in the southeast actually casually refer to Hop Drop 'n Roll as "Hop Drop" and it's a beer that I'm pretty sure they've been brewing since before Newburgh even started up. As has been mentioned before, it's amazingly simple to type your beer name plus the word 'beer' into Google and see if there's anything similar out there.
I thought the Cobra Kai reference was funny and spoke to the litigious "take out the competition" side of brewing. I still am in the camp that if you go to the store meaning to buy Hop Drop n Roll and accidentally buy Hop Drop IPA (which aren't even sold in the same state) you're an idiot and probably don't deserve the beer anyways.
I'm hoping that NODA's cease and desist letter is a precursor to their distribution in the Northeast. I would love to be able to get some Hop Drop, Coco Loco and Jade without ordering online.
I hope you are right with this. I personally think there was not enough similarity between the two to justify a cease and desist. Just my opinion. But it's a close comparison and gray area in art (i.e. copyright infringement). Yes, I said art because being a photography enthusiast and into music, I see these 'interpretations' and lawsuits made all the time. Name change fits better in their lineup though.
Insane silliness here, portraying Noda as some big corporate monster crapping on the little guy. Thankfully those of us who buy the beer in their territory - Which is tiny, by the way - know better. Whenever someone who doesn't know how to run their brewery as a business gets offended, this is always the response. "Oh us poor little guys."
This was my take on this, as well. Also, the point someone made that they don't compete in the same market is wholly beside the point. If you don't defend the brand and trademarks at every turn it can set precedence for future scenarios.
I guess the question is: Did the lawyer say "The name of your beer is too much like our clients and they had it first. Can you kindly change it? Or we may have to take legal action." Or did the the lawyer say "Hey you *%&*$, the name of your beer is too much like our clients and they had it first. If you don't change it now we are going to take legal action that will put your brewery out of business."
I'm indifferent this. I don't think a shitty hop pun is worth getting worked up over, and you shouldn't either. This is basically NODA staking their claim to a hackneyed beer name. I say let them have it.
