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Lagunitas attempts to sue Sierra Nevada

emoshun

emoshun

SoCal Herfin'
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
2,585
Location
So Cal
As quickly as it was announced, it was dropped.
 
In the meantime I made my own version of the label.
 
new_hop_hunter_zpsefa06823.jpg

 
My opinion is the designer(s) at SN got lazy with this first to market beer. In all other cases of SN packaging design, the name of the beer outweighs the style of the brew. This was the first time (to my knowledge) that they (and I choose my words carefully here) mimicked Lagunitas design.
 
No Lagunitas does not own the trademark to the letters IPA, but they do own the rights to the logo that has been used to establish brand identity that a consumer can recognize. SN was overly similar in this case and I think they got lucky the suit was dropped as all those bottles/cases would have to be destroyed and new ones made.
 
Either way, there is now a lot of buzz around Hop Hunter's release.
 
What say you fine fellows of CP, jerk move by Lagunitas, or rightfully so?
 
With more and more breweries and beers looking for an open tap handle or spot on the shelf, it's going to get worse. I've already heard the reps from Lagunitas and Sam Adams have been pretty unfriendly towards other craft breweries. Interesting, considering how big they have become, and how friendly they were in the past.
 
I for one can't wait to try it, yet something in the back of my head is trying to relate selling a beer with hop oil, to one sold with snake oil...
 
I think while both employ the "IPA" text it's a stretch to say in their totality are easily confused.  Lagunitas label is very bare bones while the SN label is much more ornate.  I realize that their IPA is their flagship beer but I think it was a bit foolish to go after another brewery simply for that, and a fellow well respected CA brewery at that.  I'm glad it was dropped as I enjoy both breweries and would have hated to see this turn into some crap-flinging fiasco.
 
emoshun said:
I for one can't wait to try it, yet something in the back of my head is trying to relate selling a beer with hop oil, to one sold with snake oil...
Click to expand...
You've had Pliny right? Well they use hop extract as their bittering additions. I'm sure you have had tons of beer using hop extracts.
 
I thought it was a jerk move. I also wonder if Lagunitas saw the backlash and blacklisting by craft brew consumers and determined that they would lose a lot more business moving forward with the suit versus the so called "brand confusion". (It's funny, I always wind up with the correct products in my pantry)
 
I just read about Sam Adams founder not being too thrilled with his products not being as popular as they once were. In some cases, not even being offered in some beer joints.
I haven't bought Sam Adams in many years. And, I am not an IPA lover which seems to be the biggest thorn in his side. I prefer Belgian Ales, Dark Ales at that. I always found Sam Adams offerings far too similar. Nod goes to Dogfish Head for each of their Beers having total individuality. 
 
I have a hard time taking Backslide serious when he use phrases like "jerk move" it takes me to a mental picture of him hiding in the bathroom with a bottle of lotion.
 
MX said:
I have a hard time taking Backslide serious when he use phrases like "jerk move" it takes me to a mental picture of him hiding in the bathroom with a bottle of lotion.
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That makes two of us..
 
Yeah, it was a dick move, but no more a dick move than Sierra Nevada threatening to sue a local NY brewery (who had no distribution outside on NY at the time, and even now maybe only just into the borders of NJ and CT) for using a beer name SN had trademarked but had never used. I looked at it as karma. Would have liked to have seen SN tapdance their way out of the suit. 
 
Hadn't heard this - but on a side note the Hop Hunter is fairly tasty! I grab it when it's on sale at the local shop. Pretty unique hop profile.
 
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