Spaceman Spiff Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Don't drink Monster Energy Drink!!!! Monster-maker to Vt. brewer: No 'Vermonster' beer By JOHN CURRAN, Associated Press Writer John Curran, Associated Press Writer – Mon Oct 12, 6:25 pm ET MORRISVILLE, Vt. – Forget David and Goliath. This fight's between Matt and Monster. The maker of Monster energy drinks has taken aim at a Vermont brewery that sells a beer called "The Vermonster," ordering it to stop selling, advertising and promoting the craft brew because it could confuse consumers. The energy drink-maker, Hansen Beverage Co., wants tiny Rock Art Brewery to stop using the name "Vermonster" on the barley brew and to compensate it for its attorneys' fees. Matt Nadeau, who owns the brewery with his wife, Renee, says he's been told by five trademark attorneys that the law is probably on his side, but that proving it through lengthy litigation could bankrupt him. "This is just about principle," said Nadeau, 43. "Corporate America can't be allowed to do this, in this day and age. It's just not right." The beer is made at Rock Art's small warehouse brewery in Morrisville, which employs seven people, and is sold in 22-ounce brown glass bottles. It hit the market in 2007, and is now sold in Vermont, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut and Arizona. Based in Corona, Calif., Hansen sold over $1 billion worth of Monster drinks last year. The products carry a distinctive three-line logo designed to look like a claw mark. "A lifestyle in a can," its Web site proclaims. The dispute began last month, when a lawyer for Hansen Beverage sent an e-mail message to Nadeau's attorneys saying the brewer would "undoubtedly create a likelihood of confusion and/or dilute" Hansen's trademark. The Hansen lawyer who wrote the e-mail, Diane M. Reed, declined to comment. A telephone message left for a Hansen spokeswoman wasn't returned. Nadeau contacted Reed to say the products are in two different markets — beer and energy drinks — and offered to surrender any rights to use the name on an energy drink. According to Nadeau, Reed said that's not Hansen's concern, but that Hansen wants to enter the alcoholic beverage market. "I said `Too bad, I'm already here.' I've been here. And I'm already brewing beer," said Nadeau. Such warning letters aren't unusual in trademark disputes. "The way the law is arranged, the holder of a trademark has to be very aggressive in defending it, even when it's overreaching," said Douglas Riley, Nadeau's trademark attorney. "If you miss a legitimate infringement, people will point out in later years that you weren't defending your properties. You can lose it if you don't defend it, so you err on the side of caution. "Escalator, aspirin, celluloid were once trademarks and they became common jargon because the owners didn't defend them or find a way to stop people from using those names," Riley said. He said he's in discussions with Hansen Beverage representatives. David S. Welkowitz, a trademark law expert who's not involved in the case, says there isn't a hard-and-fast answer, but that litigating the dispute could take a long time — and a lot of money. "People don't have to believe that Hansen makes the beer, they simply have to believe that Hansen approved of it or licensed it," he said. Nadeau has taken his beef online. Rock Art's Web site headlines a description of the dispute as "Rock Art Brewery vs. Corporate America." And his supporters are taking up the cause. "Letting you know I've stopped buying all Hansen/Monster products until you back off on rockartbrewery," one person wrote on Twitter. "Cheering for David v. Goliath," wrote another. One Vermont store decided to boycott Monster. At Beverage Warehouse, in Winooski, co-owner George Bergin has taken Hansen and Monster products off the shelves and is telling customers why. Monster is the store's best-selling energy drink, and sales may be lost, but that's OK, he said. "At least we're getting their attention," Bergin said. "Maybe, hopefully, (Hansen) thought they'd send a threatening letter and realized that Vermont's the kind of place where people stand up for each other, and this might've been a mistake." This is my favorite brewery and it's pretty wrong that they're being sued by an energy drink company because they have the name monster in one of their brews. It's called the Vermonster because it's 10% and 100 IBU, nothing at all to do with the energy drink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slept_on Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 i dont know.....it DOES look an awful lot like a monster energy drink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somethinglikethat Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 If you haven't tried it... you need to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchThe$nitch Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 not a huge fan of ipa/s. i dig them sometimes on tap though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shittles..TasteTheAsshole Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 One 40 and three normal bottles of Molson Canadian lager from Canadas oldest brewery for today. Not my favorite or even top 10 but it will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drue_Down Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 I was working on this whole German theme today, until Czechvar came along and fucked it all up. (Trumer Pils) from last weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdot Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 gotta love living by the brewery and drinking this shit fresh EVERYDAY!!!!!!111! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdot Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Colorado has some awesome local brews..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdot Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 if you like this try New Belgium 1554 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KILZ FILLZ Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 how you like the paulaner hef DRUE? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the.crooked Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 if you like this try New Belgium 1554 1554 is New Belgium's best offering but I would not compare it to Arrogant Bastard at all. One is a black ale the other is a strong ale. One tastes of chocolate malts the other has hints of grapefruit and an acidity to match its alcohol content. One is on its way to being a porter, the other is sweeter and spicier. Not the same at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdot Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 I wasn"t saying they were the same, just saying they had similar flavors and tryring to recommend a yummy beer. Maybe your pallet is more refined than mine, but I think they are very similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
support local lurker Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Tried this out last night. came to like 11.87 with tax for a 6rack. pretty tasty beer actually, it does not seem or taste like its an 8%er. it is though... it actually tastes like coffee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drue_Down Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 how you like the paulaner hef DRUE? I can't stand Weiss or White beers. Trumer was the best of the bunch, slowly becoming my favorite cheap beer. My lager/pils hierarchy is: ****Duvel**** Steigl Haufbrau Weihenstephaner Trumer 1664/Paulaner/Radeberger/Warsteiner/Czechvar/Staropramen are all solid, but do not have the flavors the above beers do. However, I find myself drinking Leffe a lot, or Delirium Tremens when I want to drop some coin. Belgian Ales are the shit, but I go for Lagers & Pils while drinking copious amounts during football games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AREANKAY Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 This weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serum Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 BELL'S HARVEST ALE Awesome. pretty much taste's like an autumn version of their two faced ale BLACKENED VOODOO LAGER nothing special, i'd rather drink miller lite TWO BROTHERS HEAVY HANDED IPA pretty good but not the greatest session beer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMF Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 i seen some winter seasonals out already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
count chocula Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 in love with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skilla54 Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 STILL MY FAV BEER BY FAR RIGHT NOW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbajoDeLaTierra Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serum Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 wow you're drinking some hardcore stuff homeskillet i doubt any of us could keep up with the awesomeness only referred to as YOU save a little for your peeps G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drue_Down Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 40s are for faggots, at least get the 64 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veintiocho Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Saw the Ommegang Brewery over the weekend Took home a few of each of these... the Hennepin was aged in Howe Caverns, still has some cave dust on it Lots of people on the tour. Got to sample the beers, most of which I've had before. They were kind of stingy with the samples, but they were free so it's all good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veintiocho Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Also took the tour at Cooperstown Brewery. Never had any of their beers before, so I did the sampling... really liked all their beers, especially the Old Slugger Pale and the Strike Out Stout. Met the brewery dog and cat brought back a few sixers of each of these and a mixed case of these from butternuts... never had these either but a case was dirt cheap at the supermarket up there. not bad, but not the best either. The case was $2 more than a case of bud, so it's a good bargain. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serum Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 what do you guys think of IPA in a can? seems weird to me. i'm scared to try them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImChristeezy Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 dollar fifty PBRs last night made this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AREANKAY Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 My new bottle shop had the butternuts beers in and they are selling them for $1.70 a can could not pass it up. The IPA and Pale ale are descent especially for $1.70 the other 2 i did not care for. And as far as good beer coming out of a can take a look at anything and everything Oskar blues puts out. I have seen it said also that hoppy canned beers may actually store much better than in a bottle and make for better hoppiness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
count chocula Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 i love HENNIPEN! props. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veintiocho Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 what do you guys think of IPA in a can? seems weird to me. i'm scared to try them. I agree with AREANKAY... Oskar Blues makes some great beer... I've had Dale's on tap and it's just as good out of a can, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shittles..TasteTheAsshole Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 bump. coronas tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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