According to NPR, Anchor Steam is threatened by a developer who wants to
build high-rises. I see at http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/46173.html
that Fritz says if they change the zoning, land will become too expensive
and the brewery will have to try to move.

Anyone have more information?
John Mellby

The Chronicle did a big article on 9/27/04.
Here's the article:

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...NGSK8VLCU1.DTL

"John R. Mellby" wrote in message
...
According to NPR, Anchor Steam is threatened by a developer who wants to
build high-rises. I see at http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/46173.html
that Fritz says if they change the zoning, land will become too expensive
and the brewery will have to try to move.

Anyone have more information?
John Mellby

Gee, maybe now the arrogant Fritz will know what it feels like to be beat up by
someone with a lot more money than he's got. Maytag's been doing that to other
brewers for years.

Gee, maybe now the arrogant Fritz will know what it feels like to be beat up by
someone with a lot more money than he's got. Maytag's been doing that to other
brewers for years.

"The Fact Checker" wrote in message
Gee, maybe now the arrogant Fritz will know what it feels like to be beat
up by
someone with a lot more money than he's got. Maytag's been doing that to
other
brewers for years.

Better check your own damned facts, pal; there's a lot of talk about Fritz
Maytag "beating up" brewers, that he's "trademarked 'steam beer,'" that he's
a litigious bully...almost all of which is pure D shit. Put up or shut up,
fabricationista.

--
Lew Bryson

Their clothes are weird, their music sucks and they drink
malternatives. And now you tell me they probably don't think Sierra
Nevada is cool? This is what the passage of years does to you: It
makes everyone around you more stupid. -- Michael Stewart 6/24/02

www.lewbryson.com

Lew Bryson wrote:
"The Fact Checker" wrote in message
Gee, maybe now the arrogant Fritz will know what it feels like to be beat
up by someone with a lot more money than he's got. Maytag's been doing
that to other brewers for years.

Better check your own damned facts, pal; there's a lot of talk about Fritz
Maytag "beating up" brewers, that he's "trademarked 'steam beer,'" that he's
a litigious bully...almost all of which is pure D shit. Put up or shut up,
fabricationista.

Not that I have a horse in this race, but what *are*
the facts about litigation (threatened or otherwise)
from Anchor regarding trademark infringements? I recall
one pro brewer who used to hang out here who claimed to
be on the receiving end of some sort of threat.
Do a Google groups search on "Karl Bremer Anchor".
--
Joel Plutchak "Eat everything. Have fun." - Julia Child.
plutchak at [...]

"Joel" wrote in message
...

Not that I have a horse in this race, but what *are*
the facts about litigation (threatened or otherwise)
from Anchor regarding trademark infringements? I recall
one pro brewer who used to hang out here who claimed to
be on the receiving end of some sort of threat.

And the facts are that Anchor's trademark is arguably for the label for
their steam beer, not for the name. I've had trademark attorneys tell me
that this is the sort of mark that is sufficiently vague that it could
easily be litigated, and someone wanting to use the name steam beer, but in
a different visual presentation, would stand a good chance of prevailing.

But that wouldn't prevent Anchor for trying to assert otherwise and
threatening legal action for anyone else who attempts to use the name (which
is what any business would do with one of their trademarks - you can
actually lose your trademark if the courts find you haven't been diligent in
your defense of it). Most breweries aren't exactly swimming in enough cash
to pursue defending themselves in a long litigation and test out the theory
of my trademark lawyer friends.

You can view Anchor's actual trademark registration he
http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?r...entry=73184711

Do a Google groups search on "Karl Bremer Anchor".

And those posts basically follow what I stated above.

-Steve

Steve Jackson ) wrote:
:
: And the facts are that Anchor's trademark is arguably for the label for
: their steam beer, not for the name. I've had trademark attorneys tell me
: that this is the sort of mark that is sufficiently vague that it could
: easily be litigated, and someone wanting to use the name steam beer, but in
: a different visual presentation, would stand a good chance of prevailing.
:

I find it interesting that the AHA avoided any problems with this by
naming a class "California Common" -- said class has become one of the
largest in homebrew competitions here on the left coast frequently
attracting as many or more entries than IPAs.

OTOH, in the commercial world, this style is pretty much avoided. I
checked GABF and WBC results over the years -- looks like Anchor Steam
once medaled as a "Continental Amber Lager" (1987) and as a "Vienna"
(1992). The latter gives me pause.

'Nuff sedd....


--
Bill

reply to sirwill1 AT same domain as above

"Steve Jackson" wrote in message
news:ZsBkd.51724
"Joel" wrote in message
Not that I have a horse in this race, but what *are*
the facts about litigation (threatened or otherwise)
from Anchor regarding trademark infringements? I recall
one pro brewer who used to hang out here who claimed to
be on the receiving end of some sort of threat.

And the facts are that Anchor's trademark is arguably for the label for
their steam beer, not for the name. I've had trademark attorneys tell me
that this is the sort of mark that is sufficiently vague that it could
easily be litigated, and someone wanting to use the name steam beer, but
in
a different visual presentation, would stand a good chance of prevailing.

It's the Anchor symbol and "Anchor Steam Beer" logo that are trademarked,
and my kid's godfather (the trademark attorney) says that same thing, but...

But that wouldn't prevent Anchor for trying to assert otherwise and
threatening legal action for anyone else who attempts to use the name
(which
is what any business would do with one of their trademarks - you can
actually lose your trademark if the courts find you haven't been diligent
in
your defense of it).

Exactly. Like Kleenex and Xerox. Even if your litigation seems ridiculous
and stretching a point (as when Jim Beam sued to keep Beamish Stout out of
the country (and won, for some years, till a beer-loving judge overturned
it)), most lawyers will tell you to at least write the cease-and-desist
letter to prove that you protected the mark.

Most breweries aren't exactly swimming in enough cash
to pursue defending themselves in a long litigation and test out the
theory
of my trademark lawyer friends.

Also true. Unfortunately, it's easier to roll over. Case in point: Boston
Beer Co. was widely castigated for sueing Boston Beer Works over their name;
"You can't trademark 'Boston!'" was the popular cry. Yet just two years
later, Boston Beer Works sent a cease-and-desist to Bethlehem Beer Works and
intimidated them into changing their name (To Bethlehem Brew Works, and
they've done well).

You can view Anchor's actual trademark registration he
http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?r...entry=73184711

Do a Google groups search on "Karl Bremer Anchor".

And those posts basically follow what I stated above.

I like Karl Bremer, I do. But once you've got a lot invested in a brand,
you're almost bound to do this kind of thing, doesn't matter HOW micro you
are. Case in point: I happened to mention to Greg Koch of Stone Brewing that
I'd had a beer called Old Howling ******* from a Long Island brewery. His
quick reaction was to ask for contact info so they could initiate action
against this brewery's infringement on Arrogant *******.

--
Lew Bryson

www.LewBryson.com
Author of "New York Breweries" and "Pennsylvania Breweries," 2nd ed., both
available at www.amazon.com
The Hotmail address on this post is for newsgroups only: I don't check it,
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