International ‘Route 66’ Beer Name Conflict Brews

beer, International ‘Route 66’ Beer Name Conflict Brews

You know something is severely wrong when a European Company can sue a New Mexico Brewery over the use of a name as iconic and American as Route 66…Unfortunately sometimes you just can’t make this stuff up.

But it’s true!

A New Mexico brewery is facing a U.S. federal lawsuit from a European company over the use of Route 66 in its name.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that “a Cyprus-based Lodestar Anstalt wants the Route 66 Junkyard Brewery in Grants, New Mexico, to change its name because the European company owns the U.S. Route 66 trademark for all beers.”  

The lawsuit, filed in US District Court in Albuquerque, contends that not only does Lodestar control the US trademark for the legendary (and now decommissioned) highway, it also owns the trademark for the highway’s sign-like logo (!) when used with beverages.

Speaking with Henry Lackey, the owner of the Route 66 Junkyard Brewery, American Craft Beer learned that he was in discussions with Lodestar’s attorney, Warren Bleecker after receiving a cease and desist letter, but that those talks understandably broke down after the company sued him.

We also learned that although Lodestar Anstalt contract brewed their beer in Wisconsin, Route 66 India Pale Lager is currently only available in Europe.

Lackey did say that the beer was sold in briefly New Mexico through a local distributor in the past, but at the time of the lawsuit’s filing Route 66 Pale Ale Lager was NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

beer, International ‘Route 66’ Beer Name Conflict BrewsAfter a morning spent surfing the web, American Craft Beer is still not sure what Lodestar Anstalt’s primary business is. Or how active their beer brand involvement is currently in Europe. The Route 66 Beer website seems active, but we were unable to reach any representative for comment.

What we did uncover was that Lodestar Anstalt holds a lot of trademarks, including Route 66…and clearly they are committed to defending those trademarks. In 2016 Lodestar Anstalt took on Campari America LLC in a trademark dispute that is still ongoing.

Lackey has retained a lawyer and is prepared to defend his brewery (located on the historic Route 66), in court if necessary.

And you can help him defend keeping American icons like Route 66, American… And stop foreign infringement on Americana by signing this petition at Change.org.  

 

 

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