Radler - the story unfolds

[Geoff Griggs]

This is quite amazing. See attached file (you may need to download it and open it with Adobe Reader)

The sooner this lunacy is challenged and defeated the better!

[Stu McKinlay]

where is the original document that they are responding too?

[James P]

Costs associated with their counterstatement: $17.50 for the office junior to type it up....

[Stu McKinlay]

office juniors in these companies earn $17.50/hr but are charged out at $350/hr.

[Nolen Smith]

Geez they're a bunch of morons... I know, I'm resorting to 'name calling', but just like it did when I was on the playground oh so many years ago.. it makes me feel better.

[nzbrewer]

Swearing can make you feel better, lessen pain
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE56C3WX20090713

[Nolen Smith]

F*ckin' right! ...Man, I feel better already.

[HerrSchnapps]

I don't do lawyer speak, but from what I can gather, it's something like this:

Counterstatement:

Ah-huh. Nah. So's your face. I know you are but what am I. I'm going to tell my dad and he'll beat you up. You're a dick. You're wrong.

[Geoff Griggs]

Here's a brief update from today's Marlborough Express...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/2596069/DB-fights-t...

[Andrew]

Gee - since I hear that DB have also 'taken' Saison - I wonder how we can get them to create heaps of publicity for our 'White Tiger Saison'. Anyone want to dob us in?? Actually, what I'm really thinking is, why don't we all just flood the market with radlers and saisons? - well, saisons anyway. One radler is enough.

[Mike Neilson]

Why dont you send a bottle to Earl Grey and that Claire bird!!
Im Brewing a Saison can I be taken to the courts?

[Greig McGill]

I think that's an excellent idea. As I understand it, failure to protect your trademark means you lose it. Do it. :)

In other news, we may soon require the assistance of all brewers in NZ in our quest to show that DB are either malicious (registering a trademark they *knew* was a generic brewing term) or incompetent (not knowing it was, when every other brewer worth their salt knew). One means they lose the TM, the other means they lose huge amounts of credibility by being a brewer without a clue about beer - we all know this is the case anyway. Guess which one their marketing department would rather have? ;) Even if we lose this on a technicality, we'll win in terms of what we wanted to achieve - show DB for the soulless, beer-ignorant, marketing machine they truly are, not the brewers they pretend to be, and strike a blow for the freedom to brew a generic style of beer no matter how small you might be.

We'll have a press release out soon calling for help, but in the meantime, if you're a brewer and are prepared to sign something saying you knew what a Radler was prior to 2003, please email [e-mail]. If you're NOT a brewer, and are prepared to sign same, that's extremely useful too, as it's representative of the NZ public. Send an email to the same address.

Expect a reply over the next week with further details, and look for the upcoming press release detailing the next stage of the battle.

Thanks to all for ongoing support and attention during the wait for the slimy ones at DB to drag their feet. Rest assured we won't be stooping to their tactics. There's no need. We're honest.

Also, as an addendum, if you're a BREWER at DB, I know what you can do. I know you get beer. I know it's "just a job", but have you considered taking a stand over this? Why brew crap when you could brew great beer?
Just a thought...

[Greig McGill]

Latest press release attached.

Ning doesn't much care for PDF's so right click and "save as" for viewing pleasure.