For the Love of Dogs and Beer: The Beer Yard/Troegs/Teresa's

The Murph

This one is for Murphy (any reason to get my dog's photo up) and all those who love dogs and beer. Troegs, the Beer Yard and Teresa's are combining forces for the Delco SPCA on Sat (9/3).  Since Mr Curtin's words over at the Beer Yard site say it best I'll just copy and paste them below.

Labor Day Weekend Tröegs/Teresa's/Beer Yard Event for Delco SPCA September 03, 2011 - September 05, 2011 - The Beer Yard


Saturday, Sept. 3: 1-4 pm, in front of the Beer Yard. Award-winning beers from Tröegs Brewing Company will be available for sampling and accompanied by a variety of tasty food treats from Teresa's Next Door. Every case of Tröegs beer sold during the event will benefit the Delco SPCA to the tune of $5.00 and all profits from the food menu, which will feature $2 hot dogs as a specialty, will also go to that worthy cause. Sales Rep Nick Johnson will be selling Tröegs do collars with proceeds going to SPCA. Additionally, every customer buying a case of Tröegs will receive a free logo-ed pint glass.

All Weekend & Labor Day: $5 goes to Delco SPCA for any case of Tröegs beer purchased; write SPCA on your bill at Teresa's and 10% will also go the Delco SPCA.

Update on Battle of the Elves

I hated hearing about this when it first happened especially since it deals with two PA Breweries.  This press release came out today and is a statement from The Brew Works on their trademark battle with Troegs.  Sounds like the lawyers are digging in so my guess is the whole thing is gonna get ugly.

PRESS RELEASE
Due to the overwhelming number of requests for comments about our Trademark of Rude Elf’s Reserve, The Brew Works is offering the following Statement:

Five years after the registration for Fegley’s Brew Works RUDE ELF’S RESERVE issued, Troegs is trying to take the registration away, asking the US Trademark Office to invalidate it.

In so doing, Troegs seeks to monopolize the word elf in advertising its beer. We do not think the law recognizes such exclusivity and believe other brewers who have used elves longer than Troegs and have not complained about each others’ or Fegley’s use will also take part in preserving their rights.

Troegs must prove a likelihood of consumer confusion, that is, that consumers believe Fegley’s products are associated with, endorsed by or originate with Troegs. Under the trademark law, likelihood of confusion depends on many factors including the similarity of the marks in appearance and overall commercial impression and the strength of the complainant’s mark. A mark’s strength in turn depends on the number of third parties in the marketplace using the same or similar designations as those in dispute. Here the parties’ brands have only a single term in common, “elf” . There is a long tradition in this country of using the terms “elf” or “elves” in connection with holiday beers, ales and lagers. In addition to the parties in this litigation there are at least one dozen beers produced by other parties including Shelton Brothers and La Chouffe that use the term elf and/or elf imagery. Of the (at least) one dozen parties offering beers, a single producer, Shelton, sells six of them under the mark BAD ELF and variations thereof. Under the circumstances, we believe consumers are readily able to differentiate among different “elf” beers and do not associate the term “elf” with any single beer producer. Therefore we think consumers are not likely to believe any party’s beer including the term elf, is related to any other beer that includes this term. Moreover on the labels and cases for their respective products, both parties use their house names (Fegley’s Brew Works and Troegs), Troegs uses additional words to describe the flavor of its beer, and Fegley also uses the word “Reserve”; also the parties’ illustrations of elves simply look different. These factors further support that there is not likely to be consumer confusion.

Moreover the marks on the labels and cases for their respective products are very different. Fegley’s filed an application for the Trade Mark of “Rude Elf’s Reserve” on June 21st 2004 with the following elf image (shown below), on all of their beer labels for sale.

At same time of Fegley’s original filing in 2004, the only Troeg’s mark of Record was the following image (shown below) and the name…

“THE MAD ELF TROEGS HOLIDAY ALE BREWED WITH HONEY, CHERRIES & CHOCOLATE MALTS“.

As these images make clear, both parties use their house names (Fegley’s Brew Works and Troegs), Troegs uses additional words to describe the flavor of its beer, and Fegley also uses the word “Reserve”; and the parties’ illustrations of elves simply look different. These factors further support that there is not likely to be consumer confusion.

Rude Elf’s Reserve Trademark PRESS RELEASE

For additional information please visit these links of public record with the US Patent and Trade office

1. Rude Elf’s Reserve Mark filed June 21st 2004: http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=registration&entry=3047757

2. Other Elf mark: http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=registration&entry=2887242

3. Official Petition information: http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?qt=adv&procstatus=All&pno=&propno=&qs=&propnameop=&propname=Rude+Elf&pop=&pn=&pop2=&pn2=&cop=&cn=

Two examples (of more than a dozen) other Elf beers

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/7944/14422

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/rinkuskiai-missing-elf/114945/

Hyped on Hops: Hopslam and Nugget Nectar

Over these past few weeks hop heads have been rejoicing over the release of Bell's HopSlam and Troegs Nugget Nectar. If you look at Beer Advocate you will read about people frothing at the mouth discussing where and when both will be pouring and offering their first born for a bottle or two in trade. I have to admit that I got swept up in the hop excitement and chased both around Philly. Unlike with Pliny the Elder I did stop short short of posting all the bars that have been pouring the sought after beers. Most recently in my quest for both I managed to grab a glass of HopSlam at TJ's, pick up a bottle from Capone's and score a six of hard to find Nugget Nectar in my travels.

So are both beers up to all the hype? Not quite. Now before I hear it from all the devoted fans of each I will say that they are both great beers. I love them. The problem was that it had been a year since I had either one and I read all the opinions and reviews. The admiration for both is pretty amazing and I don't know if any beer could stand up to all the hop acclaim. OK, maybe Pliny the Elder. Just like a movie that is overly praised, by the time you absorb all the hype even a great film can seem slightly less spectacular. These beers can suffer the same fate so it's best to sample each with a clear mind.

My Nugget Nectar experience came from a bottle. To my surprise the aroma of hops wasn't as overwhelming as I had expected. The citrusy aroma didn't grab my attention until after I took several whiffs from the pint glass. Part of this was due to the slightly cold serving temperature. I have to remember to turn down the beer fridge. Once it did warm the sweet floral aroma was nicely present. Where the hops didn't show immediately in the aroma it was the opposite when it came to taste. There was a strong upfront hop presence that hit the tongue and stayed. The bitterness showed early and didn't fade; lingering at the back of my mouth. Although the hops hang on it's not thick and super sticky so this 7.5 abv hop bomb remains very drinkable. Most hop fans will be pleased; I was. Being a fan of Troegs I will seek out another six and enjoy another pint or two. However with soooooo many high hop options arriving regularly in Philly I can't say that I will feel any shortcomings if I don't immediately get back to the Nectar.

The hop experience ramped up with HopSlam DIPA. My first encounter this year was a snifter at TJ's a couple weeks ago. My latest was at home, this past weekend, from a bottle purchased at Capone's. From the time the cap hit the table it was hops, hops, hops and more hops. The aroma wafted from the bottle and only intensified when poured into the glass. Take time to smell this one. Remember this came from the same too cold beer fridge as the Nugget Nectar. In the glass the beer is a hazy copper color with a thick white head that settled after a few sips. A tip of the glass delivered a grapefruit blast, with hints of orange, straight to the palate. It's citrusy hops and bitterness combined with a sweet background. The sweetness then steps forward and the alcohol shows in the end. The bottle states, "Ale brewed with honey", but I had a hard time picking out a true honey flavor. This is a beer to savor. I understand why it's often served in a snifter. The 10% abv, the overly sticky mouth feel and alcohol that doesn't hide may offend and for some take away drinkability. It's not my favorite DIPA or the most balanced but it still makes its way into my hop utopia. HopSlam almost lives up to the hype. If this were on draft I would have a hard time passing it up.


With all the fuss made over HopSlam and Nugget Nectar the release of Founders Double Trouble DIPA has been in the shadows. Check Capone's and TJ's, it may still be on draft. Now the hop head focus in Philly is shifting to the upcoming shipment of Pliny the Younger. I am sure that there are more than a few people who already have their growlers in the car waiting to hear who gets the first drop. Hang on Philadelphia with Beer Week less than a month away the ride only gets more fun.