DB fights to keep `radler'

DB Breweries is not backing down over trademarking the term "radler" despite a group taking legal action.

The Society of Beer Advocates challenged DB Breweries over the trademarking of recognised beer style names after the brewery forced a smaller brewer to stop using the name Radler in relation to its radler-style beer. But DB Breweries has now announced it will fight the action. In its response to the society's challenge, DB Breweries said the radler trademark had been used by it or a related company in connection with beer since 2001.

Society of Beer Advocates president Geoff Griggs, of Blenheim, said radler was a style of beer common in Germany and produced by two breweries in New Zealand: DB and Green Man Brewery.

DB took action against the Dunedin-based Green Man Brewery late last year, saying its use of the name Radler was a trademark breach. This forced the brewery to relabel its beer under the name "cyclist", which is the translation of the German word radler.

Mr Griggs said while the trademark had been held by DB for several years, it was not until Green Man produced a radler-style beer that the trademark became widely known. He said private "ownership" of beer style names was totally unacceptable.

- The Marlborough Express