A SMALL  BREWERY is celebrating after social media came to its rescue when the world’s biggest beermaker told it not to use the name Jupiter on a one-off issue of ale.

Lawyers for AB Inbev had ordered Forest Road Brewing Company to stop producing Jupiter because the name was confusingly similar to that of Inbev’s “Jupiler” lager. The high-priced legal team at Anheuser-Busch InBev commanded: “Cease and desist” (lawyers relish pomposity).

In reply to the Belgium-HQd goliath, Pete Brown, co-founder and CEO of the David-size firm, said Forest liked to focus on “giving back to customers” rather than entering “disputes over filing trademarks”. He posted the response in full on social media  —  and the online community of beer-lovers erupted in protest at the multinational’s heavy-handed action.

AB Inbev’s legal team had eventually written to say AB Inbev “will accept our [Forest’s] use of ‘Jupiter’ for our bestselling double India pale ale”.

A David v Goliath victory, then. Brown was “very grateful to all of [Forest’s] East London and UK supporters” who helped the brewery to spread the news that pressured AB Inbev to back down.

David Altheer 030722

* Backstory: Hackney boozers its way to the top; Ale and hopeful Hackney beer pop-up; Queen Liz: a pub with no beer

* Lead picture kindly supplied by Forest Road Brewing Company. Other © David [email protected], and for sale for reproduction.

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