Edit 1/14/2015 at 2:06pm PST: Indeed, Lagunitas dismissed the lawsuit. Thanks to Twitter for breaking the news and the screen cap. As this fellow beer attorney points out and helpfully includes the filing, it’s dismissed in a way that Lagunitas could sue again, but I think we know what kind of uproar that would cause. That said, if anything was ever going to associate those two marks in consumer’s minds, certainly now this lawsuit will!
Lagunitas dismisses suit against @SierraNevada. “Without prejudice” means it could be re-filed, but that’s unlikely. pic.twitter.com/cFpT3CxtVI
— Eugene Pak (@BeerAttorney) January 14, 2015
See our coverage yesterday on the Lagunitas – Sierra Nevada lawsuit, directing you to the public’s overwhelming reaction in favor of Sierra Nevada. Lagunitas owner Tony Magee, via the tweets below, called yesterday the “worst day ever” in the brewery’s history and vowed to drop the lawsuit this morning. We’ll report back if that’s the case. Some Twitter followers are asking Tony Magee to apologize. Indeed, this particular dispute-that-was may well beat out the Magic Hat / West Sixth catastrophe. Turns out the increasingly trademark-savvy public is quick to defend even the big guys, too.
Today, January 13th 2015, has been the worst day ever in 23 years of growing my brewery. Worst. Growing a biz involves defending a biz… — LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) January 14, 2015
Defending a biz requires answers to Hard Questions. Q’s like: Are our Foundations Strong? Are our Flavors right? Are our Labels Defensible?
— LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) January 14, 2015
There r many Courts in the world. For me, over the last month, one Court was a series of rebuffed phone calls. Another was a court of law… — LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) January 14, 2015
Today was in the hands of the ultimate court; The Court of Public Opinion and in it I got an answer to my Question; Our IPA’s TM has limits.
— LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) January 14, 2015
I don’t know every answer beforehand, so I feel around for the edges and try to learn. Today I was seriously schooled & I heard you well… — LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) January 14, 2015
Tomorrow mornin we’ll Drop the Infringement Suit & get back to answering other Questions. I don’t think I was wrong for wanting to know cuz…
— LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) January 14, 2015
I had to know the Answer, but the Answer came much sooner than I thought and in a different Court than I thought it would. Can I say thanks? — LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) January 14, 2015