The notion that you can place a trademark on a beer style is nonsensical — especially if the brewery in question didn’t invent the style in the first place.

But it’s happened in New Zealand and it could have implications in Britain and the rest of Europe, as Heineken is the major player in the brewery in question.

One of the leading brewing groups in New Zealand is DB. It was previously known as Dominion Breweries, but that name doesn’t fit in modern times, especially as DB is now owned by Asia Pacific Breweries based in Singapore. Heineken is the majority shareholder in Asia Pacific.

One of DB’s subsidiaries, Monteith’s, specialises in producing beers that capitalise on European styles and traditions. It brews a bock, a strong German-style lager. In recent years it has added an Austrian and German style called radler as well as saison, based on a famous Belgian beer style.

Nothing wrong there, you might think: imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But DB and Monteith’s have slapped trademarks on Radler and Saison. This means that a smaller Kiwi brewery can no longer call its beer “radler” while Belgian brewers of saison can’t export their brands to New Zealand.

To see the full story go to:  http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/84300

By Roger Protz