The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (“TTB”) released Industry Circular 2024-2 on December 5, 2024, which provides an expanded list of beer ingredients exempt from formula approval requirements. The new Circular added 24 additional ingredients that brewers can use in their beers without needing to obtain a formula…
Tag: beer law
Is There a Likelihood of Confusion Between Swill and Swell Swill?
A recent application before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, 10 Barrel Brewing, LLC sought to register the mark SWILL (in standard characters) for beer in International Class 32 (for beer) on the Principal Register. See In re 10 Barrel Brewing, LLC, Serial No. 86190248 (May 31, 2016) [not precedential]. The application for registration was…
Is Home Brewing Co. Merely Descriptive of Beer?
Recently, an application before the United States Patent and Trademark Office sought to register the mark Home Brewing Co. in standard characters on the Principal Register for “Beer; Beer, ale and lager; Beer, ale and porter; Beer, ale, lager, stout and porter; Beer, ale, lager, stout, porter, shandy; Beers; Black beer; Brewed malt-based…
TTB Issues Final Rule for Small Brewers and Reduces Regulatory Burdens
On September 30, 2014, TTB issued a final rule in the Federal Register for small brewers (defined infra), reducing regulatory burdens. The final rule is entitled “Small Brewers Bond Reduction and Requirement to File Tax Returns, Remit Tax Payments and Submit Reports Quarterly” and goes into effect on January 1, 2015. This rule finalizes an important and…