Budweiser
Encyclopedia
Budweiser is a German
adjective describing something or someone from the city of České Budějovice
in Southern Bohemia
, Czech Republic
.
Beer brewing in České Budějovice (or Budweis) dates back to the 13th century. A few hundred years later, two breweries were founded in the city that made beer which they called "Budweiser," both being beers from the city of České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
. In 1876, the US brewer Anheuser-Busch
began making a beer which it also called "Budweiser." This led in 1907 to the "Budweiser trademark dispute" between beer companies claiming trademarks rights to the name "Budweiser."
The three companies are:
The existence of several beers with similar names has caused problems in some markets. In 1907 the US and Czech brewers made an agreement that Anheuser-Busch could market its beer as Budweiser only in North America, while the Czech brewers had the rights to the European markets. Anheuser-Busch markets its product as "Bud" (in France and elsewhere) and "Anheuser-Busch B" (in Germany
, Austria
and Switzerland
), where the beer brewed in the original city retains the rights to the name. The United Kingdom is one of the few places where both Anheuser-Busch and Budvar beer are sold under the name "Budweiser."
In 2007 Anheuser-Busch signed a deal with Budějovický Budvar, the maker of the Czech Republic's Budweiser, to import Budvar Budweiser into the United States and sell it under the name Czechvar.
In 2009 the European Court of First Instance upheld a ruling that refuses AB InBev, owners of the US Budweiser brand, permission to register the Budweiser brand as a community trademark.
After the ruling, AB InBev decided to keep the Budweiser or Bud name in 23 of 27 European countries. In the U.K., courts have ruled that neither company has exclusive rights in the name Budweiser. In Germany, Budvar has exclusive control over the Budweiser brand name since May 2009. According to the verdict of Court of Justice of the European Union
in July 2010, Budweiser Budvar has exclusive control over the Budweiser brand name in the whole European Union.
According to the UK Budweiser Budvar website, "Currently [in 2011] there are about 40 trademark dispute cases pending in different jurisdictions and some 70 procedural issues up for consideration around the world".
From the 2011-12
season, Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch) sponsored FA Cup
. Therefore, the tournament title will be The FA Cup with Budweiser until 2014.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
adjective describing something or someone from the city of České Budějovice
Ceské Budejovice
České Budějovice is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the largest city in the South Bohemian Region and is the political and commercial capital of the region and centre of the Roman Catholic Diocese of České Budějovice and of the University of South Bohemia and the Academy of Sciences...
in Southern Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
.
Beer brewing in České Budějovice (or Budweis) dates back to the 13th century. A few hundred years later, two breweries were founded in the city that made beer which they called "Budweiser," both being beers from the city of České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. In 1876, the US brewer Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
began making a beer which it also called "Budweiser." This led in 1907 to the "Budweiser trademark dispute" between beer companies claiming trademarks rights to the name "Budweiser."
The three companies are:
- Budweiser Bier BürgerbräuBudweiser Bier Bürgerbräu' or ' was the name for the beer and the administration of the "" , which in 1795 was founded by the German-speaking burghers of the Bohemian city of Budweis in the Kingdom of Bohemia)...
, founded 1795 by German-speaking citizens of České Budějovice, which began exporting Budweiser Bier to the US in 1875. The company was expropriated by the state in 1945, when they changed the name of the company. However, the company reacquired the old naming rights in the 1990s after the fall of communism in CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. - Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
, made by Anheuser-Busch in the United States, was first marketed in 1876 as "Budweiser" in the United States and Canada - Budweiser Budvar, a brewery founded in 1895 by CzechCzech languageCzech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
-speaking citizens of České Budějovice
Dispute over right to use the name
Anheuser-Busch cites prior registration of the trademark in the US and battles for the right to use it worldwide in many legal disputes against the Europe-based companies in several countries. The Europeans wish to maintain or regain their right to market their beer under their traditional trademark. Bürgerbräu has marketed its beer as Budweiser Bier since 1876, while Budvar has marketed its product this way since 1895. The two companies in České Budějovice point out that Budweiser is not a generic name, but refers to a beer actually made in the city.The existence of several beers with similar names has caused problems in some markets. In 1907 the US and Czech brewers made an agreement that Anheuser-Busch could market its beer as Budweiser only in North America, while the Czech brewers had the rights to the European markets. Anheuser-Busch markets its product as "Bud" (in France and elsewhere) and "Anheuser-Busch B" (in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
), where the beer brewed in the original city retains the rights to the name. The United Kingdom is one of the few places where both Anheuser-Busch and Budvar beer are sold under the name "Budweiser."
In 2007 Anheuser-Busch signed a deal with Budějovický Budvar, the maker of the Czech Republic's Budweiser, to import Budvar Budweiser into the United States and sell it under the name Czechvar.
In 2009 the European Court of First Instance upheld a ruling that refuses AB InBev, owners of the US Budweiser brand, permission to register the Budweiser brand as a community trademark.
After the ruling, AB InBev decided to keep the Budweiser or Bud name in 23 of 27 European countries. In the U.K., courts have ruled that neither company has exclusive rights in the name Budweiser. In Germany, Budvar has exclusive control over the Budweiser brand name since May 2009. According to the verdict of Court of Justice of the European Union
Court of Justice of the European Union
The Court of Justice of the European Union is the institution of the European Union which encompasses the whole judiciary. Seated in Luxembourg, it has three sub-courts; the European Court of Justice, the General Court and the Civil Service Tribunal.The institution was originally established in...
in July 2010, Budweiser Budvar has exclusive control over the Budweiser brand name in the whole European Union.
According to the UK Budweiser Budvar website, "Currently [in 2011] there are about 40 trademark dispute cases pending in different jurisdictions and some 70 procedural issues up for consideration around the world".
From the 2011-12
2011–12 FA Cup
The 2011–12 FA Cup will be the 131st season of the world's oldest association football knock-out competition. The closing date for applications was 1 April 2011, and saw 825 clubs apply to enter...
season, Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch) sponsored FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. Therefore, the tournament title will be The FA Cup with Budweiser until 2014.