They weren’t trying to get famous. They weren’t looking for attention. They were, however, in existence, and they mattered. They were the Waldos, a group of San Rafael high school students, and they were reppin’ Marin County like nobody’s business. In fact, it was nobody’s business, especially if you were the fuzz out to bust them for what they were up to. “Smokin’,” “blazin’,” “weed,” “marijuana.” Didn’t matter what you called it, the Waldos just wanted to have a good time, and 4:20 pm seemed like a suitable time to do so. So they did.
Now, Sweetwater Brewing Company has an issue with this so-called “420” label, but the Waldos are too hardcore to take up a complaint with, so Sweetwater decided to accuse Lagunitas Brewing Company of ripping off its trademark label.
Wait, huh?
Exactly.
Yesterday, Lagunitas announced its dropping of any future use of the term “420” in its labeling after the Atlanta brewery claimed a trademark on the term. Sweetwater has a long-standing pale ale known as “420” and founder Freddy Bensch was angered when he learned of Lagunitas’ use of the term, such as in its seasonal beer known as “The Waldos’ Special Ale.”
How could a shout-out to the Waldos, the widely-attributed “420” founders, be taken as stealing a trademark that wasn’t the company’s to begin with?
In a series of Tweets, shown below, following a letter received by Bensch, Lagunitas founder Tony Magee pokes fun at the idea of “stealing” the marijuana-term.
Magee shows off his witty humor and even asks if his company’s change will let Sweetwater win, because, who really wins in this dispute? Certainly not the Waldos, who weren’t even asked how they felt about the situation. No big deal though. Competing companies will always have something new to argue about.
The infamous stoners will simply go mellow out somewhere at 4:20 pm, knowing the truth, and blow more smoke into the haze of ignorance.
In the world of crowded spaces, a brewery out of Atlanta sent me a letter today demanding that we never ever use the term 420 again…
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 8, 2013
Seems they got a federal trademark on it a while back. Mebbe they did. Hysterical it is that the same Fed that prosecutes also sanctions…
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 8, 2013
More bizarre that the bunnies at TTB that prevent Kronik beer names permit 430 names. Maybe Freddy trademarked the word ‘pot’ too…
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 8, 2013
He nevr bothered t call me though, that’a taken soul. But then anyone that’d trademark 420 must b bereft. S’posed t be counterculture,
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 9, 2013
It’s cool. Rules r rules. I do wonder if Freddy even knows the names o the grown-up boys that coined the term…we do. Good guys, they are.
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 9, 2013
I’ve hadda ask other brewers to stop using stuff we felt was our own, I understand how it feels. But I always called 1st. No problem here.
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 9, 2013
For da record, I’d never called a beer 420 anything- just stuck it here & there, sometimes hid it. No problem, I think we outgrew it anyway.
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 9, 2013
It ain’t what we are anyway, but it is what I do! Hope you do too… Long live the Waldo’s!
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 9, 2013
I’m also not goin all West6th here either. Drink what thrills ya….!
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 9, 2013
If ur following I hope ur diggin that these twits are my own, personal, & reflect my own life thinking & experiences as a brewery owner…
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 10, 2013
…I mean them to be a view into my own experience and feelings navigating the insane changes in the US and even global beer scene.
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 10, 2013
So if I say something inflammatory, like Freddie of SweetWater is a dweeb for not even trying to phone after calling me a thief yesterday…
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 10, 2013
…you’ll understand that I am expressing a personal opinion and that it is not a denigration of their beer or peeps. Seriously…
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 10, 2013
With all the surfacy ‘kum-bye-yaa’ talk that permeates the industry ya might’a thought that a phone call woulda been in order…
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 10, 2013
…but maybe not. Freddie, just in case you don’t have it, my cell number is. 707-481-4914… We all live in public.
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 10, 2013
Good news is, I’ll let ya have the 420 thing. Is that a win ?
– LagunitasT (@lagunitasT) July 10, 2013
