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Curious

It is already old news, but not less good because of that. A European Union court has rejected AB-InBev appeal to use Budweiser as a registered trademark in the EU, backing the clain of Czech Budějovický Budvar.

But the thing that caught my attention the most in the news report was something that was mentioned in the Spanish press, where, quoting the court's ruling, it says that AB-InBev will not be able to use the Budweiser brand for the following products: Beers, ales, porters and alcoholic and non-alcoholic malt drinks.

It is well known that in the past in England there was a clear diffentiation between beer, ale and porter, but I was conviced that such thing didn't exist anymore and that now everything is called "beer".

Might I be wrong, or is that only a sample of the anal retentive vocabulary employed by many lawyers?

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Comments

  1. Max said:It is well known that in the past in England there was a clear diffentiation between beer, ale and porter, but I was conviced that such thing didn't exist anymore and that now everything is called "beer".
    tankard says:
    I dunno about a CLEAR difference, ha ha.
    The folk who I drink with still refer to and drink a style of beer called Porter.
    When we call something ale we mean cask ale/real ale rather than keg fizz.
    I use the word beer as a generic term for all beer styles; mild, bitter, best bitter, strong bitter, golden ales, speciality beers, old ales/strong milds, porters, stouts, barley wines/strong old ales. The word beer would also include lagers.

    So yes we definitely select a porter when offered and it is pleasing to see a few more porters appearing in pubs and festivals these days.
    A porter is complex in flavour, typically black or dark brown. The darkness comes from the use of dark malts, unlike stouts, which use roasted barley. Porters should have a full mouthfeel and a pronounced finish through bitter hopping. 4.0%-6.5%ABV.
    Greetings from sarfwest London

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  2. I dunno. In Luxembourg a few weeks ago I was in a restaurant and said I'd like to order a beer, and before I could make my selection clear she was off and brought back a pilsener. Likewise, in most parts of Germany if you simply ask for a beer, it means a pils of some description. You have to be specific if you want a weissbier, koelsch or alt. Personally, I call them all beer as a generic term, but clearly one man's beer is another man's porter, so I guess the courts are making sure AB-InBev can't find a loophole :)

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  3. Adeptus,
    That's another thing. It's the same as here, you got to a hospoda and order "jedno pivo" and they will bring you whatever it is they tap the most. If it is something else you've got on your mind, then you will have to tell the waiter. Other places, though, if order "jedno pivo" will ask you what sort you want, dark, amber, etc.
    I think it's what you say, the courts making sure AB-InBev won't find a loophole citing some very old documents saying that ale and beer are two different products.

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