Craft brewery takes on Molson Coors over use of ‘stone’

An attorney representing California-based Stone Brewing has claimed that Molson Coors (previously known as MillerCoors) inflicted US$216 million worth of trademark damages when they rebranded their Keystone Light Lager with emphasis on the word “stone” on the can.

The redesign for Keystone Lager took place in 2017, and in 2018 Stone Brewing brought a lawsuit against the beverage colossus. At the time, a spokesperson for Stone Brewing claimed that MillerCoors was using the “stone” name to sell “watered-down…fizzy yellow offerings”. Prior to the rebranding, Keystone Light sales had significantly declined. Stone Brewing described the redesign of the cans as a “misguided campaign to steal the consumer loyalty and awesome reputation of Stone’s craft brews and iconic Stone trademark.” At the time, they uploaded a video to YouTube announcing their intention to sue.

The craft brewery’s no holds barred approach has landed them in trouble before – also in 2018 they were at the centre of a social media sexism row.

Stone Brewing, which produces such beers as their 8.5% Ruination Double IPA and Sublimely Self-Righteous Black IPA, described the rebrand through its attorney, Noah Hagey as “one of the most profound corporate thefts ever to occur.” In his closing remarks of the three week trial, Hagey told the jury: “there are a lot of ailments that go along with having the most important piece of your business attached to an entirely different product in a lower category”.

The defendant’s attorney argued that craft beer fans would spot the difference, and that “every carton, every can of this beer had the word Keystone on it, Coors on it.” He also stated that when the US Patent and Trademark Office renewed the “Keystone” trademark in 2020, they accepted a photo of a can with “Key” and “stone” separated.

The jury’s verdict is anticipated soon.