• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • About Craft Brewing Business

Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

Craft Brewing Business Craft Brewing Business
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment & Systems
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • COVID-19

North Coast Brewing sued by Thelonious Monk Jr. over use of father’s likeness in branding

February 15, 2018Chris Crowell

north coast brewing lawsuit

California’s North Coast Brewing is in a trademark battle with the son of jazz legend Thelonious Monk over the use of his father’s name and image for its Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale. This isn’t as splashy as Stone vs. MillerCoors but is perhaps more noteworthy for craft breweries out there who, like CBB editors, love using puns and references to things they like to name and brand their beers.

North Coast tried to get the lawsuit dismissed, but Reuters reports that a federal judge rejected this request and now the matter will head to court. The twist here is Thelonious Monk Jr. had verbally for years agreed to allow North Coast to sell Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale in exchange for donating some profits to the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. The additional beer-themed merchandise (around 17 items) is allegedly where things got sticky.

U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam on Wednesday found it “more than plausible” that Thelonious Monk Jr had a right to control the commercial value of his father’s persona and prevent North Coast Brewing Co. and others from unfairly exploiting it for commercial purposes.

Without ruling on the merits, the Oakland, California-based judge also said people might be confused into thinking Monk, who oversees his father’s estate, had authorized North Coast to sell cups, hoodies, mouse pads, soap and other items that might appear associated with the musician.

“While we are disappointed that the court did not dismiss the Monk estate’s claims out of hand, we are eager to proceed to litigation to reveal the facts underlying these meritless claims,” North Coast said in a statement on Thursday.

The lawsuit seeks damages for trademark infringement, unjust enrichment and violating Monk’s right of publicity, and an injunction against any infringements.

North Coast Brewing’s Cofounder and President Mark Ruedrich retires
Blue Moon Logo cbb crop
Federal judge dismisses lawsuit that claimed ‘deceptive marketing’ of Blue Moon by MillerCoors
craft beer
Craft beers take center stage at International Restaurant & Foodservice Show
North Coast Brewing adds three new fermenting tanks

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. Episode 221 - [Punny Title Goes Here] | The Craft Beercast says:
    March 22, 2018 at 7:01 pm

    […] Put a monk on it […]

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • Cheers to 10 Years: We should all strive to be Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.
  • Watch famed gonzo illustrator Ralph Steadman discuss his Flying Dog beer labels
  • The all-new Papago Brewing taproom opens Friday
  • Michigan’s Dog Star Hops wins Chinook Cup for second year in a row

Sign up for our newsletter

unsubscribe from list

Most Popular Today

Recent Features

  • Arizona Wilderness BrewingCheers to 10 Years: We should all strive to be Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.
    February 2, 2023
  • Watch famed gonzo illustrator Ralph Steadman discuss his Flying Dog beer labels
    February 2, 2023
  • Michigan’s Dog Star Hops wins Chinook Cup for second year in a row
    February 1, 2023
  • fort point both-ciders-3Fort Point Beer debuts cider line, explains why ciders instead of seltzers
    January 31, 2023
  • Watch a drone release insects over hop yards for sustainable pest control in this Yakima Chief Hops video series
    January 30, 2023
  • Distro update: Connecticut’s Two Roads Brewing goes to Colorado + news from Surreal, New Sarum and more
    January 30, 2023

Footer

  • Email Newsletter Sign Up
  • About Craft Brewing Business
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise on Craft Brewing Business
  • Media Kit Download
  • Privacy and Terms

© 2023 · CBB Media LLC