Sweet Child O' MINE: Guns N' Roses Settles Lawsuit Over Guns 'N' Rosé Beer [Updated]
Update, August 14, 2019: Guns N' Roses has agreed settled its lawsuit with Oskar Blues over the latter's Guns 'N' Rosé beer, Reuters reports. Terms have not yet been reached, but both sides have agreed in principle to settle and dismiss the lawsuit.
Original story, May 10, 2019: Take me down to the United State District Court for the Central District of California Western Division... not as catchy as the original.
Axl Rose and Co. have filed a lawsuit in that California court against Canarchy Craft Brewery Collective, parent company of Longmont, Colorado-based Oskar Blues brewery. The band alleges the brewery's Guns 'N' Rosé beer, which the brewery sells in cans and on draft, infringes on the band's trademark, and that Oskar Blues went forward selling the beer and related merchandise even after the band raised its objections in December 2018.
According to court documents, the band says the beer and related merch was created "without GNR's approval, license, or consent." The band is especially peeved about Guns 'N' Rosé bandanas sold by Oskar Blues, "given that bandanas are uniquely associated with GNR and their lead singer and general partner Axl Rose." It alleges the Guns 'N' Rosé beer—just one accent mark, a letter, and an apostrophe off from the band's name—does damage to the band's reputation, build on "three decades of worldwide success." According to the filing, Oskar Blues attempted to register the term "Guns N Rose" for use with beer via the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
In its suit, GNR includes documents that show its manager reached out to Oskar Blues informally at the end of 2018 to ask the brewery to cease production and sale of the beer. Oskar Blues responded that it considered the matter resolved, but did not say it would stop producing the beer. GNR further alleges that because other bands like Guns N' Roses do have their own licensed beers—Metallica, AC/DC, Deftones, Anthrax, Iron Maiden, etc.—consumers could reasonably assume GNR was officially involved in this beer's production and sale.
So, for the record, Guns N' Roses is not involved in the brewing, production, or sale of the hibiscus pale ale, nor its associated bandanas.