Most of us are used to seeing breweries take up arms against one another. However, the limelight for beer is usually reserved for which ’lite’ beer company has rights over which ads are shoved in your face during a sporting event, and rarely about two craft breweries at odds.

This time it’s Troegs Brewing Co. who is launching a trademark battle against Bethlehem Brew Works’ Rude Elf’s Reserve.

Troegs Brewing Company, who in 2004 launched their immensely popular seasonal beer, Mad Elf, claims “Rude Elf’s Reserve” too closely mimics their own. Both are similarly named, featuring estranged elves on their label, and released at the beginning of the winter season.

Except Mad Elf preceeds Bethlehem Brew Works’ seasonal ale by two years. Being that both independent breweries are located in Pennsylvania - Troegs from Harrisburg and Brew Works out of Bethlehem - they were destined to end up on the same shelf.

It’s this predicament that has Troeg’s calling for a name change, saying that Rude Elf is trying to piggy-back off of Mad Elf’s popularity, and customers would confuse the two in stores. Bethlehem Brew Works on the other hand claims these accusations are unfounded, and that Troeg’s is trying to monopolize the use of the word Elf.

This wouldn’t be the first time Brew Works caught themselves in a trademark debacle. In fact, it wouldn’t even be the first time for this particular product. “Rude Elf’s Reserve” was originally named “Rudolph’s Reserve” until discovering Rudolph himself was trademarked.

Most beer enthusiasts have been able to distinguish the two apart, though one can’t deny the parallels between them. But, those of us not in charge of either brewery’s marketing departments live under the veil of “make beer not war,” and just enjoy the most important similarity between the two beers - which is how delicious they are.

However, a beer review of our own has Rude Elf pulling ahead by just a smidgeon. 

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