REALLY, GEORGE?

'STRIKES BOCK' BEER NAME SPARKS TRADEMARK DISPUTE

Star Wars creator George Lucas and Lucasfilm have filed notice to force Empire Brewing in Syracuse, N.Y., to quit using the name Strikes Bock for a beer it has been brewing for seven years. Empire recently applied for a trademark for the beer, which it previously sold only at its brewpub and now plans to distribute from a larger brewery it is building in Cazenovia. "The thing is the beer is called 'Strikes Bock,' not 'Empire Strikes Bock,'" owner Dave Katleski told a local newspaper, "It's 'Strikes Bock,' by Empire." In its legal argument, Lucasfilm, now owned by the Walt Disney Co., contends that the Empire Brewing beer label could infringe its trademark rights and cause confusion among consumers. One of the company’s arguments is that it operates a vineyard in California, which makes wines that use Star Wars-themed names and logos.

(Because it's so easy to confuse movies and wine with beer...)