The United Kingdom’s Loose Cannon Brewery, U.S.-based Heavy Seas Beer broker trademark peace agreement

The Loose Cannon Brewery of Abingdon, UK has recently established trademark agreement with Heavy Seas Beer of Baltimore, MD, USA, as Heavy Seas moves towards selling their beers in the UK and Europe.

Heavy Seas’ flagship brand, Loose Cannon IPA, was potentially going to create confusion with the Loose Cannon Brewery. Happily, the Trademark ownership and use issue has now been fully resolved with Loose Cannon taking over the ownership of the UK trade mark and subsequently granting a license for use to Heavy Seas Beer in the UK. Heavy Seas has granted a mirror license to the Loose Cannon Brewery for the use of the Trademark in the EU.

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This equitable solution to what could have been an extended and litigious dispute, is testament that communication is key in these types of matters and sets a positive example to others in the craft brewing industry. In an addition to this outcome, it is hoped that the links between the two breweries will begin to flourish with some planned future projects.

To mark what has been a successful outcome, the two brewers will produce a collaboration brew in 2019 at the Loose Cannon Brewery in Abingdon to introduce Heavy Seas beers to the UK market.