Brewer Banned From Using Town Name 'Weed' on Beer

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Authorities clamping down on the clever play on words, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (there's always someone who has a say in these matters) say that the name of the larger, brewed by Dillmann, was fair enough but changes to the labels featured on the bottles and the caps in particular are having to change.

The regulators, have since February, ordered the brewer to stop selling is Lemurian Lager altogether as Dillmann insisted on the words 'Try Legal Weed' on the caps.

Yet Dillmann had gone about the process the correct way in order to keep the authorities at heel. He sent his proposals for his beer and the label to the Trade Bureau for their approval, but came unstuck when they adamantly said no way to the bottle caps. Thinking this was fair, Dillmann was more than happy to sent in five other designs of bottle caps already used by his brewery for approval, with the wording still on them.

Yet the true story behind the name of the caps is behind a locally famous baron called Abner Weed who opened the first lumber mill in 1901 before becoming very successful in politics as a state Senate. Yet the authorities are failing to see the caps as a recognition of a famous man who changed the way of life for his townsfolk in Mount Shasta, the place were Dillmann has been brewing since 2004 and has always associated his beer and it's name in honour of Weed.

Yet the authorities failed to see the joke and called the wording on the caps enough to "mislead consumers about the characteristics of the alcoholic beverage." The bureau who regulates the industry of the selling of these items and their advertising, said the the caps were simply inappropriate.

Dillmann however can't see what the problem was and urged the authorities to see that in no shape or form was his trying to tell the public to try drugs. He certain said he cannot see any reference in the wording of his bottle caps to smoking pot.

During this week, he told Associated Press,

"I've never tried marijuana in my life. I don't advocate that. It's just our town's name."

Yet the 3,000 strong townsfolk and it's own authoritative figures in the humble town of Weed have been using and abusing the name for their own good use over the decades. Signs are often seen along highways in and around the town which say "Temporarily Out of Weed," another says, "100 Percent Pure Weed." Even officials in the town have used the name to exploit their own good work.

It's good for business and tourism - only the locals know what the name stands for and besides, Mr Weed would have been very proud.

Even Dillmann's wife, a local school teacher was working at Weed High.

Yet the sullen faced authorities are having none of it since all references to drugs used for selling alcohol was banned in 1994. Speaking on behalf of the trade agency, Art Resnick said,

"We protect consumers of alcohol beverages against misleading advertising and labeling. That's one of our primary functions. That's what we do, as well as collect taxes."

Dillmann in the meantime is appealing against the ruling, which the whole town behind him...

Good luck to him....