Good Bud . . . Bad Bud

This is the story of two countries, a beer, a rip-off, and corporate lawyers.... by Mark

The two countries are the Czech Republic and the United States. In the Czech Republic the region in question includes the town of Budvar, a beer brewing region that for nearly two centuries has produced a pilsner beer that regionally became known as Budweiser.   Budvar is located in a part of the Czech Republic that was traditionally closely aligned with Germany.  Late in the 19th century, emigrants from Germany (not from Budvar) departed for the United States.  The emigrants were members of the Busch family who established a beer brewing business in their new homeland.  The company grew, increased production, turned from traditional methods of brewing to commercial methods, and eventually named their beer Budweiser - in the process ripping off the traditional name from the Czech regional beer.

This is where the lawyers got involved.  It seems - surprise, surprise - that the lawyers working for Anheuser-Busch had a leg up over lawyers in the Czech Republic and fended off challenges to the use of "Budweiser".  The Czech's it seem never obtained copyright protection to protect against others using the name...

"Original" Budweiser, as it is now labeled on the Czech beer, is still locally made with traditional methods. 

It is very good, smooth, flavorful beer - far superior to it's American pseudonym with all its 100,000 gallon stainless steel piquant flavoring.  It's "Good Bud" as opposed to our canned 'Bad Bud".  You may never be able to try it, but I did, as the empty bottle photo above will attest.