Feds sink New Hampshire’s special brew

[unhappycamper]

Feds sink New Hampshire’s special brew
By Amy McCullough - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Sep 12, 2008 13:31:12 EDT

In a last-minute change, federal regulators nixed the special brew intended to raise money for the submarine New Hampshire’s commissioning ceremony in October, saying the label “could be construed as associated with the armed forces,” which is prohibited by law.

Portsmouth, N.H.-based Smuttynose Brewing Co. was expected to release about 18,000 bottles of the Granite Ghost Ale, named by the Virginia-class sub’s crew, in time for the commissioning Oct. 25 at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

Company president Peter Egelston wrote in a blog that he “was aware that regulations would not permit us to use an official Navy seal or insignia,” but the federal Tax and Trade Bureau argued the label design, which featured a submarine and the state of New Hampshire, was still inappropriate.

“After several days of back-and-forth, we received an answer from the Navy’s lawyers. In short, although they were enthusiastic about the idea of a commemorative ale and applauded our efforts, they refused to provide us with the written permission that the TTB had required, for fear that it could be construed as the Navy’s endorsement of a Smuttynose product,” Egelston wrote.

The company considered redesigning the label but determined there was not enough time to meet all the requirements and still release the product in time for the commissioning, according to the blog post.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/09/navy_graniteghost_091108w/%2e

[Ian David]

1. Yet they'll license Sears to sell clothes with the Airborne logo. n/t