Budweiser is technically the name of a pilsner-style beer from the city of České Budějovice in Bohemia (Czech Republic), brewed since 1265. Its name is derived from the German name for the town, Budweis (something from Budweis being a Budweiser). For a time the town was the royal brewery for the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.Anheuser-Busch started using the Budweiser brand in 1876 and registered it two years later -- more than 19 years before the Budejovicky Budvar brand was established in 1895. It was not until the 1960s that Budvar started using “Budweiser” prominently on its label – long after A-B built Budweiser into an internationally recognized name for beer.
The Czech company contends that its history, and thus its claim to the Budweiser name, goes back even further. They say that King Otakar II of Bohemia granted independent brewers in the city of Budweis the right to produce beer as early as 1265. They did so in a style that became known as "Budweiser," much as beers brewed in the fashion of another Czech city, Plzeň (German: Pilsen), are referred to as "Pilsner", the company says.
Since both Budějovický Budvar and Anheuser-Busch have trademarks for the name "Budweiser", they have been party to many lawsuits in a number of countries.
Because of trademark disputes between Budejovicky Budvar and Anheuser-Busch, Budvar is sold in the United States under the label "Czechvar". In other countries, both companies still compete for the right to use the Budweiser name. There are over 40 lawsuits currently being argued and appealed in countries around the world.
So who's the real King of Beers? The one with the best lawyers, I guess.
