A federal jury has awarded Stone Brewing $56 million in its trademark infringement lawsuit against Molson Coors Beverage Company, according to Courthouse News Service.
The $56 million award was well below Stone’s ask of $216 million.
Stone issued a press release Friday afternoon celebrating the victory and also tweeted “W” at 5:05 p.m. ET.
“From the moment our team saw Keystone’s intentional theft of the Stone trademark, we believed this day would come,” CEO Maria Stipp said in the release. “We are committed to doing everything in our power to protect the incredible reputation of the Stone brand and the passionate team who built it. We’d like to thank the team at BraunHagey & Borden LLC for their representation of our case. They put their heart, souls and talent into it, and we couldn’t have asked for anything more than that.”
Stone co-founder Greg Koch added, “This is a historic day for Stone Brewing, and for the craft beer industry. Molson Coors threatened our heritage, but we stood up to that threat. They will put the ‘Key’ back in ‘Keystone’ ending their hostile 4-year co-op of the Stone name. Cheers to our legions of fans, friends and supporters who believe in the good that craft beer brings. This is your win too.”
Molson Coors spokesperson Marty Maloney offered this statement:
“It’s been clear all along that there is no credible confusion between Keystone Light and Stone Scorpion Bowl IPA, Arrogant Bastard Ale or any of Stone Brewing’s other products. What we learned through this trial is that Stone Brewing’s lawsuit was not driven by consumer confusion, and that Stone Brewing has a $464 million debt to pay to their private equity investors in 2023. The jurors rejected the assertion that MillerCoors willfully infringed the trademark and awarded Stone Brewing a fraction of what they were demanding. There are still several defenses that will be resolved by the Court and we are evaluating our options for appeal. We appreciate the Court’s dedication to this case.”
For more on the Stone vs. Molson Coors legal brouhaha, read Brewbound’s past coverage.
Stone Brewing Seeks $216 Million in Closing Arguments; Molson Coors Emphasizes Past Use of ‘Stone’
Press Clips: Stone Co-Founder Testifies Fears of Losing Company
Last Call: Stone Has Considered Sale as $464M Investor Payment Looms
Brewbound Podcast: Stone and Molson Coors Go to Trial
Federal Judge: MillerCoors Withheld Marketing Materials in Stone Brewing Lawsuit
MillerCoors Responds, Calls Stone Brewing Trademark Suit ‘Meritless’
Stone Brewing Files Lawsuit Against MillerCoors Over ‘Stone’ Trademark