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Author Topic: Beer comp "fine print"  (Read 2804 times)

Offline juggabrew303

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Beer comp "fine print"
« on: March 23, 2016, 05:20:05 pm »
Has anyone came across this type of rule for entering a comp?

"Once the winning recipe has been brewed at !@#$%^&* Beer Company, it is now owned by us, and can be brewed by us at any point in the future. If you are not comfortable with this, please reconsider your entry."

Maybe its just the way its written, but sounds pretty shady in my opinion. especially since my recipe I'm considering is based off another local brewery, which I had received input from the owner/brewer himself. I would feel bad if I happened to win...

Offline smkranz

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2016, 05:37:23 pm »
None of that would bother me.  Just their lawyer talking.  Our competition's winning beer is also brewed for commercial sale.  We don't have that exact disclaimer in our rules, but our local liquor board wanted us to include the statement that the winning homebrewer gets no financial benefit from the commercially brewed beer.  And the commercial brewery needed us to say that the name of the winning beer was subject to their approval.
Steve K.
BJCP Beer & Mead Certified
Midnight Homebrewers' League
http://www.midnighthomebrewers.org

Offline crakers540

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2016, 05:40:25 pm »
I have only entered comps once, but that sounds kind of harsh and semi dictatorial:  We now own it and screw you.

I am not up to speed on legal issues regarding beer recipes......

Maybe someone else can chime in here.

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2016, 05:46:29 pm »
Beer recipes are a dime a dozen. They can't be copyrighted. You can argue over ownership, but change an ingredient or a the process and it is a new recipe. I wouldn't worry about it, other than you friends input and trust being at risk.
Jeff Rankert
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Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2016, 05:50:16 pm »
Beer recipes are a dime a dozen. They can't be copyrighted. You can argue over ownership, but change an ingredient or a the process and it is a new recipe. I wouldn't worry about it, other than you friends input and trust being at risk.


Yep. Good advice.
Jon H.

Offline udubdawg

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2016, 06:11:55 pm »
If they say YOU can no longer brew it, then you should care (and laugh).

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2016, 06:34:38 pm »
If anyone asks me for a recipe I give them all the details. Happy to do it, as I benefited from the same help from many others.
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline braufessor

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2016, 06:57:50 pm »
that is totally normal.  If a competition provides a "prize" of a brewery scaling up your winning beer...... that is pretty cool.  If they take the time and effort to include you in the process and the brewery brews the beer, and it turns out great - they are going to want to keep brewing it in the future maybe.  They just want to make sure they don't have to deal with some frivolous "lawsuit" of the brewer coming back and pretending they "own" the recipe and some how the brewery can't make it again.

Totally reasonable to make that request in return for brewing the beer in a scale up.

As mentioned - recipes are a dime a dozen.  I would give anyone any recipe I have, with every detail I could provide, simply for the asking. 

Offline Stevie

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #8 on: March 23, 2016, 07:15:28 pm »
Yep, normal. As mentioned recipes can only be protected if kept secret. Copyright will protect a published recipe in that particular form, but not the recipe itself.

Illegal - scanning or photocopying a page from BCS
Legal - typing and sharing it

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #9 on: March 23, 2016, 07:31:46 pm »
  I would give anyone any recipe I have, with every detail I could provide, simply for the asking. 

 
Same here. I give away detailed recipes regularly, like some excellent brewers did for me. Recipe is only the starting point anyway.
Jon H.

Offline Stevie

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2016, 07:44:13 pm »
Somebody I know that is going pro offered to buy a Kolsch recipe from another friend. If you can't throw together a half decent kolsch grain bill, don't go pro.

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2016, 07:51:01 pm »
Somebody I know that is going pro offered to buy a Kolsch recipe from another friend. If you can't throw together a half decent kolsch grain bill, don't go pro.


Wow. Holy crap. Yeah, that should be a sign you're not ready for prime time.
Jon H.

Offline udubdawg

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #12 on: March 23, 2016, 08:27:45 pm »
You guys are nicer then me. I make them work for recipes. Amanda received a long-winded diatribe about dark malts before I gave her the recipe a couple weeks later.  I think of it as the timeshare presentation she had to sit through for Disney World tix.   ;D

Offline braufessor

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #13 on: March 23, 2016, 08:40:06 pm »
You guys are nicer then me. I make them work for recipes. Amanda received a long-winded diatribe about dark malts before I gave her the recipe a couple weeks later.  I think of it as the timeshare presentation she had to sit through for Disney World tix.   ;D

Ha..... just like that free invitation to Branson, MI. 
So, I just got lucky when I had the privilege of tasting your beers - no diatribe, just beer ;)

Offline Stevie

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Re: Beer comp "fine print"
« Reply #14 on: March 23, 2016, 08:48:01 pm »
Meh, I could care less. I might be vague at times, but that is because I am lackadaisical in my process at times.