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TheCrowsNest · 09-22-2011, 10:09 PM

I was reading through some rules on the Sam Adams Patriot competition and saw this:

Quote:

Should your homebrew be selected as the Grand Champion, you and your Co-Brewer must assign any and all patent and intellectual property rights in your brew to The Boston Beer Company if requested.

I've seen this before but don't understand it. Can someone explain?

HopsJunkie · 09-22-2011, 10:22 PM

Win competition, they keep your beer and they own it. You get screwed, but some notoriety.

heywolfie1015 · 09-22-2011, 10:28 PM

Slightly more nuanced: If they choose your beer and ask you to assign your rights to the name, recipe, or process, you won't actually be named Grand Champion unless you agree to do so.

Basically, they want to make it again and make money from the beer if it becomes a hit. And, more importantly, they don't want you to create any problems or demand a share of the profits.

riverfrontbrewer · 09-23-2011, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heywolfie1015

Slightly more nuanced: If they choose your beer and ask you to assign your rights to the name, recipe, or process, you won't actually be named Grand Champion unless you agree to do so.

Basically, they want to make it again and make money from the beer if it becomes a hit. And, more importantly, they don't want you to create any problems or demand a share of the profits.

This....quite common in most pro am type comps

TheCrowsNest · 09-24-2011, 06:39 AM

What genius came up with this? Why?

Bmorebrew · 09-24-2011, 09:31 AM

As I read it, and maybe I'm wrong, but "any and all patent and intellectual property rights" would go so far as to cover your process as well. For example, if you had invented the hopback let's say, or continuous hopping, or something else that was integral to how the beer you make is produced, then they have permission to use your process. As I read it.

**KurtB** · 09-25-2011, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bmorebrew

As I read it, and maybe I'm wrong, but "any and all patent and intellectual property rights" would go so far as to cover your process as well. For example, if you had invented the hopback let's say, or continuous hopping, or something else that was integral to how the beer you make is produced, then they have permission to use your process. As I read it.

More than just permission to use it, they would own the IP rights to the idea/device as if they had invented it. They could then effectively prevent you from using that process, or from possibly selling the idea/invention to another brewery.

stamandster · 09-26-2011, 04:00 PM

Seems good ole' Sams thinking like a member of the BMC club...

McGarnigle · 09-26-2011, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KurtB

More than just permission to use it, they would own the IP rights to the idea/device as if they had invented it. They could then effectively prevent you from using that process, or from possibly selling the idea/invention to another brewery.

But they couldn't do any of this unless you were stupid enough to sign on. I can understand submitting a beer recipe, but why would anyone submit their new process/device?

**Mrott** · 09-26-2011, 04:27 PM

I was looking to enter in quite a few competitions now and many have the same or similar phraseiology. Basically you make an award winning beer...and yes you'll be recognized as the winner of the competition; however, you sacrifice your beer. The brewery or whoever sponsored the event will own the recipe and can mass produce it under their own name and you'll no longer get any credit for it.

So instead I stick with the events I can actually own my beer while winning the show. (Just won the stout category in a competition over the weekend and still own my beer!)