Beer war Between Czech Republic and USA over Budweiser

Budweiser beer, American or Czech?

There are actually two entirely separate beers using the name, and they have been locked in one of the world's longest trademark wars for over a century.

American Budweiser is owned by AB InBev (Anheuser-Busch InBev), a Belgian-American multinational brewing giant.

Czech Budweiser (Budweiser Budvar) is state-owned by the government of the Czech Republic.

The History & How the Conflict Began

1. 13th Century: The Bohemian Roots

Brewing in the Bohemian city of České Budějovice (known in German as Budweis) began as early as 1265. Beer produced in this town was generically referred to as "Budweiser"-meaning "from Budweis"- similar to how sparkling wine from Champagne, France is called Champagne, or beer from Pilsen is called Pilsner.

2. 1876: The Birth of American Budweiser

In the 1870s, German immigrant Adolphus Busch toured Europe to study local brewing techniques. He was deeply impressed by the lagers from Budweis. Upon returning to St. Louis, Missouri, he and Eberhard Anheuser created a crisp, light lager inspired by those European recipes. They launched it in 1876 under the name Budweiser and registered the trademark in the U.S. in 1878.

3. 1895: The Official Czech Brewery

While local townspeople had been brewing "Budweiser" beer for centuries, Czech-speaking citizens formally founded Budějovický Budvar in 1895 as a joint-stock brewery in České Budějovice. They exported their lager across Europe using the name Budweiser Bier to denote its geographical origin.

The Global Trademark War

When both breweries started exporting across international borders in the early 20th century, a clash became inevitable. Over 100 court cases have been fought worldwide to settle who owns the name:

Region, American Version (AB InBev) Czech Version (State-Owned)

North America (USA, Canada) | Budweiser Czechvar

Most of Europe (Germany, Italy, etc.) Bud Budweiser /Budvar.

United Kingdom Budweiser (both allowed) Budweiser (both allowed)

Current Ownership

Anheuser-Busch InBev: Formed in 2008 when Belgian-Brazilian group InBev acquired St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch. It is the largest brewing corporation in the world.

Budějovický Budvar:Remained state property through World War II, the Communist era, and the fall of the Eastern Bloc. The Czech government considers it a point of national heritage and pride and has repeatedly refused to sell or privatize it.

Rooney Nshing is a blogger by soul and a hospitality enthusiast by heart. Email me now.