Escondido-Based Stone Brewing Sues MillerCoors Over Keystone Logo

ESCONDIDO, CA -- Escondido-based Stone Brewing announced Monday it is filing a lawsuit against MillerCoors, alleging the major beer company is using the Stone brand to gain customers. In an entertaining YouTube video, co-founder Greg Koch holds a MillerCoors' Keystone beer with a logo that shows the words "STONE."

The lawsuit alleges federal and state causes of action for unfair competition, trademark infringement and related claims.

“For two decades our team and our fans together have given depth and meaning to the Stone brand,” Koch said. “Our fans have come to trust us to deliver consistently fresh, high quality beer. They trust that we’ll do so in a way that’s ethical and betters our communities, our planet and the entirety of craft beer. By deliberately creating confusion in the marketplace, MillerCoors is threatening not only our legacy, but the ability for beer drinkers everywhere to make informed purchasing decisions.”

“We all know Keystone is specifically designed to be as inexpensive, flavorless and watery as possible. We can’t have potential Stone drinkers thinking we make a light beer. Or for our fans to think we sold out. MillerCoors needs to stop marketing its stuff using our good name," Koch added.

Founded by Koch and Steve Wagner in 1996, Stone Brewing is the ninth largest craft brewer in the United States. Stone has been listed on the Inc. 500 | 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies list 12 times.

--Photo via Stone Brewing