beauty and the brew

Michigan has a tendency to do battle with the states it touches.

Maybe we're more aggressive than other states, but in general (and I am bias), I am pretty sure it's because other people are just jealous.

First, it was the great Toledo War for 1835, a fight for the Toledo strip with Ohio (and kind of Indiana), which seems so ridiculous now, but actually the area was commercially very significant. Unfortunately, Michigan ended up Toledo-less, and you can just feel the fury every time we play Ohio State in basically every sport.

Then, a battle less serious in nature, in 2011 Wisconsin laughably tried to claim that they were in fact the Mitten State. Sorry guys, but that's not a mitten I'd like to wear. There is only one "Mitten State."

Now Illinois is trying to take us down in a beer related lawsuit.

Apparently, a startup brewery in Rockford Illinois has filed a lawsuit against Michigan's own Rockford Brewing Company for their name.

Seth Rivard from Rockford Brewing Company (the Michigan one) is spot on in how he believes the lawsuit will go.

“They own zero rights to that name,” said Rivard. “We’d been using it two years before they even started.”


Hilariously, Rockford Brewing Company (the Illinois one) claims the origins of its name are from 1849, when a pioneer opened a brewery in the same location.

I'm sorry guys, but that is quite the stretch. Especially considering the fact that copyright laws have changed drastically since 1849. The current brewery only opened its doors in 2013, where Rockford Brewing Company (the Michigan one) has been around since 2011 catering to mug club members.

We'll all have to wait with baited breath until mid to late February to see how this one turns out. If you have a free minute, check out their Facebook page and show them some support!