Two months after Stone Brewing filed a lawsuit over the use of “Stone” in the marketing and packaging of the MillerCoors brand Keystone, the global beer company has filed an 82-page counterclaim.
The counterclaim contained many reasons MillerCoors feels the lawsuit should be tossed, but the standout argument was the contention that MillerCoors used the name “Stone” first and should be granted exclusive rights to the name. MillerCoors is asking the court to rule that it did not infringe upon Stone Brewing’s trademark and seeks the right to use the term “Stone” in Keystone advertisements and packaging. MillerCoors claimed “exclusive common law right to use ‘Stone’ in connection with the sale of beer in the United States” and stated in the document that they had used the term “’Stone” in ads as far back as 1992.
Stone Brewing now has 21 days to file a reply with the court unless they request an extension and it is granted by the court.