Budweiser beer is named after a town in the Czech Republic (formerly Czechoslovakia).
Budweiser Is Named After a Czech Town (And They're Suing)
When Adolphus Busch launched his new beer in 1876, he didn't look to America for inspiration. He wanted to brew something "similar in quality, color, flavor and taste to the beer then made at Budweis." That town—České Budějovice in German, Budweis in English—had been brewing beer since 1265, when King Ottokar II of Bohemia granted it brewing rights.
The name "Budweiser" literally means "of Budweis" in German. It's not a brand name Busch invented—it's a geographic designation, like "Champagne" or "Bordeaux."
Two Budweisers, One Problem
Here's where it gets messy: the Czech town also has a brewery called Budweiser. Actually, it has two. The older Budweiser Bürgerbräu started brewing in 1795. The newer Budweiser Budvar was formed in 1895 when several Czech breweries merged. Both predate Anheuser-Busch's trademark registration.
The American company got there first in terms of international trademarks, filing in 1907. But the Czechs argue they're the original Budweiser—the beer the town has been famous for since the Middle Ages.
The Never-Ending Beer War
This dispute has generated over 100 court cases worldwide since 1907. The results? A legal patchwork:
- In the U.S., Anheuser-Busch owns "Budweiser"
- In most of Europe, Budweiser Budvar owns it
- In the UK, they both sell under the name (different logos)
- In some countries, American Budweiser sells as "Bud"
The Czech brewery takes the geographic claim seriously. They argue that calling American Budweiser "Budweiser" is like calling Californian sparkling wine "Champagne"—technically possible in the U.S., but misleading about origin.
Meanwhile, Anheuser-Busch's version became one of the world's best-selling beers, while the Czech original remains a regional favorite. Both are still brewing. Both still claim the name. And lawyers on both sides are probably drinking something stronger than beer.