MSNBC Articles -Vaune Dillmann thought the wording on his bottle caps was just a clever play on the name of the Northern California town where he brews his beer - Weed.

Federal alcohol regulators thought differently. They have ordered Dillmann to stop selling beer bottles with caps that say “Try Legal Weed.”

While reviewing the proposed label for Dillmann’s latest beer, Lemurian Lager, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau said the message on the caps he has been using for his five current beers amounts to a drug reference.

In a letter explaining its decision, the agency, which regulates the brewing industry, said the wording could “mislead consumers about the characteristics of the alcoholic beverage.”

Now who among us who have driven the long stretch of I-5 haven’t stopped for a picture in Weed, California?  In fact, I have a relative who was busted for weed in Weed; it’s apparently not a good place to stop and light up a joint.  For some reason, the police are very watchful for that sort of thing in Weed.  Who could’ve predicted it?

I’m curious about the way we consumers might be misled about the characteristics of alcohol.  It says “Try Legal Weed”?  Do you mean that drinking this will make me more creative, relaxed, happy, and insightful instead of a sloppy smelly sweaty pukey drunk?  If I drink too much, will I binge on Cheetos and suddenly like jam bands?

I’m also amused that we don’t want to put any drug references on a bottle of alcohol.  Because alcohol is like… fruit juice? milk? Gatorade?

Tags: beer, California, Weed

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 24th, 2008 at 3:35 pm and is filed under 4:20 NewsHour, Law Enforcement. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a trackback from your own site.