Here is Weed Lager. The brand name refers to Weed, California, where the beer is made. Before this 2008 label approval, the labeling said “Try legal Weed.” The current label also says “Vegan: No Animal Testing or Ingredients” (as opposed to, for example, wine with egg, milk and fish protein). Greg Beato explains the controversy in First Amendment Lite, his excellent article in the August/September issue of Reason magazine.
Every year, the TTB reviews more than 100,000 proposed labels, and because the statutes and regulations it has at its disposal are both extremely specific and extremely vague, its agents often end up behaving more like cultural critics than government bureaucrats — parsing puns, interpreting illustrations, determining the artistic value of the occasional female breast.
Congratulations on producing a very fine, unusual and interesting blog. This is definitely the place to look if you want to learn something about the amazing variety of drinks that there are. Here you can find the fun, the extraordinary and the novel in the world of alcoholic beverages.
Well done!
If you are looking for a clear definition of the word Cocktail on a label… don’t approach the TTB. Whereas, most of the population would answer a mixed alcohol beverage, the TTB will most likely not provide a definitive answer and would most likely question / reject the use of the word on any label other than a distilled spirit product based upon personal opinion.