Brittany brewer Aurélien Picard is facing a legal squeeze after Yoko Ono ordered him to stop selling his bestselling craft beer named John Lemon. The Japanese-American artist and widow of Beatles star John Lennon claimed the beer breached a trademark she registered a decade ago to prevent mockery and misuse of her late husband’s name.
Beer as a Tribute
Picard, owner of L’Imprimerie brewery in Bannalec, near Finistère, has been selling the lemon and ginger-flavoured craft beer for five years. He intended the name and label—featuring a caricature of the rock legend with glasses made of lemon slices—as a joke and tribute to the singer-songwriter, who was murdered in New York in 1980. The label also includes the words “Get Bock,” a playful twist on the German lager term and the Beatles’ 1969 hit “Get Back.”
“It was just a bit of fun: a label to raise a smile,” Picard said. “We have lots of beers with puns on the names of stars and have never had a problem before.”
Legal Threat
Last month, Picard received a letter from Ono’s lawyers ordering an immediate halt to the beer’s sale, threatening a daily fine for non-compliance. Initially dismissing it as a scam, Picard later verified the lawyers’ existence and discovered similar cases. The letter warned of a potential €100,000 fine and an additional €1,500 per day until the product was withdrawn.
“That was really scary,” Picard admitted. He added that the brewery was unaware of the John Lemon trademark and never thought to check. “We’re only a tiny outfit, with me and two employees. We don’t sell in supermarkets; we deliver bottles to local bars and crêperies.”
Stock Clearance
After exchanging letters, the brewery gained permission to sell its remaining 5,000 bottles until 1 July. Picard noted the stock is selling quickly, with customers travelling across Brittany to obtain a souvenir. “It’ll become a collector’s item, with a lovely story to tell friends,” he said.
Picard founded the brewery in a former print works in 2017. Early beers were named after printing press elements, while recent creations honour French and international stars. The John Lemon beer remains listed on the website without a name or picture.
Previous Cases
This is not Ono’s first such action. In 2017, she halted sales of a Polish lemonade called John Lemon. Other celebrity trademark battles include actor Pedro Pascal vs. a Chilean pisco brand named Pedro Piscal, a honey business called Miel Gibson that won its case, and a bakery named Superpan that retained the right to use Clark Kent imagery. Chile also boasts a car wash called Star Wash and a printing business named Harry Plotter.
Despite the setback, Picard remains unbitter and is considering renaming the beer Jaune Lemon (Yellow Lemon).
