http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...tD5qQD9BGAG480
David beat Goliath without even going to court.
The fight between Monster and Vermonster has been settled.
A small Vermont brewery that makes a beer called Vermonster and the Nasdaq-traded maker of Monster energy drinks settled a trademark dispute that prompted some stores to pull the larger company's beverages in protest.
The energy drinks-maker, Hansen Beverage Co., sent a cease-and-desist letter last month to Rock Art, telling it to stop using the name and to pay for its attorneys' fees.
On Tuesday, the two sides reached a settlement that allows Rock Art to continue to market the brew, an American barley wine, anywhere in the country. In return, Rock Art agreed not to sell energy drinks, which it never intended to do, said Douglas Riley, a Rock Art lawyer.
Neither Corona, Calif.-based Hansen nor its lawyer would comment on the settlement, the terms of which were confidential.
"It's phenomenal," said Matt Nadeau, who owns the Morrisville brewery with his wife. "It happened so fast. That's what's just amazing about this new power of traditional media, combined with social media, what tools that we have as Americans to fight against big power."