Bad Frog Beer is an American beer that was founded by Jim Wauldron and based in Rose City, Michigan. The beer is light-coloured amber with a moderate hop and medium body. It gained notoriety for its label, which features a frog extending its middle finger, and for its slogans, including He just don't care and An amphibian with an attitude. Due to the controversial nature of the label, Bad Frog Beer was banned in several states, including Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. The beer is no longer in production, but the company continues to sell merchandise featuring the iconic Bad Frog logo.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Company | Bad Frog Brewing Company |
Founder | Jim Wauldron |
Founded | October 1995 |
Headquarters | Rose City, Michigan |
Beer Type | Golden Amber Lager |
Beer Colour | Light-coloured amber |
Malt | Two-row pale, Munich, Dextrin, Carastan |
Hops | Cluster, Perle |
IBUs | 17 |
Serving Temperature | 40-45° F |
Banned States | 6 |
States Allowed | 15 |
What You'll Learn
Bad Frog Beer is banned in Wisconsin
The beer's label has been deemed offensive and inappropriate, particularly when displayed in convenience stores where children are present. The New York State Liquor Authority denied the approval of the logo twice, citing the gesture of the frog as "ludicrous and disingenuous." They argued that the logo would leave a negative impression on young children. However, Bad Frog Beer challenged this decision and took the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, where they ruled in favor of the company. The court argued that restricting Bad Frog Beer's advertising would not significantly impact the explicit content already accessible to children through other mediums, such as video games. Additionally, the product would primarily be marketed in liquor stores, where children are not allowed to enter.
Despite the court's ruling, Wisconsin and other states have maintained their ban on Bad Frog Beer. Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Chairman John E. Jones III supported the ban, stating that the label broke the boundaries of good taste. New Jersey, Ohio, and New York have also prohibited the sale of the beer. The controversy surrounding the label has resulted in a ban in several states, impacting the beer's distribution and expansion.
The Bad Frog Brewing Co. has faced significant challenges due to the controversial label, resulting in legal battles and restrictions on their product. The company has been forced to remove the slogan, "He's mean, green, and obscene," and has had to discontinue the original labels. While Bad Frog Beer is no longer available in Wisconsin or the other banning states, the company continues to sell its merchandise and has gained widespread publicity from the controversy.
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Bad Frog Beer's label controversy
Bad Frog Beer is an American beer company founded by Jim Wauldron and based in Rose City, Michigan. The company's signature beer label features a frog extending its second of four fingers, presumably the middle finger, along with slogans such as "He just don't care" and "An amphibian with an attitude". This label sparked controversy and resulted in bans in several states, including New York, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
The label of Bad Frog Beer generated significant controversy due to its depiction of a frog appearing to make an obscene gesture. The image of the frog extending its middle finger was seen by some as vulgar and inappropriate, particularly when considering the potential exposure to children. Renaissance Beer Co., the company behind Bad Frog Beer, applied to the New York State Liquor Authority (NYSLA) for approval of their logo but was denied twice due to the "ludicrous and disingenuous" nature of the gesture. The NYSLA argued that the logo would be inappropriate in convenience stores where children are present and that it would leave a negative impression on young minds.
However, Bad Frog Beer disputed this decision, taking the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The company argued that restricting their advertising would have a minimal impact on children's exposure to explicit content in other media, such as video games. The court ruled in favour of Bad Frog Beer, stating that it was unreasonable to deny the company the ability to sell its product, especially considering that liquor stores, the primary market for the beer, are not accessible to children.
Despite the legal victory, Bad Frog Beer faced additional pushback from other states. Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Chairman John E. Jones III banned the sale of the beer in his state, citing concerns over the label breaking boundaries of good taste. New Jersey, Ohio, and New York followed suit with similar bans. In total, Bad Frog Beer has been banned in six states, while also finding success and popularity in at least 15 other states and several countries.
The controversy surrounding Bad Frog Beer's label sparked debates about First Amendment rights and commercial speech freedom. The obscene gesture of the frog, along with the company's catchy slogans, generated both negative and positive attention, contributing to the polarising reputation of the beverage.
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Bad Frog Beer's taste and reviews
Bad Frog Beer is a light-coloured amber beer with a moderate hop and a medium body. It is brewed with a combination of two-row pale, Munich, dextrin, and carastan malts. The beer has a slight bitterness and a subtle mix of hops and malt aromas. It is described as a clean, well-balanced, and refreshing summer beer.
Reviews for Bad Frog Beer are mixed. Some people enjoy the taste, describing it as pleasant and very pleasant, while others find it unpleasant or mediocre. One review describes the beer as having a metallic taste and a funny taste, while another review states that the beer is not too bad for a microbrew. Some reviews specifically mention the Lemon Lager, which is described as having a slight sour aftertaste and being very refreshing on a hot summer day.
The beer has generated controversy due to its label, which features a frog extending its second of four fingers, which is presumed to be the middle finger. This image has been deemed inappropriate and vulgar by some states, leading to the beer being banned in several states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, and New York. However, it is available in at least 15 other states and has gained widespread publicity due to the controversial label.
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Bad Frog Beer merchandise
Bad Frog Beer is an American beer company founded by Jim Wauldron, based in Rose City, Michigan. The company has expanded to 25 states and overseas, and its merchandise is available in many countries. The Bad Frog Beer merchandise includes a range of clothing, such as t-shirts, caps, knit caps, and trucker hats, as well as beer mugs, tumblers, posters, and keychains. The company also offers free coozies and pens for orders over $25.
The unique story behind the Bad Frog Beer brand begins with Wauldron's background in the t-shirt business. While working as a t-shirt designer, Wauldron created a "tougher" looking frog graphic, which sparked interest and led to the creation of the fictitious Bad Frog Beer shirts. The demand for the beer depicted on the shirts prompted Wauldron to learn about brewing, and the company began brewing in October 1995.
The Bad Frog Beer brand has gained significant attention due to its controversial label, featuring a frog extending its middle finger. This label has sparked debates around commercial speech freedom and has resulted in the beer being banned in several states. Despite the controversies, Bad Frog Beer has expanded its reach and continues to offer its unique merchandise to fans worldwide.
The Bad Frog Beer website offers an extensive collection of merchandise for fans to express their love for the brand. From caps and t-shirts to mugs and posters, there is something for everyone. The merchandise showcases the brand's signature frog logo and various catchy slogans. The website also offers discounts and promotions, making it more affordable for fans to show their support for this unique and rebellious beer brand.
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Bad Frog Beer's expansion and legal battles
Bad Frog Beer is an American beer company founded by Jim Wauldron and based in Rose City, Michigan. The company was born out of Wauldron's graphics firm, which created animal graphics for T-shirts. When designing a frog, Wauldron was told by his colleagues that the amphibian looked "wimpy". In response, he redrew the frog to make it look "tougher" and had it flipping the bird. Soon after, the company started selling T-shirts with a fictitious Bad Frog Beer logo. However, people started asking for the beer itself, so Wauldron learned about brewing and began producing Bad Frog Beer in October 1995.
The beer quickly gained popularity and expanded to 25 or 32 states and overseas. However, Bad Frog Beer also faced significant legal challenges and was banned in 6, 8, or 10 US states due to its controversial label, which featured a frog extending its middle finger and slogans such as "He just don't care" and "An amphibian with an attitude". The label was deemed offensive and inappropriate, particularly for children, by liquor boards and control boards in multiple states, including New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Ohio.
The legal battles centred around the First Amendment freedom of commercial speech. Bad Frog Beer challenged the bans, arguing that restricting their advertising would not significantly impact children's exposure to explicit content in other media. In 1998, the US Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favour of Bad Frog Beer, allowing the company to sell its product in New York State. Despite this legal victory, the constant legal battles prevented further expansion of the beer, and it eventually disappeared from the market. Today, Bad Frog merchandise is still available, but the beer is no longer produced.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unclear whether Bad Frog Beer is available in Wisconsin. The beer is banned in six states, including New Jersey, Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania. However, it is available in at least 15 other states and has expanded to 25 states and several countries.
Bad Frog Beer has been banned in several states due to its controversial label, which features a frog extending its middle finger and includes slogans such as "He just don't care" and "An amphibian with an attitude." The label has been deemed inappropriate and vulgar, particularly for children.
Bad Frog Beer is a light-colored amber beer with a moderate hop and medium body. It is described as a golden amber lager with a slight bitterness and aromatic notes. It has a nice subtle mix of hops and malt aroma, good head retention, and a bitter finish.
Bad Frog Beer merchandise, such as shirts, caps, glasses, mugs, and posters, can be purchased from their website, badfrog.com.