Breaking News - Banned in Ohio
March 31, 2000 -- Liquor Police Ban Belgian Beer
Why has the Ohio Division of Liquor Control banned a certain little Belgian boy from crossing their state line? It's a sordid story of how state censors have banned a century-old, world-renowned statue of a little boy from gracing beer bottles in Ohio.
In November of 1999, the State of Ohio Division of Liquor Control revoked Brasserie Lefebvre's Manneken Pis beer label and ordered that the importers Paulaner North America, not ship Manneken Pis into the state of Ohio. Ohio authorities balked when they reviewed the label with its impish mascot. "Offensive and not in good taste," the Ohio liquor censors fumed, and a beer label that has been distributed around the world was "banned in Ohio."
The Manneken Pis is not merely a portrait of a "child who is obviously relieving itself," nor is it a "play on words" (ostensively, "mannequin piss") for sly humorous effect. Rather, it is a world-renowned sculpture, and a cherished symbol of the city of 'Brussels. The Manneken Pis is to Brussels as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris and the Buckeye is to Ohio. The statue's fame and appeal are not limited to Europe, as a replica stands on the platform of the Hamamatsucho train station in Tokyo, Japan. This is one of Belgium's best-selling beers, brewed by Brasserie Lefebvre.
To provide you with a brief history, the Manneken Pis is an early 17th century bronze and is considered Brussels' official mascot. The statue is as well known in Brussels, as Leonardo da Vinci's David is known in Italy. The statue, which depicts a small boy urinating atop a fountain, is located near the famed Grand-Place in the center of historic Brussels, the capital of Belgium. The first mention of this statue dates back to 1377, but the current version is a copy; the original was kidnapped by French soldiers in 1747. In restitution, King Louis XV of France presented the statue with a gold-embroidered suit.
Currently, Paulaner North America, importers of the disputed brew, is waiting to appeal this decision in front of the Ohio Liquor Control Commission.
Paulaner North America is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado and imports Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Fuller's and Brasserie Lefebvre. For more information on Paulaner North America visit its Web site at http://www.paulaner.com. We have attached a fact sheet on Paulaner North America to provide you with background on the company and its specialty import brands.
Search The Real Beer Library For More Articles Related To:
Paulaner, Brasserie Lefebvre, Belgium
Browse the Archive of Breaking News.
