The beer has been available in other parts of Europe for some time but British fans of The Simpsons have had to wait some time for it to arrive in pubs here.
The wait is over, however, and the 4.7% ABV Pilsner, which is brewed in Germany, is finally available.
Duff Beer is imported and distributed by Duff Beer Distribution, which was established last year as an arm of the German brand owner, Duff Beer UG. The company says “there is no association with The Simpsons TV show”, and there is no mention of it on any of the beer’s packaging or marketing.
There is an ongoing trademark tussle between Duff Beer UG, which owns the German/European trademark, and the TV show’s producer News Corp, which has two earlier EU trademarks in place for the fictional beer.
However, it is suggested that a trademark cannot stand for a fictional product — therefore, as Duff UG has an actual product, its trademark stays firm. For the moment Duff comes only in 330ml cans or bottles and will initially be focused on the on-trade.
“We believe the brand will fit well in the UK market and are looking to immediately grow our footprint across the UK to enable consumers to finally try the legendary Duff Beer,” said director Dan Waddell.