When making a list of people NOT to cross, pop singer Beyoncé is surely close to taking out the number one position. Offending or upsetting Queen Bey is definitely something you’d struggle to live down. Nevertheless, a Brooklyn-based brewery thought it was a good idea to market a Beyoncé-inspired beer – without the singer’s permission.
Biëryoncé was the ill-fated brainchild of Katarina Martinez, diehard Beyoncé fan and owner of Lineup Brewing. After missing out on seeing Bey live in concert, Martinez decided to put her energy into creating a pilsner in her honour, taking cues from Beyoncé’s fifth studio album for the branding.
Beer and Beyoncé fans were thrilled about the release.
Unfortunately, Martinez missed a crucial step in the whole process: the part where the whole thing resembles a huge copyright infringement. Beyoncé’s legal team issued a cease and desist letter to the brewery, insisting that it halt all production of Biëryoncé. Can we really say we didn’t see this coming?
“As a Hispanic, female-run business, I am very inspired by her so I thought I’d pay homage,” Martinez told music site Pitchfork late last year. “We’re disappointed she didn’t take it as a compliment, but oh well. It was fun while it lasted!”
After what was probably a sizeable egg-on-face moment, the brewery did what Beyoncé would do in the same situation – totally own it.
Fans of Biëryoncé were able to snap up the last few cans until stocks ran out, and we daresay there’s now a few can shrines out there.
So, while most people would probably be thrilled at the prospect of having a beverage named after them, in Beyoncé’s case it was very much a “beer, bye” situation. It’s Bey’s world – we’re all just living in it.
