ANN ARBOR, MI — A red- and white-striped tap line at one downtown Ann Arbor tavern marks a beer fit to make Ohio State fans cry.
Niko Porikos, whose father Perry is the long-time owner of the Brown Jug, said the family’s business has had “Buckeye Tears” on tap for about a year. But it wasn’t until last month that they took steps to trademark the name for the beer in a nod to the mascot of the University of Michigan’s rival.
Ohio State quickly filed a legal challenge against the trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Since then, Porikos said the beer has “definitely” seen a surge in popularity among Michigan fans…