Same Great Taste, Less Killing: Iron Maiden Alters Trooper Beer Label
A legal technicality has been keeping Iron Maiden's Trooper beer off the Swedish market, but thanks to some quick thinking by the graphic design department, Maiden-loving Swedes can now swill with impunity.
The problem, as reported by BraveWords, had to do with the label -- specifically its depiction of Maiden's mascot, Eddie, dressed as a British soldier looming in to do some damage with a battle flag (as seen on 1983's 'The Trooper' single). It might look cool while resting on your favorite bar, but that's a Swedish no-no; according to Robinson's Brewery, the U.K. company that bottles Trooper, the law there forbids "elements of war, weapons or aggression to be featured on alcoholic product."
Assuring drinkers that their "first and foremost priority is for our Swedish fans to be able to enjoy Trooper beer," Robinson's explained that they "amended the label by simply focusing purely on Eddie’s face and are now very pleased to advise that the new label, currently exclusive to Sweden, has now been approved." The new labels are expected to arrive in Swedish stores, restaurants, and pubs by the end of June; elsewhere in the European Union, bottles of Trooper remain available for purchase (with the original label) at IronMaidenBeer.com.
Sadly, U.S. fans remain unable to quench their thirst for Iron Maiden beer, but take heart -- if they can get past Swedish law, crossing American borders is only a matter of time.