Belgian authorities destroyed 2,352 cans of American beer advertised as ‘The Champagne of Beers’ because it is not, in fact, Champagne

• Earlier this week, Belgian authorities destroyed 2,352 cans of Miller High Life headed for Germany.

• The issue came down to the American beers being labeled as “The Champagne of Beers.”

• A statement released by the official Champagne committee called the beers “illicit goods.”

Earlier this week, Belgian authorities destroyed every single drop of a shipment of 2,352 cans of Miller High Life in Ypres, Belgium. The beers, labeled as “The Champagne of Beers,” had first arrived in the country in February.

A joint statement issued by the authorities and France’s Champagne Committee, a trade organization representing the French region of Champagne, confirmed the beers were destroyed because they infringed on the “protected designation” of Champagne.

It went on to refer to the beers as “illicit goods” and said the recipient of the beer in Germany, where the cans were headed, did not contest the decision to destroy it. It’s not clear from the statement who was importing the beers.

Charles Goemaere, managing director of France’s Champagne Committee, said the eradication of the Miller High Life beers highlighted “the importance that the European Union attaches to designations of origin and rewards the determination of the Champagne producers to protect their designation.”

He also congratulated Belgian authorities for their “vigilance.”

Kristian Vanderwaeren, Administrator of the Belgian Customs Service, also spoke on the seizure and called the beers “counterfeit.”

According to the statement, the container was destroyed with “the utmost respect for environmental concerns” and “was recycled in an environmentally responsible manner.”

In a statement provided to Insider, Molson Coors, the parent company of Miller High Life, said the beer has “proudly worn the nickname ‘The Champagne of Beers’ for almost 120 years.”

“We debuted the brand just before New Year’s Eve in 1903,” it added. “Of course, we respect local restrictions around the word ‘champagne,’ but we remain proud of Miller High Life, its nickname and its Milwaukee, Wisconsin provenance. We invite our friends in Europe to the U.S. any time to toast the High Life together.”

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But by advertising the alcoholic beverage in such a way, the beers crossed into murky waters with European regulations that stipulate that any goods that infringe upon a protected designation of origin of a member state are “counterfeit goods.”

Champagne, the sparkling wine and its name, has been protected by European law that says it can only be used for wines made in the region made through a regulated production process since the 1980s, according to France’s Champagne Committee website.

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