D.G. Yuengling & Son sent Anheuser-Busch a cease-and-desist letter earlier this month regarding its use of a tagline that Yuengling claims was similar to one it already has trademarked. Busch had begun using the tagline “Get ready for the next generation of beer” in social media posts to promote its upcoming zero-carb brew Bud Light Next.

However, Yuengling claimed that phrase was too similar to its “Next generation of light beer” tagline, which has been used since February 2020 with the company’s Flight brew.

“Flight by Yuengling is one of our lead brands; it’s one of our fastest-growing brands,” said Yuengling spokesman Paul Capelli. “We’ve created this great product, and if some other light beer takes our tagline and puts it on their brand, obviously that is extremely confusing for the consumer.”

Although a formal response from Busch was not given, the cease-and-desist threat seems to have worked. Busch’s Bud Light accounts recently deleted all posts using the tagline and replaced it with “Get ready for what’s next.”

Busch has not responded to requests for comment.

Yuengling registered the “Next generation of light beer” phrase with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office more than a year ago.

The brewer had a little fun with Bud Light, tweeting an image of a cartoon burglar—masked and lowered by ropes—pilfering Flight’s catchphrase. “We know imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but this is going a bit too far,” Yuengling tweeted at Bud Light.

“We had hoped they would do the right thing, and in the spirit of the holiday season, they gave us back what belonged to us. We say thanks and happy holidays and have a Flight on us,” Capelli quipped.

Last week wasn’t the first time that Anheuser-Busch, which is owned by Belgium-based Anheuser-Busch InBev, had referred to Bud Light Next as “The next generation of beer.” Andy Goeler, vice president of marketing for Bud Light, used the phrase in a September interview on CNN.

Yuengling and Anheuser-Busch have tangled before. Two years ago, the beer behemoth launched an ad campaign designating Seltzer, Pennsylvania—a real-life hamlet just a few miles from Yuengling’s historic brewery in Pottsville—as the “unofficial spokes-town” of Bud Light Seltzer.

Yuengling clapped back in a tweet: “Get off my lawn.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.