Hulk Hogan (real name Terry Bollea) has long been bigger than WWE fandom. The iconic professional wrestler has been a celebrity for decades thanks to his larger-than-life persona. More recently, he's become known for beer. Last year, Hulk made an entrepreneurial pivot. He was seen on the road across America, launching and promoting his own beer brand, Real American Beer (RAB).
Now, the beer is at the center of a new lawsuit. Don't worry, Hogan is safe. He’s not a defendant, or even a plaintiff; he’s merely the face of the new brew. But a bunch of executives are about to duke it out for the rights to the intellectual property of Hogan-brand beer. How did we end up here?
Hulk Hits Hard with Nostalgia
RAB has been marketed as a nostalgic, all-American lager, drawing heavily on Hogan’s wrestling legacy and his enduring appeal as a pop culture figure. The branding leans into Hogan’s signature red-and-yellow color scheme and catchphrases, aiming to evoke a sense of an old-school brand. The beer’s tagline, “Crafted for Real Americans,” is a wink to Hogan’s famous wrestling theme song and persona, and the packaging features his unmistakable mustachioed likeness. Marketing efforts included appearances by Hogan himself at launch events, social media campaigns heavy on wrestling nostalgia, and partnerships with bars and retailers that cater to wrestling fans.
The beer is a light lager, similar to mainstream domestic beers. This was a deliberate choice: at least in the promotion around RAB, Hogan and his partners made it clear that they were targeting the everyman, not craft beer aficionados.
Hogan said at a promotional event: “I thought it would be cool to have a beer that would bring America back together one beer at a time. You can have a conversation over a beer, but a lot of people don’t want to have conversations anymore, but we’re a lot more alike than we are different. I figured maybe over a ‘Hulk Hogan’s Real American Beer’ we can get everybody back together.”
Carma HoldCo Crafts the Concept
Hogan’s brewski may have come at a time when celebrity-branded alcohol was booming, but it set itself apart. RAB was distinct in its embrace of blue-collar, nostalgic Americana. While some celebrity beers chase the craft market or premium positioning, Hogan’s offering is intentionally affordable and unpretentious, aiming for the same mass-market appeal that made him a household name in the 1980s and 1990s. Whose idea was that, exactly? You might assume Hulk had a lot to do with it, but celebrities pay people for this kind of stuff.
Carma HoldCo Inc. is a licensing, branding, and product development company known for its innovative partnerships with high-profile celebrities. By collaborating closely with stars, Carma helps bring celebrity-branded products to market, blending star power with consumer appeal. Notably, Carma has partnered with professional wrestling legend Ric Flair to launch Ric Flair’s Wooooo Energy Drinks, a beverage line inspired by Flair’s iconic persona and catchphrase. Additionally, Carma worked with boxing icon Mike Tyson to develop and promote Tyson 2.0, a popular cannabis line that leverages Tyson’s personal brand and story.
In 2023, Carma began developing a concept for a Hulk Hogan-branded beer. The company soon entered into an agreement with Hogan, making him a brand ambassador for the beer. The initial plan was ambitious. Carma’s then-president Chad Bronstein and chief legal and licensing officer Nicole Cosby were deeply involved in shaping the concept. They held discussions with August and Billy Busch, members of the famous brewing family who controlled the “Real American Lager” trademark, with the idea of forming a joint venture. Carma even commissioned a designer to create beer can designs and branding proposals for “The Real American” beer, including variants like “All-American Lager” and “Patriot Pilsner.” These proprietary materials were delivered to Carma that September, and, according to the company, were confidential and central to their business strategy.
A Corporate Smackdown
Later that year, internal conflicts surfaced. Carma discovered that Bronstein had structured the developing beer deal to secure a personal ownership stake, a move deemed a conflict of interest. Cosby, as CLO, allegedly authorized these arrangements. As a result, both executives were terminated in November.
After their departure, Bronstein and Cosby (now operating through a new entity called Rahm Inc.) allegedly continued discussions with Hogan and the Busch family — this time without Carma. Carma claims that Bronstein and Cosby persuaded Hogan to abandon his ambassador agreement with Carma and instead partner with Rahm to launch the beer independently. Rahm subsequently filed trademarks for “Real American Beer” and related products. The beer was launched soon after, quickly gaining traction and even partnering with WWE.
Carma was displeased, to say the least. Last week, it filed a lawsuit against Bronstein, Cosby, and Rahm in a federal court in Illinois. The complaint accuses them of breach of contract, theft of trade secrets, tortious interference with contractual and prospective business relations, and violations of both federal and Illinois trade secret laws.
Carma alleges that its former executives used confidential business plans, branding, and marketing strategies developed while at Carma to poach Hogan and launch a competing beer. The company claims at least $10 million in damages, seeks restitution from Bronstein and Cosby, and asks the court to bar Rahm from using or profiting from the allegedly stolen intellectual property.
The Upshot
What does all the brew-haha mean for Hulk and his fans? Probably not much. Hulk isn’t directly involved in the suit, and on top of that, the litigation is still in very early stages. Given the high-profile nature of the case and the amounts involved, the parties could reach a settlement before trial, possibly involving monetary compensation or restrictions on the use of certain intellectual property. Depending on the settlement terms and price, or if the plaintiffs prevail with a lot of damages, the beer could go out of production at some point in the future.
Hulk himself isn’t totally in the clear from legal trouble, though. Earlier this year, an Akron woman sued Hogan himself, along with the RAB brand, for very different reasons. She was struck in the head by a thrown beer can during a promotional event at Thirsty Cowboys in Ohio last year. The incident left her with a forehead wound requiring 10 stitches and potential permanent scarring. Hulk may be out a bit of cash to settle that matter with her.
Fans of the beer should just enjoy it while they can — and watch out for flying cans.
Related Resources:
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