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Troegs Brewing Co. has withdrawn a trademark challenge against

over the name of the

-based company's Christmas-themed beer.

Troegs, based in Harrisburg,

, claiming it was too similar in name to Troegs' own Mad Elf Ale.

But Troegs withdrew its challenge after Brew Works countersued, claiming e-mail messages sent by Troegs officials proved the complaint against Brew Works was disingenuous and fraudulent, according to state records.

In the original suit, Troegs compared the similarity between the Rude Elf's Reserve logo and a Mad Elf Ale logo that Troegs holds a trademark on, according to the records.

In its countersuit, Brew Works argued Troegs had adopted a new logo for that beer five years ago and that the logo Troegs cited in court documents had not been in use since 2006, after Brew Works started using its own Rude Elf's Reserve logo.

In its argument, Brew Works cited e-mail messages sent by Troegs officials in November 2010 discussing the possible use of the last remaining cases that still had the old labels.

Brew Works attorney Jeanne Hamburg argued the e-mails proved there had been

"no continuous use"

of the old trademark even though Troegs had filed a declaration of its use with the state in October 2010, less than a month earlier.

Troegs withdrew its challenge against Brew Works on Oct. 20, and 10 days later the state dismissed it with prejudice, meaning Troegs cannot resubmit the challenge later.

Trogner declined to comment on whether the e-mail messages played a factor in his company's decision to withdraw the challenge.

Hamburg was unavailable for comment this week, and a phone message to Brew Works owner Jeff Fegley was not immediately returned.

Troegs had previously argued Brew Works' use of the name Rude Elf's Reserve was damaging to their company because customers would likely confuse it with Mad Elf Ale, according to records.

Brew Works continues to offer Rude Elf's Reserve,

, which describes it as a Belgian strong dark ale brewed with two-row pale and caramel malts, dark Belgian Candi Sugar and three Belgian yeast strains.

Rude Elf's Reserve has been offered since 2006, according to state records. Mad Elf Ale, offered by Troegs since 2004, has a combination of cherries, honey and chocolate malts,

.