Beer and Jerry's

No, Ben & Jerry's isn't making a beer-flavored ice-cream. Or, for that matter, a marijuana-flavored ice cream. But it is taking some heat for plans to put its kid-friendly name - and image - on a craft beer. The Vermont-based ice-cream specialist, known for its often-wacky flavor combinations, has announced plans to create a craft beer dubbed Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale, in conjunction with Colorado-based New Belgium Brewing. The brew is tentatively scheduled to hit the market later this year, but the marketplace impact may be quite different than what Ben & Jerry's, which is owned by Unilever, intended. Although the move comes at a time when the craft beer market is exploding, there is parallel national movement to protect children from being marketed to - or influenced by - makers of adult-focused products like tobacco and alcoholic beverages. Some wonder if Ben & Jerry's, a progressive chain that has long stood up for important social and environmental issues, has crossed a line. They may well have done so.