Privacy Policy

Your Privacy Rights

Welcome to the www.BlackStarBeer.com Web Site (the Web Site, collectively with all content and functionality accessible at and through the Web Site (other than any, or any content or functionality accessible at or through any, Third-Party Sites (as defined herein)), the “Site”).

This Privacy Policy (as may be amended from time to time in the manner set forth herein, the “Privacy Policy”), which forms a part of the Terms and Conditions governing the Site, explains how Great Northern Brewing Company (“GNBC”) collects, uses and protects information in relation to your use of the Site.  IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS PRIVACY POLICY, OR DO NOT ACCEPT THE TERMS OF THIS PRIVACY POLICY IN THEIR ENTIRETY, DO NOT ACCESS, VIEW OR USE THE SITE AND PLEASE EXIT THE SITE IMMEDIATELY.

Access to www.BlackStarBeer.com is restricted to people of legal drinking age, including access to all advertising and marketing information on www.BlackStarBeer.com.  If someone under the legal drinking age has provided us with personal information by obtaining access in violation of the Web site access restrictions, GNBC asks that the parent or guardian of that person contact us at the e-mail address at the bottom of this Policy and request removal of the information from our records. Upon receiving your request, we will promptly remove such information from our records.

Privacy Policy Updates

GNBC reviews its privacy practices from time to time, and these practices and this Privacy Policy are, accordingly, subject to change.  Please be sure to review this Privacy Policy regularly so that you are aware of any such changes.  GNBC will update the effective date set forth below if GNBC changes this Privacy Policy.  GNBC will treat all information it collects online in accordance with the Privacy Policy in effect at that time.  This Privacy Policy is effective as of March 17, 2010.

Collected Information

GNBC uses small text files placed on a visitor’s computer hard drive (“Cookies”) to collect certain visitor information.  These small text files are stored in the computer’s browser and are used to “remember” a visitor’s individual preferences.  These Cookies permit GNBC to personalize your visit to the Site.  GNBC also uses Cookies for research and development purposes, including, without limitation, determining the number of individuals visiting the Site and their visitation patterns.  You are able to control whether and how Cookies will be accepted by your browser by changing your browser settings.  However, disabling Cookies could affect your participation in certain areas of the Site.

GNBC also automatically collects and stores certain non-personally identifiable technical information from each visitor to the Site, including, without limitation, information pertaining to web site usage, traffic patterns, site performance and associated statistics.  GNBC may be able to use this information to identify a visitor’s Internet Service Provider, the type of computer operating system the visitor is using and the general geographic location where the visitor connects to the Internet.

Finally, GNBC collects and stores personally identifiable information that you voluntarily provide or otherwise convey through your use of the Site.  Such personally identifiable information may include, without limitation, your name, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address and similar types of information. Although certain personally identifiable information is required in order to use certain features of the Site, you may exit these features at any time and you are free to use the remainder of the Site without providing such personally identifiable information.

Use of Collected Information

GNBC may use information it collects to contact visitors for advertising and promotional purposes, including, without limitation, through the distribution of hard copy or electronic mailings or other communications containing information regarding new products and services of GNBC or upcoming Company events that might be of interest to you.  However, you have the opportunity to “opt out” of receiving these advertising and promotional materials from GNBC.  If you would like to discontinue receiving advertising and promotional information from GNBC, please contact Great Northern Brewing Company at info@BlackStarBeer.com and indicate your request, along with your full name, mailing address and e-mail address.  Please refer to the heading “Information Disclosed to Third Parties” below for additional ways GNBC may use visitor information.

Furthermore, GNBC may use the information to improve or enhance the content and functionality of the Site, to more narrowly tailor and customize Site offerings to the needs of visitors and for other internal non-commercial business purposes.  In addition, GNBC may use the information it collects to process or respond to the requests of visitors of the Site.

In the future, if GNBC desires to use visitor information for additional purposes not previously disclosed in this Privacy Policy, GNBC may change this Privacy Policy and update the effective date of this Privacy Policy.

Information Disclosed to Third Parties

GNBC may provide statistical information and other non-personally identifiable information, including, without limitation, data generated through the use of Cookies or aggregate information GNBC compiles, to advertisers, partners, affiliates and other current and potential third-party service providers engaged by GNBC to provide better services to you.

GNBC may provide personally identifiable information to certain third-party service providers engaged to facilitate the services and functionality provided to Site visitors.  These third-party service providers may, in certain circumstances, require a visitor’s personally identifiable information in order to respond to certain visitor requests.

GNBC also reserves the right to release personally identifiable information and non-personally identifiable information to comply with requests from or to cooperate with law enforcement, governmental agencies or governmental bodies, or as otherwise required by law, rule, regulation or legal process.  GNBC reserves the right to report any suspected illegal activity to law enforcement bodies and may release visitor information in connection with such report.  Additionally, GNBC reserves the right to protect GNBC’s rights and the Site and to enforce the Terms and Conditions that govern the Site.

GNBC cannot and does not assume any responsibility for any actions or omissions of third parties.  However, in the event that you encounter any third party associated with, or who claims association with, GNBC who you feel is improperly collecting or using information about you, please e-mail info@BlackStarBeer.com with your request and GNBC will forward your message to the applicable third party.

California Privacy Rights under California Civil Code Sections 1798.83 and 1798.84 (California Residents)

Sections 1798.83 and 1798.84 of the California Civil Code give California residents the right to ask GNBC for a notice describing the categories of personally identifiable information it shares with third parties or corporate affiliates for their direct marketing purposes.  The notice provided by GNBC will specify the categories of information shared and will include a list of the third parties and corporate affiliates with which it has been shared, along with their names and addresses.  If you are a California resident and would like a copy of this notice, please submit a request to info@BlackStarBeer.com or the following address: Great Northern Brewing Company, 1160 Battery Street, #30, San Francisco, California 94111.  Please allow thirty (30) days for a response.

Third-Party Sites

The Site may contain links to or make accessible web sites that are not owned, operated or controlled by GNBC and are provided solely as a convenience to you (“Third-Party Sites”).  GNBC cannot and does not assume any responsibility for any use of Third-Party Sites.  If you use these links, you will leave the Site and the privacy practices that govern such Third-Party Sites may differ from this Privacy Policy.

Corrections to and Control over Information

GNBC endeavors to keep your personally identifiable information accurate and complete.  If you would like to update or correct your personally identifiable information, or remove from GNBC’s database personally identifiable information that you provided or conveyed through your use of the Site, please e-mail info@BlackStarBeer.com with your request, and GNBC will use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with your request.

If you request that GNBC delete your personally identifiable information, GNBC will delete the applicable personally identifiable information from its active databases.  However, the deletion of such personally identifiable information may affect your participation in certain areas of the Site.  Furthermore, the deletion of such personally identifiable information from GNBC’s active databases may not delete all of such information in the possession or control of GNBC.  For example, certain residual information may be present in GNBC’s backup computer or disaster recovery files or systems.  GNBC agrees not to use any such residual information for commercial purposes.

Information Security

GNBC has commercially reasonable security measures and procedures in place to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration of visitor information collected at the Site.  However, while GNBC endeavors to protect against the unauthorized loss or use of visitor information, GNBC cannot guarantee and does not warrant that the visitor information will be protected against loss, misuse or alteration by third parties.

Contact Information

Questions, comments or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or GNBC’s privacy practices should be directed to Great Northern Brewing Company, 1160 Battery Street, #30, San Francisco, California 94111.  You may also reach GNBC via telephone at 415 732 1003.