B as in "Benefit": The "New Kid on the Block" of Corporate Governance
With an alphabet soup of corporate structures available to U.S. businesses (think C-corp, S-corp, LLC, LLP, etc.) you might guess that creating another would be the last thing on the minds of new business owners. However, the success of socially mindful entrepreneurs and companies that boast both profit and...
Tips on Tap for Breweries on the Journey from Passion to Profit
As the number of craft breweries across the country continues to grow, Verrill Dana's Breweries, Distilleries & Wineries Group presents Tap Tips Podcast Miniseries to help brewers on the journey from passion to profit. The miniseries contains eight episodes to assist up-and-coming brewmasters and brewery owners to think critically...
No New COLA Required to Add Brewers Association’s Independent Craft Brewer Seal to Labels
The Brewers Association (BA) recently launched a seal to certify that a craft brewer is independent. This seal is, at least in part, in response to the global beer monoliths buying up formerly independent craft brewers as the large brewers' share of the market started to shrink. With more...
In the Beer Aisle: Independent Craft Brewers to Stand Out from the Rest of the Pack(s)
The Brewers Association (BA) recently launched a seal to certify that a craft brewer is independent. This seal is, at least in part, in response to the global beer monoliths buying up formerly independent craft brewers as the large brewers' share of the market started to shrink. With more...
PODCAST: What's Brewing in Real Estate Development: An Interview with Bob Gaudreau
In this episode of Verrill Voices: What's Brewing in Real Estate, Spencer Thibodeau interviews Bob Gaudreau of Hardypond Construction , about one of the construction company's recent, and unique, projects. The discussion takes place over a flight at Allagash Brewing Company and focuses on the renovation and repurposing of...
78 Taps of Beer on the - Shipping Container?
On June 24, the people of Reykjavik, Iceland will get a taste of Maine in their hometown – 78 taps of beer to be exact. After years of planning and a great deal of collaboration between the Maine Brewers Guild and various brewers and industry partners throughout the state...
Brewing Up a Small Business: Legal Issues Affecting Maine’s Craft Breweries
On June 8, Verrill Dana attorney, Tawny Alvarez, will participate in a panel discussion entitled, "Brewing Up a Small Business: Legal Issues Affecting Maine's Craft Breweries," hosted by the Cumberland Bar Association at Preti Flaherty in Portland, Maine. Joining Tawny are Perkins Thompson attorney Christopher Dargie and Maine Beer...
Labels – It’s Not just the TTB that’s watching
As purveyors of beverages containing alcohol, most craft brewers, distillers and wineries are aware of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax And Trade Bureau ("TTB") rules for labels, and the sometimes onerous task involved in getting those labels approved. To avoid extra expenses and delays, those who are not aware...
Leading the Pack: One Brewery's Leave Policies Are Pawsitively Unique
We talk a lot about the parameters of leave programs. New state laws that are popping up regularly that expand on employee leave rights. While we focus on the legal aspects of all leave laws, we do recognize the importance of having leave policies that work for the culture...
How Big is the Bite for Failing to Accommodate Service Animals?
Multiple New England breweries in the last week have made the difficult decision to no longer permit four-legged friends within tasting rooms. This article provides absolutely no opinion on those decisions—they are difficult decisions that are personal to the breweries. If, however, you own, manage, or are simply employed...
Brewers Association Marketing and Advertising Code Update: A beer by any other name doth taste as hoppy
Coming up with the recipe for your new brew is only half the battle, you also have to come up with a creative name and label. While we've discussed protecting your brand through trademarks in previous posts, brewers should also be aware of the revised Brewers Association Marketing and...
PODCAST: What’s Brewing in Real Estate Development – An Interview with Chris Thompson
In this episode of Verrill Voices: What's Brewing in Real Estate Development, Spencer Thibodeau interviews Chris Thompson, one of the real estate developers involved in the Thompson's Point development in Portland, Maine. Spencer and Chris discuss the history of the ongoing Thompson's Point development project and what may lie...
Build, Protect & Grow Your Brand
With the craft beer industry continuing to gain momentum, it becomes increasingly more difficult to come up with creative and unique beer and brewery names, as well as to ensure your recipes, people and logos remain your own. In an article for Craft Brewing Business , Verrill Dana attorney...
Managing Risk in the Craft Brewing Industry
In a presentation for The Risk Management Association Young Professionals Group, Austin Street Brewery Owner Will Fisher; GHM Insurance Agency's James Sanborn; TD Bank Relationship Manager Shauna Miller; and Verrill Dana Attorney Tawny Alvarez, gathered at Austin Street Brewery on its 3 rd Anniversary to provide an overview of...
Hey That’s Me Drinking That Beer! UGC Rights at Issue in Beer/Photo Lawsuit
Kayla Kraft (no known relation to the cheese people) found herself on a Natural Light coaster with a fake handlebar mustache drinking a beer under the heading "Every Natty Has a Story." She apparently didn't like that story and just sued Anheuser-Busch , the makers of Natural Light beer...
Canadian Company Pursues Moose Trademark: Trouble Brewing for Maine Beer Makers
As brewers and residents of Maine, whose state animal after all is a moose, this recent Bangor Daily News article about a large Canadian corporation chasing U.S. brewers with a trademark for "moose" is cause for concern. I know from my dealings with Maine brewers that potential disputes over...
A Bourbon Conundrum
The recent week-long strike at two Jim Beam facilities in Kentucky highlights a very interesting tension in the current workplace. Workers at the Boston and Clermont, Kentucky facilities overwhelmingly rejected the second contract proposal in two weeks, stepping out on strike on October 15, 2016. The second contract proposal...
This Week on Tap: Alternative Minimum Tax and Craft Breweries
We all enjoy tax savings, and breweries and distilleries should be taking advantage of recent legislation that went into effect earlier this year that makes the Research and Development tax credit permanent and enhances the tax credit by not limiting the credit to Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). Further, the...
Join Us at Brew Talks New England 2016
Verrill Dana's Breweries, Wineries & Distilleries Group is excited to sponsor this year's Brew Talks New England , part of Brewbound's traveling series of meetup events for professionals in the brewing industry, on October 24 at Jack's Abby in Framingham, Massachusetts. The program will offer both educational and networking...
I Wine, You Wine, We all Wine for Ice Cream . . . But Not in Massachusetts
Late last month, Massachusetts's Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission issued an advisory entitled "Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission ("ABCC") Advisory to § 18 Wholesalers/Importers and § 19 Manufacturers Regarding Alcohol-Infused Ice Cream." The Advisory notes that Massachusetts General Law chapter 138 prohibits the importation, manufacturing, and sale of ice cream that...
Love That Dirty Water, Baby
"I'm gonna tell you a story/I'm gonna tell you about my town/I'm gonna tell you a big fat story, baby/Aw, it's all about my town/Yeah, down by the river/Down by the banks of the river Charles/…Well, I love that dirty water/Oh, Boston, you're my home/ The Standells, with those...
On Tap For Yuengling, Clean Water Act Penalties
Wastewater disposal for large breweries, mid-sized establishments, and even small craft brewers, remains a significant environmental and economic challenge. Recently, the oldest brewery in America received an unpleasant reminder of this fact. D.G. Yuengling and Sons, Inc. was issued a complaint from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) alleging...
Age May Be Good For Wine . . . But Antiquated Liquor Laws Are Helping No One
To say that alcohol laws are antiquated is an understatement, but there's only one thing we can do about it—go to our legislators and change them. That is exactly what Massachusetts business-owners are doing. On Tuesday, two modest changes to Massachusetts alcohol laws were presented to the House of...
OSHA Penalties May Cause Craft-Industry to Say O SH**
Late last week, while everyone was focused on the summer holiday, the Department of Labor announced that pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvement Act, OSHA's maximum penalties, which have not been raised since 1990, will increase by 78 percent. This will increase the "serious", "other-than-serious"...
Beer Distributor Appeals NLRB Finding as to Terminated Union Employee Who Reeked of Marijuana
Appellate briefing to the Second Circuit was completed earlier this week in Manhattan Beer Distributors LLC v. NLRB , a case in which the NLRB, in 2015, held that Manhattan Beer Distributors violated an employee's Weingarten rights when they terminated a distribution employee who "reeked" of marijuana after he...
Funding Your “Pipe” Dream – Crowdfunding in the Craft Brewing Scene
In a story drawn from the dreams of a back-packing college student, the Associated Press reports that Belgian brewery owner Xavier Vanneste used crowdfunding to help finance development of a two-mile pipeline to pump thousands of gallons of beer each day from his brewery in historic Bruges, Belgium to...
Want to Operate a Tasting Room? You'll Need to Pay Up First.
The Portland City Council voted on Monday to require Portland breweries to pay a $500 fee to operate their tasting rooms. According to the Portland Press Herald article linked below, Councilor Suslovic believes the city has a legitimate public safety concern in regulating tasting rooms. The vote is likely...
Will Mass. Pay to Play Scandal Affect Maine Brewers?
A ruling involving the business practices of a Massachusetts-based beer distributor may keep Maine-brewed beers out of bars, restaurants and other retailers for 90 days. On Friday, the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission suspended the Craft Brewers Guild's license for 90 days for engaging in a scheme in which...
Portland to Beer Drinkers: Get Your Snack On
Now that's what we're talkin bout . Reversing one of the worst decisions of all time , officials in beer Mecca Portland, Maine , (known principally as the home to this humble blog), will now allow breweries located in the City's industrial zones to sell prepackaged food at their...
Nuts and Bolts of Registering Your Brewery Name
We have previously covered the process for developing your brewery/distillery/winery's name , including the essential step of clearance. Once you have found and cleared the perfect name, the next step is to protect it. The best way to protect your name is by registering it as a trademark with...
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