Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 15 S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 5 e ecosystem around craft brewers seems to be growing almost daily. Ed Lutjens, a Maine woodworker and blacksmith, said at the end of August that he is bringing back a 4,000-year-old art form — cooper- ing — for small batch distillers. He claims his Portland Barrel Co. is among the first to perform "tight" cooper- ing for aging of spirits rather than for display barrels. Also recently, Acadia Insurance launched a new program targeted at small- and mid-sized brewer- ies. e insurance program offers all major lines of coverage for a brewery operation, including prop- erty and equipment, general liability, worker's com- pensation, commercial auto and umbrella liability. "We insure the walls of the building and all the equipment for brewing the beer," says David LeBlanc, chief underwriting and marketing officer at Acadia's headquarters in Westbrook. "But if a craft brewer loses a key employee, we also provide insurance to help replace that person." Better safe than sorry Starting a brewery involves expensive purchases of brew kettles, plumbing, ingredients and other items. Many early-stage brewers spring out of home hobbies and use family money to scale their operations. So it may seem a luxury to spend money on legal advice and insurance. But those in the business caution that it's critical early on to take care of intellectual property and other mat- ters to protect the business and the individuals in it. Tod says at times Allagash and a competitor inadvertently used the same name for a beer brand. "Usually it's an honest mistake," he says, adding there are a number of ways to solve the issue. "But good fences make good neighbors. If you come up with a name, protect it federally." He's referring to trademarking beer brands. at's becoming more important with the growth of craft breweries nationwide, he says, from well under 1,000 breweries, each with about five beer brands, when he started 21 years ago, to 3,500 or so breweries now, each with 10 beers or more. "at's tens of thousands of beer names," he says. Finding a unique name to trademark requires due diligence and professional help, he adds. Some basic considerations for new brewers include the best form of business entity, legal obli- gations to employees, trademarks and intellectual property protection, compliance with alcohol regu- lations, space to expand and succession planning if something happens to you, notes Marianna "Molly" Putnam Liddell, a partner at Pierce Atwood LLP. She is among the eight attorneys who work with all types of brewers, including the Craft Brew Alliance Inc., Miller Brewing Co., Maine Beer Co. LLC, Downeast Cider House and Sunday River Brewing Co. Liddell says Pierce Atwood hasn't formalized its craft beer practice like Verrill Dana, but its team takes a multidisciplinary approach to craft brewery and con- centrates on speaking the language of the clients. "I represent owners in an individual capacity and protect their personal interests, their business and their family," she says. "You are potentially sitting on a gold mine. What if there is a catastrophe?" Her firm also handles real estate, recycling of barley and oats, energy and other issues. C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » Medical Network Inc. (MedNet) is a Maine-based organization that has the power to lower your healthcare costs by providing a credentialed, low-cost, high access, preferred provider network. mainemednet.com 1 (800) 556-1144 3 questions to ask your broker about self-insurance Talk to your broker today and ask about self-funding your health plan. Many companies, even those with less than 50 employees, have saved thousands of dollars by self-insuring. Your broker can help set up a risk-assessment in your office. Get the information you need to design and control your plan. Discover ways you can implement a robust wellness program to reduce expenses. How can a wellness plan reduce my costs? 3 How do I set up a risk assessment? 2 Does it make sense for a company with less than 50 employees to self-insure? 1

• Cover