

SPRINGFIELD - White Lion Brewing Company, the Springfield-based start-up that hopes to open a craft brewery in the city, is being aided in that goal by the beer maker that help launched the craft beer revolution.

Samuel Adams announced the While Lion Brewing Company has been selected to receive a small-business loan under its Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program.

The terms of the loan and the amount were not disclosed.

White Lion founder Raymond Berry said he was thrilled with the assistance at a time when his fledgling brand, launched in October, is beginning to carve out its identity in the region.

The money will go toward working capital as the company works toward its long-term goal of finding and opening a brewing operation in Springfield, he said.

As important as the capital, Berry said White Lion was also received expertise from Samuel Adams officials about such things as brand management, promotion and distribution.

"We're taking advantage of it as much as possible," he said.

Jim Koch, founder of Samuel Adams, launched the Brewing the American Dream program in 2008 to aid small businesses. The program offers both money and expertise to start-ups in the brewing, hospitality and food service industries.

Koch said neither of those was available to him when he began brewing beer in his kitchen 31 years ago.

"I applied for loans through traditional banks but was repeatedly turned down, and on top of that, despite having two degrees from Harvard, I lacked the nuts-and-bolts advice that's so important to starting a small business," he said in an e-mail in response to a query from The Republican / Masslive.

"Thirty one years later I haven't forgotten how hard it is for small business owners who have a dream and a passion to start and run a small business --which is why I started Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream," he said.

Since, 2008 the company has lent $4.1 million to small business owners working with Common Capital in the Springfield area and Accion nationally. In that time, it has aided 475 companies, and coached or mentored more than 4,000 others. The company notes its repayment rate on the loans has been 98.1 percent.

In that time, they have made loans to 17 small breweries in eight states.

"Many people find it counter-intuitive that we are helping our so-called 'competition' but I don't see it that way," Koch said.

Founder of the Boston beer company and brewer of Samuel Adams Beer, Jim Koch speaks at the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau's annual meeting in 2011. Koch founded 'Brewing the American Dream' which creates small business loans to very small companies creating jobs and growth.

Craft beer sales account for about 11 percent of all beer sales. Samuel Adams, one of the biggest players in the craft beer market, accounts for about 1 percent, he said.

"There is so much room for all of us to grow," Koch said. "Our industry is built upon collaboration and comradery, and the more drinkers are exposed to and able to drink craft beer, the better off we all are."



White Lion was launched last October, billed as Springfield's only brewery. The company is based in Springfield, but the beer itself is brewed at Mercury Brewing in Ipswich and transported back to the area for distribution.

Berry said there are two ways to launch a brewery from scratch.

One is to commit to a location, materials and infrastructure needed for brewing and bottling, and then launching the brand. The other way is to do the reverse.

He said White Lion's business model has always been the second approach.

It employs Mercury Brewing as a contract brewer. The beer is brewed 50 barrels at a time, the equivalent of 650 cases, in Ipswich, and distributed throughout Western Massachusetts through Williams Distributing.

Berry said they are on target to produce 600 barrels in their first year and then to bump that up to 1,200 to 1,400 barrels by year two.

The long-term plan is to find a Springfield location and have it operational by late 2016 or early 2017, he said.

"We are right on target," he said.

Berry said White Lion is looking for at least 8,000 square feet, capable of holding a 30-barrel brewing system and bottling operation. The plan is it would be a brewery only, not a brew pub.

In the meantime, he and White Lion staff are working to promote the brand regionally as much as possible.

It is has regularly in attendance at various brew fests throughout the region, and on Aug. 29 will host its own, Valley Fest at Court Square in downtown Springfield, he said.

Koch and Common Capital officials will be in Springfield for a "speed coaching" session as part of the Brewing the American Dream program. Small businesses owners in the areas of hospitality, food and beverage industries are invited to sit in on 20-minute, "high impact" coaching sessions led by experts in the area of sales, distribution and packaging, and finance and marketing.

The event is scheduled for Aug. 10 from 6 - 8:30 p.m. The program is free but participants should register in advance by going to Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream website.