It always strikes me as somewhat unfair when some giant picks on the little guy. Being someone that tends to root for the underdog (baseball excluded), I was particularly disturbed to read that Monster Energy Drink is suing Rock Art Brewery, a small and funky brewery based in Morrisville. Monster Energy’s claim is that Rock Art’s signature ‘Vermonster’ brew infringes on their brand. Given that beer and caffeine-laden drinks have never ever been confused for one another, this recent David vs. Goliath seems even the more absurd. Honestly, how many times has any college student seriously trying to pull an all nighter mistakenly chugged a cold beer instead of one of the many energy drinks on the market? How many times has someone stood in front of a store cooler on a hot Vermont July afternoon dreaming about a beer and mistakenly purchased a ‘tasty’ energy drink? How many times has a family off for a wonderful birthday bash at the local scoop shop ordered up a six-pack of Vermonster brew instead of that oh so delicious Ben and Jerry’s treat…. also named a Vermonster? Hey, why doesn’t Monster Energy Drink sue Nestle? Oh, right, size does matter! Folks, despite the well known W.C. Fields line that there is a sucker born every minute, people are just not that dumb…..which brings me to the point of this blog post.

Small business is at the heart and soul of Vermont’s economy. If not for the entrepreneur, the individuals, couples, and families willing to risk their savings to launch an enterprise, our state would not have the outrageous successes that we boast today. Where would we be without IDX, Ben and Jerry’s, Dealer.com, Lake Champlain Chocolates, Green Mountain Coffee, Magic Hat Brewery, the Skinny Pancake, Epik1, a host of successful software start-ups, and our ever growing brew and wine industry?

Rock Art Brewery started as one person’s dream in his cellar. Good beer and a good business plan made him successful in a very competitive micro-brew industry. To celebrate that success and this state, he named a beer after it. God love him. For his temerity he is now being sued by a corporate giant with the financial wherewithal to tie him up in court until hell freezes over. It is the school yard bully tormenting the little kid all over again, and we should all be outraged. If the spirit that makes Vermont a fertile creative ground is allowed to be extinguished, then all of our businesses will shine just a little less brightly.