July 25, 2016 On behalf of Garner, Ginsburg & Johnsen, P.A. on Monday, July 25, 2016. As franchisee lawyers, we see a lot of bad franchisors. Most of these bad franchisors work on what we call the “North Korean Model.” That means what it says – the franchisor is the dictator, and the franchisees have Read more…

On behalf of Garner, Ginsburg & Johnsen, P.A. on Monday, May 10, 2010. I am often asked what the best franchises are for absentee owners.  Typically, these prospective investors are people with excess money or persons approaching retirement age that want to put their money into a business that will generate profits for them over Read more…

July 18, 2014 The Peche is a patio-ready neo-Berliner Weisse fermented with peaches. On a recent trip to Chicago, this hoppy lawyer had the chance to snag a treat from the always popular Delaware brewery, Dogfish Head. If you’re reading this, Dogfish Head, come on out to Minnesota- we’ll take you bike riding and boating Read more…

Lagunitas Sucks (Brown Shugga Substitute Ale): Proof that Lagunitas does, in fact, not suck. Malt backbone balances pine and citrus hop notes but lets the hops shine.

September 2, 2014 Pliny the Elder is an incredibly well-balanced double IPA and does not disappoint! Well, I’ve had my first taste of Pliny the Elder (thanks, Chad!) and it did not disappoint. It was hoppy without being over-the-top – the hops had heavy citrus and grassy notes. The malt gave it a hint of Read more…

July 8, 2014 It is a truth universally acknowledged that a beer geek in possession of a love for hops must be in want of a Stone IPA. Their latest missive is a smooth drinking, vaguely floral “session” IPA called Stone Go To IPA. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a beer geek in Read more…

June 11, 2014 Surly Pentagram: Sour cherries and grapes. Good amount of funk; thanks Brettanomyces! Great end to a long day at the office.

April 22, 2015 Every now and then, even hoppy lawyers need vacations. Last week, I took one that included a few days in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Why Slovenia? Because they have dragons, and mountains, and, to my delight, some pretty great craft breweries. Slovenia must have known I was coming, because the day I arrived just Read more…

October 10, 2014 This complex brew started off a bit tart, quickly transitioned to a deep yeasty flavor, and finished off with just a hint of the grapefruit promised in its name. I’ve been a big fan of Blacklist Brewing (Duluth, MN) since a sampling at a beer festival a year or two ago, and Read more…

June 20, 2014 Maker’s Mark: Hints of vanilla and apple on the front end as the classic bourbon burn finish and flashes away at the end. Maker’s Mark is a great entry into the world of bourbon. My father-in-law would say its very approachable but its best to sneak up on it. The nose gives Read more…

March 16, 2023 So you want to close your franchise? You’re not alone. A survey of more than 1,100 franchise owners across various industries in around late 2014/early 2015 showed that more than half of franchise owners do not think that they make a fair profit, 91 percent were in debt, and around 66 percent Read more…

August 1, 2018 By now, many of you may have heard that Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. in Decorah, Iowa has sued its former head brewer, seeking to enjoin (or prevent) the former brewer from working at Thew Brewing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The breweries are roughly 100 miles from one another. Toppling Goliath filed the Read more…