Brewery Called "Able' Example

Press Release

To round off National Small Business Week, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., visited Merrimack microbrewery Able Ebenezer on Friday to celebrate its success and tout resources for small-business owners.

The company, founded by Army veterans Mike Frizzelle and Carl Soderberg and marketing manager Jim Wilson, opened in June and has grown quickly. The beer already is being distributed to 37 restaurants across southern New Hampshire, with new sites on the Seacoast planned this summer.

Soderberg said the combination of support from the town, state and loan providers drew them to New Hampshire and specifically to Merrimack.

"We put together a business plan -- one for here and one for California. It made sense for us to do it here," he said, adding the town support was important -- specifically that of community development director Tim Thompson.

"People ask us, 'Why Merrimack? Why not Manchester?' We interviewed six different towns to see who's most willing to work with us, and Tim's been great," Soderberg said. He said the town was helpful in navigating the various ordinances -- zoning, planning and waste water logistics.

"Being a small business isn't easy, but there's a lot of resources out there," said Seth Goodall, regional administrator of the Small Business Administration.

The SBA offers help for entrepreneurs such as workshops, business mentors and lending programs.

The brewery's founders were able to use the Patriot Express loan guarantee program through the Small Business Administration.

They also received assistance from Enterprise Bank in Nashua.

"I want to make sure that entrepreneurs across the state are able to take advantage of the resources offered by the Small Business Administration, like Able Ebenezer was able to do, whether they are just getting started or looking towards the next stage of growth," Shaheen said.

"We're really here to recognize Small Business Week, and this is a great example. The fact that you are veterans and chose New Hampshire is really impressive and speaks to the effort in the state to support all small businesses," she told Soderberg and Frizzelle.

Soderberg and Frizzelle said one of the biggest obstacles was learning to manage growth as their output began to grow.

"Every time you expand, you're managing the cash flow gap," Frizzelle said.

Regardless of obstacles, the company has thrived. It produces 600 gallons a week, with the potential to make more.

"This is a spacious brewery," Soderberg said. "We wanted space we could grow into over time."

The brewery crew led Shaheen on a tour of the facility, followed by a tasting of their four signature beers.

For other veteran-owned small businesses, the SBA is waiving fees on Express loans between $150,000 and $350,000 for 2015, which are typically about 3 percent of the loan.

Shaheen also introduced the Veterans Entrepreneurship Act in April to make the waivers permanent, and to increase support and financial counseling for veteran small-business owners.

The Senate Small Business Committee unanimously voted to refer the bill to the Senate for review.

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