Brewery decides to cancel Beer Barter

The popular Beer Barter will not be part of this Saturday’s Whitefish Winter Carnival celebrations after all.

Great Northern Brewing Co. canceled the barter Friday after they were unable to reach an agreement with the City of Whitefish over requirements for insurance and indemnification.

In a statement posted on their Facebook page, the brewery said their insurance provider would not accept the idemnification requirement.

“It has forced us to retract our permit application — we cannot host an event without insurance,” the statement read.

On Monday, Whitefish City Council voted 4-1 to issue the brewery a permit for the event on Central Avenue.

The vote overruled an earlier decision from City Manager Chuck Stearns to deny the permit based on recommendations from Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial. Dial cited uncontrolled premises and a rampant number of open containers throughout downtown during past barters.

The city noted in a press release Friday that state law requires an event sponsor to control the premises where alcohol is consumed and sold.

“The past failure to control the premises led the city council to impose more stringent requirements on this event for this year,” the release stated.

Some of the more stringent requirements on the brewery included a $5,000 performance bond, six insured security guards and the indemnification agreement.

The brewery also agreed to only serve beer from 4-6:30 p.m. Last year they began serving at 11 a.m.

“In an event like that, a lot of things could go wrong,” Stearns told the Pilot on Friday. “We don’t want the city taxpayers to hold the responsibility.”

Stearns said the brewery felt the indemnification agreement was too broadly written.

“Indemnification and insurance are important requirements when a major event selling alcohol occurs on the city right-of-way, in this case Central Avenue, because the city could incur some liability from such an event,” the city’s release stated. “All such liability should rest with the event sponsor, not the city's taxpayers.”

The Beer Barter asks contestants what they would do or trade for a year’s supply of beer. Hundreds of spectators fill the street in front of the brewery as offers are made to a panel of judges.

The event was scheduled for Feb. 8 after the Grand Parade. The brewery will go ahead with its 19th anniversary party beginning at noon.