Craft Beer Professionals

Most breweries face challenges when it comes to succeeding in distribution. From understanding how the numbers impact the business as a whole to managing distributor relationships, running a sales team, and coordinating logistics, distribution is no easy feat. In this rigged game, wins can happen, though they often feel fleeting. Some breweries distribute out of necessity, while others seek the va...

In this unique era of crossover drinking, new beverage concepts, reinventing the tap room experience, and a whacky economy, what’s the best way to find your course? Join Start A Brewery Contributors and craft beer industry veterans Jeff Mendel of Left Hand Brewing Company, Tim Myers of Strange Craft Beer Company, Laura Bruns of Craft Beer Uncovered, and Charlie Gottenkieny of Bruz Beers for an in...

Believe it or not, there’s more to life than beer. There’s also wine, spirits, cider—even NA products! But just because you’ve mastered beer doesn’t mean you can simply begin making and selling other types of alcoholic beverages. When a brewery moves to expand their offerings and enter new markets, there is no shortage of new requirements and restrictions that apply. From new licenses to additiona...

We can't wait to share beers and see you in-person in Indianapolis. We kickoff CBC Week with our Welcome Party on April 28 at Guggman Haus Brewing Co. RSVP: http://indy.craftbeerprofessionals.org/ In this conversation, we will be joined by several of our event partners to discuss how to best plan for CBC, the importance of in-person events, and how to make it a success. Don't miss tips by...

The beer industry is filled with challenges—economic pressures, shifting consumer trends, and the constant noise of uncertainty. But instead of succumbing to doom and gloom, how can we cultivate resilience and purpose? In this session, Chris Douglas, a coach at Growth Equation, joins to explore the concept of tragic optimism—finding meaning and growth in difficult times. Through practical insights...

Taprooms are operating more like restaurants than ever before, and to stay competitive, they need to adopt the best practices from forward-thinking restaurants - especially when it comes to using data to drive profitability. Even in a tough market, the most successful businesses are leveraging cost data, menu insights, and server performance metrics to improve margins and maximize revenue. Jim Tay...

Beverage tax surety bonds are essential instruments for businesses in the beverage industry to ensure compliance with state and federal tax regulations. This presentation will provide an in-depth understanding of beverage tax surety bonds, their purpose, and their significance in the industry. We will explore how these bonds function as a guarantee to state authorities that beverage producers, imp...

The second Trump administration has barley begun, and employers and HR managers are worried if they are currently in compliance and if there is a strange brew on the horizon. We will discuss how the administration is and could impact employers. Learn how to ensure your business thrives and doesn’t fall a bit flat in the changing employment law landscape. Join Andrew Nielsen, General Counsel at myH...

Craft Beer Professionals has partnered with Craft Beer Advisory Services to gather insights on workplace satisfaction trends across the brewing industry. Join us for a presentation of the data, an exploration of trends, and insights into the state of workplace satisfaction across the brewing industry. Request the report: https://craftbeerprofessionals.org/workplace-satisfaction-report/ Learn more...

The process of taking a new product from concept to reality is one of the most difficult in the beer industry. With questions of type, scale, promotion, production, delivery, and sales in constant tension with each other, it can create a paralysis that can cripple the potential of even the most promising innovation. Moreover, in an industry built upon a foundation of new product creation and novel...

Join us to talk about cutting-edge technology and experiential strategies to engage the next generation of consumers. GoTab and BrewedAt are partnering to inspire breweries, taprooms, and hospitality venues to harness the power of memorable events, Gen Z-specific marketing strategies, and exclusive GoTab features like Secret Menus, shared tabs, and interactive experiences to attract a tech-savvy,...

Breweries are increasingly under pressure to adopt sustainable practices, including using recyclable packaging. However, navigating the complex landscape of packaging materials, recycling processes, and conflicting manufacturer claims can be daunting. In this presentation, we will demystify the recyclability of popular packaging solutions such as plastic rings, paperboard carriers, and aluminum ca...

The craft beer industry is constantly changing and competition is fierce everywhere you turn. Breweries are opening and closing everyday, so how does one stand out from the crowd? Today, we discuss a number of everyday activities that can be done to help maximize growth in a strategic fashion. We can't just rely on making good beer anymore. We'll explore topics such as "knowing your why" and then...

Stainless steel is an alloy of iron that is resistant to rusting and corrosion. It is also known as rustles steel or corrosion-resistant steel. It contains at minimum of 10.5 % chromium and usually nickel, and may also contain other elements, such as carbon, to obtain the desired properties. Stainless steel's resistance to corrosion results from the chromium, which forms a passive film that can pr...

As we move into 2025, the taproom experience is being shaped by an ever-evolving landscape of guest preferences, expectations, and behaviors. Craft beer alone won’t keep guests coming back—today's successful taprooms are those that create a seamless fusion of exceptional beverages, a welcoming atmosphere, and an engaging staff. To stay ahead of the curve, it's critical to understand how th...

They’re new, novel for many, and sales are booming. Hemp-derived THC drinks are changing store shelves and consumer purchase behaviors. This segment represents some of the highest potential for compound annual growth rate across all forms of cannabis and cannabis-adjacent products in coming years. Most importantly, those sales increasingly occur in common places people are already shopping: bottle...

One of the most important legal contracts in the early life of a brewery is the lease. In this presentation, attendees will gain an overview of the negotiation process for a brewery lease, starting with the letter of intent all the way through to execution. The discussion will include the types of commercial leases, key provisions (both generally and specific to a brewery business), and practical...

Kate, Judy & Mike with their business partners spearheaded The South Baltimore Brewery District, a grassroots and self-funded initiative between Pickett Brewing, Wico Street Beer Co., Checkerspot Brewing, and M8 Beer Co. The breweries eye a future that amplifies collaboration in the craft alcohol community beyond Baltimore to the entire state of Maryland. After developing a joint marketing and...

Join us as we dive into the essentials of dust collection in breweries and distilleries, including when it’s needed, how to implement it, and the latest advancements in the field. We’ll cover common questions about benefits, implementation options, and maintenance, while also exploring the new dust collection models recently introduced by ABM Equipment. Join us to learn more and ask your own quest...

Experiential tourism is on the rise, and breweries have a unique opportunity to become must-visit destinations for travelers. This session dives into how breweries can attract new customers, build lasting relationships, and create memorable guest experiences with the help of Harvest Hosts. Join Harvest Hosts employees as they share insider tips and real-world success stories from breweries already...

Buzzwords like "biotransformation" and "thiolized" are thrown around a lot in modern hop forward brewing techniques and products, but what is actually happening during fermentation that makes these aromatic compounds shine? The goal is to get the most terpenes and thiols possible out of your hops, and by learning about the complex mechanisms responsible we can harness the power of yeast to maximiz...

In a rapidly shifting market, breweries face the challenge of adapting to survive. This talk explores how thoughtful, strategic branding and package design can be a lifeline, helping breweries make the right moves to reach their target audience. We’ll discuss the value of brand audits to leverage existing equity, identify smart improvement areas, and make informed decisions on hiring the right des...

As more Gen Z consumers reach drinking age each year, breweries face the question: how can they attract this new audience to craft beverages? To effectively appeal to Gen Z, it’s essential to understand their values, drinking habits, and experiences they prioritize—and how these differ from those of previous generations, like millennials. This panel will explore Gen Z’s top priorities in a brand,...

In our "What's Going on in..." series we partner with State Guilds to spotlight their current successes, challenges, and trends. There is so much we can learn from one another and we hope these conversations can provide you with valuable insights applicable to your state. Next up: Ohio This conversation features: Carmone Macfarlane (The Phoenix Brewing Co.) John Haggerty (Warped Wing...

Though separated by over 2,500 miles, Coastal Fermentory and Loose Screw Beer Co. share similar experiences as they work toward the October 2024 openings of their second taprooms. In the first half of our conversation, we’ll explore the challenges, processes, successes, and surprises they encountered before serving a pint. In the second half, we’ll examine how their expectations have matched up to...