Craft Beer Professionals

The craft beer industry has rapidly transitioned into being the craft BEVERAGE industry. Once dogmatic in its commitment to beer alone, nearly half of the country's breweries now produce some alternative category in-house. However, with extension of offerings comes challenges of execution and development. From product manufacturing considerations to brand hierarchy to marketing and sales execution...

CBP Stories showcase individual members who have an inspiring story to tell.   Spencer Moore is currently the Production Manager for Lock 27 Brewing in Dayton, Ohio. in 2015, when his wife was stationed in the United Kingdom, he found himself on a food tour at a brewery in which he spontaneously asked for a job. He then began his brewing career at Calverley’s Brewery in Cambridge, UK, a very...

As industry members, we often find ourselves becoming members of organizations that create opportunities for us to advance our careers through networking, education, or experiential opportunities. Though some of these organizations may be run solely by paid employees, often time they are spearheaded by a group of super volunteers who donate their time and passion outside of their day jobs. So how...

In this conversation, we are joined by a panel of Craft Beer Marketing Professionals to discuss trends, surprises, and insight into how you can knock it out the park with your brewery's marketing. From stellar can designs to sustainable merch to the most entertaining TikTok videos, our panel will share the marketing strategies they've been a part of over the past year that have generated returns....

The old rules of selling craft beer and cider in the Off Premise marketplace don’t apply anymore. On Premise shutdowns in 2020, consumer pantry loading, changing purchasing habits of consumers, new brands entering the market, and daunting efforts to get brands approved in chain outlets have all led to huge challenges for craft brands that have caused them rethink their sales strategies for this ma...

As we start the New Year, we are excited to welcome Kary Shumway (Craft Brewery Financial Training.com) to discuss how to make your resolutions stick. Kary will discuss goal setting basics, strategies to stay organized, and how to make your goals stick. He will even share a few book recommendations to help you along the way. Join us for a conversation to get 2023 started on the right foot. Join us...

Brewers spend a lot of time and energy in crafting the perfect beer, from the best ingredients to the latest beer styles. With this in mind, beer quality is of utmost importance, and a quality control program is paramount to creating great beer every time. Whether you are a just beginning or want to learn more about best practices, we can help you develop the beer quality control program that work...

What are the best practices, ideas, and tactics that will help your draft system be as efficient as possible?   Our talented panelists will provide insights and easy action steps to increase your keg efficiencies, manage inventory, and understand what has been a challenge for the industry for years...BEER LOSS! Panelists: Austin John (Apocalypse Ale Works) Ian Purcell (BarTrack) Ruark Jo...

Operating one business is tough, but what sparks the desire to not only open a brewery, but also operate a winery. We will dive into why our panelists chose this model, strategies for success, lessons they've learned, and items for you to consider if looking into a similar concept. This conversation features: Barbara Evers (Everleigh Vineyards & Brewing Company: Winery, Brewery) Clay Keel (Kee...

Join a panel with Pulkit K. Agrawal (Beer30 by The 5th Ingredient), Chris Farmand (Small Batch Standard), and Kary Shumway (Craft Brewery Financial Training.com) on a topic dedicated to “Understanding Brewing Economics for Production Profitability".   The topics covered will include helping owners and CFOs understand:  Their brewery’s COGS with a breakdown of materials, labor, and losses...

It is our goal to not only have conversations on how we can brew better beer, but how we can also be better people. Join us for a conversation discussing strategies on how brewery management and ownership can best provide support to their teams, as well as hear firsthand from staff who need to be supported.  The goal here? To create safer, more welcoming, more supportive, and successful workp...

NA craft beer has become an important sector of the craft beverage industry, but with some brewery hesitation. We will discuss why Dry January can actually benefit your brewery, and how you can appeal to those observing as well as those who may chose NA options year round. We will have a few of our industry friends with us discussing how you can plan for what is traditionally seen as a slower time...

You’re an owner and your brewery business is always top of mind.  Ask yourself: What would my business be like if my employees had an ownership mindset? What if they thought about the business like me?  If they did, there’s a high likelihood the business would perform better and be more profitable. You’d have lower turnover and longer-term employees. They’d even be more involved.  S...

Skydance Brewing Co opened their downtown Oklahoma City brewery and taproom in fall 2021 with a lot of local buzz as a Native-owned craft brewery, but owner Jake Keyes felt his full story was not yet being told in their brand and sought to elevate the packaging of their core beers for stronger shelf appeal as they grew distribution. Join us for a conversation with Jake and Brian Winkeler, founder...

There are only 2 types of breweries: 1) Those who have had quality issues 2) Those who have had quality issues but didn't know it We all try to prevent quality issues, however, it happens to us all. What is commonly overlooked, what do I do when I have a quality problem? How do I control the damage? What should I do with the beer? What do I do next? Escarpment cofounder Nate Ferguson has been work...

After a year's worth of analyzing customer reviews, CBAS has bucketed six distinct craft beer consumer personas. This presentation will dive into what matters to each persona - ranging from things like service speed to parking availability. After a deep dive on the different types of consumers, we'll explore the audience at different types of taprooms. We know the experiences at a nanobrewery will...

Beer styles are a bit polarizing. They are sometimes viewed as rules brewers ought to follow or information reserved for the elite. In this presentation, Jeremy and Julia will share that styles are meant to serve, not separate, and that everyone should develop their own sense of beer style.   Once upon a time Jeremy Storton didn’t know the difference between an ESB and an IPA. Now he’s an Adv...

Craft beer is all about relationships, with your guests, with your neighbors, with your brewing community, and with your suppliers. However, we do often talk about the value of building a relationship with your local government. In this conversation, we will discuss the value of engaging with your local government, strategies for mutual success, and how it can ultimately help solidify your brewery...

There’s a huge difference between good service and a good guest experience. It’s challenging enough to ensure your guests are greeted in a timely manner, their orders taken quickly, drinks never run dry, and their bill received and closed on time. These service steps are absolutely critical, but do very little to combat a negative first impression. Standards for service are increasing at a rapid p...

You and your employees' social, mental and physical wellbeing matter.  The craft beer industry is in a time of reckoning with an all-time record of people leaving their jobs, and employers struggling to fill vacant roles. 1 in 5 employees left a job at some point in their career because of its toxic organizational culture. By one estimate, employee turnover triggered by a toxic culture cost U...

Brewers pose unique challenges when it comes to carbon dioxide in the workplace. While CO2 is a necessary product in the brewery process, exposure to high concentrations can be life-threatening.    While normal CO2 concentrations tend to be around 400-800ppm, the case of CO2 off-gassing or a CO2 leak can quickly reach 50,000ppm (5% CO2 by volume). This is above the Occupational Health an...

Join this panel discussion with Pneumatic Scale Angelus, ABS Commercial, and MacKinnon Brothers Brewing for a conversation on “From Grain to Package.”  PSA’s Mike Davis and Elden Rowland join Alex Smith, Lead Brewery Consultant with ABS/Raleigh Brewing and Dan MacKinnon, Co-Owner and Brew Master of MacKinnon Brothers Brewing to talk about the journey from a passion for brewing beer to buildin...

When you think about the ultimate tap room, assuming excellent beer, where does your mind go? To beer draft lines and glassware? To the comfort of the tables and chairs? To great service or ambiance?   Whether you’re just opening your tap room or looking to give your existing tap room a boost, our panelists from Start A Brewery will bring you actionable steps based on their years in the indus...

It’s been almost two years since our eyes were opened to some of the toxic behaviors common in brewing culture. While awareness was the first step in building a new culture, we still have work to do to take care of one another and heal. Fortunately, you (the people who work in the industry) are primely positioned to make that happen! Safe Bars will guide you in this interactive experience to illus...

Marcus Baskerville is arguably one of the hardest working people in craft beer. From being a co-founder at Weathered Souls Brewing Company to helping lead the Black is Beautiful initiative to opening up a new taproom/incubator in Charlotte, North Carolina, Marcus is dedicated to positive change and the longterm success of our industry. In this conversation, we speak with Marcus about his most impa...