Branding for Breweries - Strategies to Grow Brewery Brands and Sales

What will separate the brewery brands that succeed over the next five years from those that struggle? This week on Branding for Breweries, Tim is joined by beer journalist, author and All About Beer editor John Holl to talk about how breweries can future-proof their brands in an increasingly difficult beer market. John has spent nearly 20 years covering the beer industry, speaking to brewers, foun...

CAMRA says the UK beer market is broken. So what can independent breweries actually do about it? This week on Branding for Breweries, I’m joined by Ash Corbett-Collins, Chairman of CAMRA, following the release of its new Beer in the UK report. The report raises some pretty uncomfortable questions about access to market, brewery ownership, the influence of the major brewers and pub companies, and w...

Big Hug Brewing had good beer, genuine purpose and more than a decade behind the business. But when a Sainsbury's buyer told Matt Williams the liquid was great while the range was “all over the place” and the logo was weak, it confirmed something Matt already knew. The brand needed work. So Big Hug rebranded. In this episode, Matt joins me to talk about what changed, why they moved their Peopl...

Most breweries cannot outspend the biggest beer brands. Vault City has built its reputation by using ideas, packaging, photography and human creativity to make its major releases almost impossible to ignore. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by Richard Wardrop and Gavin Hill from Vault City Brewing to explore everything that happens between having a wild beer idea and...

Turning up with a table, a couple of kegs and hoping people remember you isn’t much of a beer festival strategy. A good festival can sell beer, build your audience and even open doors to new trade customers. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by Dave from Craft Brew Festival to unpack how breweries can get far more value from beer festivals. Having worked across numero...

Making a great beer doesn't mean people are going to care when you release it. “New beer out now” isn't a launch strategy. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by Scott Browne, Head of Marketing at Tiny Rebel, to unpack what breweries can do to turn a new beer release into something people actually notice, talk about and buy. Scott’s current role at Tiny Rebel is...

Cask beer is supposedly in decline. But the real picture is nowhere near that simple. Some heritage brands are growing. Independent breweries are thriving with cask. Younger drinkers are discovering it in pockets across the UK. And the pubs getting quality right are proving there is still plenty of life in one of Britain's most distinctive beer formats. In this episode of Branding for Brewerie...

The best brewery brands can look almost effortless. The reality is there's usually a hell of a lot of thinking, testing and problem solving happening behind the scenes. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by designer, illustrator and Brand Weaver Collective member Matty McMullen to unpack what actually goes into creating great brewery branding. Why do some brewery b...

You can brew incredible beer, have a packed taproom and still build a brewery that doesn't make money. Because great beer is only one part of running a successful brewery. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by Brad Pendleton, a beer industry veteran with around 40 years of experience across retail, distribution and breweries, to unpack the business behind running a...

Creating a standout beer brand is hard enough. Having to redesign it after launch because it breaches industry regulations is even harder. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by Matt Lambert and Laura Demorais from the Portman Group to demystify one of the UK's most misunderstood organisations and explain how breweries can confidently launch new beers without falling fo...

A great beer name can stop someone in their tracks. A bad one can disappear into a sea of thousands of other beers. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by Mike Gertz, former Creative Director at Rhinegeist Brewery, to explore the strategy behind naming beers people remember, talk about and buy . With thousands of breweries competing for attention, finding an available b...

Your mates love your beer. Your regulars say it's fantastic. But how do you know if your beer is actually good enough? In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by Max Finnance, Master Cicerone, BJCP Grand Master Judge, Pommelier and beverage quality consultant, to explore one of the most important and least discussed topics in brewing: beer quality. Drawing on years of e...

Most breweries know how to brew great beer. Far fewer know how to describe it in a way drinkers actually understand. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by beer sommelier, educator, author and podcast host Natalya Watson to explore one of the most overlooked skills in brewing and beer marketing: flavour communication. Together they unpack why so many breweries rely on i...

Should drinkers care who owns their beer? Can a brewery still be considered craft if it is owned by a global beer company? And what is the real difference between craft beer and indie beer anyway? In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver sits down with Neil Walker from SIBA and the Indie Beer campaign, alongside Jez Galaun, Co Founder of Brixton Brewery, to tackle one of the most deba...

Most breweries don't have a sales problem. They have a profit problem. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by Chris Farmand, Founder of Small Batch Standard, one of North America's leading brewery finance and benchmarking specialists. Drawing on data from more than 500 breweries across the US and Canada, Chris shares the biggest mistakes brewery owners make when...

In this special episode of Branding for Breweries, the full Brand Weaver Collective deliver their sell out BeerX presentation: How To Build A Brand That Sells More Beer. Together, the team breaks down the three essential pillars every brewery needs to grow in today’s crowded beer market: • Brand Strategy• Identity Design• Marketing The episode explores: • Why great beer alone is no longer enough•...

Why are so many breweries busy… but not actually growing? In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim the Brand Weaver is joined by Gareth Turner to unpack one of the biggest challenges facing brewery owners today. You are working hard. You are doing loads. But the results are not matching the effort. Gareth shares insights from working with major brands like Heineken and Weetabix, and breaks d...

How powerful is face to face marketing for a brewery? In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim the Brand Weaver is joined by Tim Hickford to unpack why brewery tours, tastings, activations and face to face experiences can be some of the most effective marketing tools a brewery has. Drawing on thousands of brewery tours and conversations with drinkers, Tim shares practical advice on how brewe...

What made Liquid Death such a powerful brand and what can breweries actually learn from it? In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim the Brand Weaver talks with Oli Russell-Cowan, former international lifestyle marketing lead at Liquid Death, about how brands build cultural relevance, community, and attention far beyond the product itself. This conversation explores what independent brewerie...

What does it really mean to build a purpose driven brewery? In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim the Brand Weaver is joined by Brian Spencer from Tap Social to unpack how purpose can shape a brewery from the ground up. Tap Social is a social enterprise brewery built to help people from prison turn their lives around. In this conversation, we explore how that mission influences branding,...

What can breweries actually say on their labels, packaging and marketing without getting into trouble? In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim the Brand Weaver is joined by Andrew Morgan to unpack the rules, regulations and compliance issues that can affect brewery branding, beer packaging, alcohol marketing and product claims. Using real world examples from Roleys , Tiny Rebel, Vault City,...

How should breweries actually approach events? In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim the Brand Weaver speaks with Meg Waits, former events and experience manager at Thornbridge, Beavertown and Yakima Chief Hops. Meg shares practical insights from years of running brewery events, festivals and brand activations, helping breweries understand how to create experiences that build brand awaren...

How do you sell more beer without wasting time? In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim speaks with Peter Kennelly, Head of Sales at Pillars Brewery, about building a structured brewery sales process that actually works. If your sales goal is “sell more beer,” this episode will challenge you. We cover: Why vague sales goals destroy momentum How to identify the right venues to target Why not...

White label does not have to mean invisible. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, I am joined by Andrew Greaves, co founder of Beer Necessities Taproom in Todmorden, to unpack how breweries can use white label and collaboration beers to win permanent lines, build stronger trade relationships, and grow brand awareness without opening a new taproom. We cover How to make a white label beer feel...