Welcome Reception, 7-9pm, at Bingo Beer Co. thanks to Malteurop Malting Company
For session details, click the buttons below.
September 17: Reception, 7-9pm, at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (Ownby Lane) thanks to ABS Commercial
September 18: Closing State-Wide Bottle Share, 7-9pm, at Four Points by Sheraton Richmond thanks to CS&A Insurance
It’s no secret that for most breweries, the lion’s share of the profit comes from the taproom. But even so, many are operating far below their potential. In fact, our data reveals that some are generating anywhere between 2-5x the profit of their local competition! So how can the “everyday brewery” bridge the gap? In this session, we’ll uncover why this is and provide practical guidelines that any taproom can use to maximize profit and success.
Learning Objectives:
JULIA GRUBBS is a Brewery Consultant with Small Batch Standard, who has also previously held positions in accounting, tax, and compliance over her 4 years with the agency. Originally from Kentucky, she’s about
as far from a one-dimensional bean counter as you can get, as a professional dancer and CPA living in New
York City. Her love for small businesses and the relationships they enable combined with her uncanny knowledge of numbers led her to advising the brewing industry, acting as a trusted, specialized advisor for SBS’s wide range of clients across the country. She has had the pleasure of presenting at a variety of craft brewery conferences around the nation in Georgia, New York, Iowa, North Carolina, and Oklahoma.
Our industry has changed significantly in the past decade. For most breweries, gone are the days of double-digit growth. As the craft brewing industry continues to mature, passion alone is not enough. As a brewer, understanding the financial landscape is crucial for sustaining and growing your craft. Brian will share his experiences since starting at New Realm 3 years ago and how they improved profitability by over 2x. This session will delve into essential topics such as understanding a P&L statement, EBITDA, and extracting meaningful data from brewery management software for KPIs. Whether you’re a seasoned brewer or just starting, this session promises practical insights and actionable tips to enhance your brewery’s financial health.
While pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Brian continued his true passion of making beer as a homebrewer. After 5 years of working as a software engineer, Brian took his first professional brewing job at a small pub in San Francisco. Two years later, Brian attended the UC Davis Master Brewers Program and earned his Diploma in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling. After finishing the UC Davis Master Brewers Program, Brian joined Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon where he spent nearly 17 years and his final 10 as Brewmaster. More recently, Brian has joined New Realm in Virginia Beach, VA where he serves as Chief Operating Officer for brewing and distilling operations.
Safe Bars RVA has been around since 2019, training restaurants, breweries, and venues in Richmond, Williamsburg, and Norfolk. We empower staff to intervene if they witness or experience sexual aggression, harassment, and assault at work (or really, anywhere!). We cover how to spot both sexual aggressors and people that may be uncomfortable targets; we then use a bystander intervention framework to teach staff how to intervene.
Alcohol is involved in approximately 50% of all sexual assaults– it DOES NOT cause sexual assault, but it is used as a tool to cover up bad behavior and incapacitate targets. We believe that professionals in the beer industry are in the perfect position to stop sexual violence while it’s only annoying or bothersome, before it can escalate to dangerous or life-threatening.
Kailie Smith is the founder of Safe Bars RVA, and a 21-year veteran of the food and beverage industry. She is also the Director of Outreach, Education, and Community Engagement at Safe Harbor, a Richmond-area nonprofit which serves survivors of sexual and domestic violence as well as human trafficking. She is currently a VCU student getting her Masters in Social Work, and hopes to work with industry professionals after graduation to improve working conditions and address mental health issues endemic to the food-service work.
Tyler Wallace is the Safe Bars RVA Coordinator, as well as the Safe Harbor Outreach and Prevention Coordinator. She is a 15-year F&B industry veteran. She has been a Safe Bars trainer since 2019 and believes that industry norms can change, but we all have to work for it.
In today’s dynamic craft beer industry, diversifying revenue streams is more important than ever. As the Director of Business Development for promotional product company Shore Up Supply, Emily Neville has seen firsthand how the right merch presented and marketed in the right way can be a consistent profit stream for breweries who choose to invest in it. Still, with thousands of items to choose from and exponentially more color and design decisions, it may seem daunting to broach the topic at all. Throw in online inventory management and taproom displays, and is it even worth it? In this session, you’ll be handed a strategy for supplier management, ordering timelines, taproom merchandising, and marketing tactics to turn your hoodies and hats into a profit stream. We’ll discuss the latest trends and set you up for success to give your patrons merch they can’t walk away from!
Emily Neville is a graduate of the 4-year merit-based Park Scholarship at NC State University. While in school, Emily started Beer to Bags to transform the thousands of spent malt bags entering landfills into profitable brewery merch. Emily grew the brand to resell in over 200 taprooms, converting 10k+ malt bags since its infancy. Beer to Bags was recently acquired by Hoptown Handles and its sustainable merch arm, Shore Up Supply, in April 2024. Emily is remaining with the brand in a new role as Shore Up’s Director of Business Development. Emily lives with her husband Tyler and dog Oliver in Raleigh, NC.
This brewers panel will explore the rise of lager styles as a key component of craft beer offerings and how brewers are adopting traditional techniques to enhance quality and consistency. Presenters will offer their distinct viewpoints on historical styles and the integration of contemporary innovations. The panel will also offer Topics such as step mashing, decoction brewing, water quality, hop utilization, and yeast selection will be covered. Additionally, there will be an opportunity for questions and input from fellow brewers.
Travis Tedrow and Jasper Akerboom are the cofounders of Jasper Yeast in Sterling, VA, a yeast propagation lab that provides high quality liquid yeast for craft beverage producers. Prior to opening the lab, Travis brewed for Gordon Biersch Breweries and Capital City Brewing Co. in Virginia. He is a graduate of the Siebel Brewing Program in Chicago.
Jasper Akerboom is a PhD microbiologist with over three decades of lab experience, include several as the head brewer and lab manager for Lost Rhino Brewing Company. He is a BJCP certified beer judge and regularly judges for both the GABF and World Beer Cup competitions.
Eric Tennant is the founder and head brewer for Benchtop Brewing in Norfolk, VA. Prior to joining the craft brewing industry, Eric worked as food scientist and spent years in the research and development, quality control, process improvement, and consumer Insights fields where he gained the experience he needed to open the brewery.
Learn how you can apply for a matching marketing grant from Virginia Tourism Corporation, how to integrate the Virginia is for Craft Beer Lovers brand into your marketing and products, and how to stand up a Virginia is for Lovers wholesale merchandise program. Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) offers a variety of grant, funding, and sponsorship programs for the craft beverage industry including the Microbusiness Marketing Leverage Program, the Marketing Leverage Program, and the Special Events & Festivals Sponsorship program. In addition, VTC is managing the VA250 Marketing Program that has kicked off the USA 250th Commemoration that will occur 2026-2031. America’s craft beverage history is Virginia’s story and breweries can make a big splash by creating historic and commemorative blends to celebrate local, regional, and statewide history.
Staci Martin is the Grant Director at Virginia Tourism Corporation. She has 22 years experience in workforce development, entrepreneurship, outdoor recreation, and tourism development. A big supporter of the innovation and entrepreneurship found in the craft beverage industry, Staci is adjunct faculty at Old Dominion University and likes to focus on creating a robust and long-term tourism economic ecosystem with industry stakeholders.
In an increasingly competitive market, it takes more than good beer to get someone in the door and keep them coming back. Consumers will not settle for less than the full experience: great beer, an inviting environment, friendly people, and possibly more. This session will teach attendees about the different motivations of Virginia craft beer consumers. We’ll learn about taproom visit motivations, beer and food preferences, and return-visit motivators. In addition to the high-level consumer trends, we’ll also include generation- and gender-specific motivations.
These Virginia-specific insights come from thousands of brewery reviews scraped from Google and Yelp as well as first-party, direct-to-consumer survey research with questions posed by breweries. A narrative summary details survey results and insights about consumer types and preferences—as well as how to reach consumers with resonating messages.
After this session, you will leave with a deeper understanding of your customer base, actionable tactics to reach each customer segment, and a look into the psychology of your customers before they ever walk in the door.
Key learnings will include:
Michael Varda is the Founder of Craft Beer Advisory Services (CBAS), a market research firm based in Richmond, VA. He began his professional career in market research roles advising some of the nation’s top universities on attracting students and several Fortune 50 companies on improving brand perceptions. Combining his research skill with a passion for craft beer, CBAS was born in Fall 2021. Since its founding, Michael has delivered CBAS research to more than 600 breweries in 45+ states and 10+ countries. Earlier in the year, he delivered keynote presentations in Ohio and Illinois and also spoke at the New York State Brewers Conference.
Join us for an engaging and honest discussion about health & wellness and professional development. Often times one comes at the expense of the other, however it doesn’t have to, nor should it be this way. You all are the engines that drive your respective businesses – to maintain optimal performance, any engine needs to be maintained if it is to expected to perform every day. We’ll cover the different facets of these topics including physical, mental, emotional and intellectual wellness and how to balance it while also growing in our careers. Our panelists will share some of their own journeys towards wellness and will also provide some resources to better equip you and your team if you or someone amongst your ranks needs a ‘tune-up’. Remember, as a leader, family member, whatever your title may be, you owe it to yourself to be taking good care of your mind and body.
This conversation features:
Aaron Childers (Owner – Pretty Ugly Distribution)
Jacque Kettler (Production – St. George Brewing Co / Pink Boots member)
Josh Evans (Owner / Head Brewer – Afterglow Brewing)
Kailie Smith (Founder of Safe Bars RVA)
Moderated by: Dan Jablow (University of Richmond, Director of Brewing Education)
Dan Jablow serves as the Director of Brewing Education at University of Richmond’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies. Dan received his Beer Brewer Professional Certificate through U of R in 2022 after being bitten by the homebrewing bug in 2018. In his role, Dan has the honor of working closely with the Virginia brewing community as well as supporting current and future brewers on their own career journeys. You can find Dan in his spare time (which there isn’t much of these days), playing drums and bass, brewing, cooking, baking, working out, traveling and photographing scenic landscapes.
Join a panel of seasoned brewers for an engaging session packed with essential tips and tricks learned over 20 years in the industry. Discover simple methods for developing a Congress mash, creating sensory kits, and preparing hop teas for recipe development. Learn proper malt and yeast storage techniques, clever yeast management tricks, and practical ways to fill kegs with adjuncts. Plus, find out how to decarbonate your beer or seltzer if you left the CO2 on overnight. Perfect for brewers of all levels, this session will help you streamline your processes and produce exceptional brews.
Marcus Raschke is a 26 year Navy Veteran who fell into the brewing industry during the Pandemic while transitioning to civilian life. Earned the Craft Brewing Certificate from Cornell and the International Brewing and Distilling course. He has been brewing for 5 years starting at Makers Craft then Over to Momac Brewing as the Assistant Brewery and finally landed at Capstan Bar Brewing Co as The Head Brewer November of 2022. His Hobbies are camping and traveling.
Michele Lowney has been brewing beer for over 25 years, with experience spanning the United States, Scotland, Belgium, and Canada. As a World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival judge for 23 years, Michele brings a wealth of expertise and discerning taste to the craft. She is currently the Head Brewer at Makers Craft Brewery in Norfolk, VA, where her extensive knowledge and global experience continue to elevate the brewery’s offerings.
Mike Pensinger is a reformed home brewer and retired Navy Chief who decided to take his skills to the professional level. He started brewing beer in 1995 and promptly became seriously involved in the Hampton Roads, Virginia brewing scene. Starting in 2002 he became one of the brewers at Hilltop Brewing Company in Virginia Beach, VA(2002-2004), the Owner of HomeBrewUSA in Norfolk, VA(2003-2007), Packaging Tech and St. George Brewing in Poquoson, VA(2004-2006), Founding Brewer at AleWerks Brewing Company in Williamsburg, VA(2006-2008), Chief Brewer at The River Company Brewery in Radford, VA(2008-2016), Chief Brewer at Holston River Brewing in Bristol, TN(2013-2014), and Brewmaster/GM at Parkway Brewing Company in Salem, VA(2016-Present).
Most craft breweries are all about giving back to their community, yet often very little planning goes into the strategy or the payoff for the non-profit partner. What if corporate giving could be intentional and transparent? Seth will dive into how to set up a strategy for giving back to your community and making a difference while also still building a business.
Seth Caddell is husband to Bethany, dad to Enosh, and co-owner of Coastal Fermentory in Newport News. He is a co-owner at Coastal Fermentory and teaches in the Beer Brewer Professional Program for the University of Richmond. He sits on the board of the Newport News Green Foundation and has won “Best Local Leader Making a Difference” from CoVa Biz magazine the last 2 years.
Coastal Fermentory opened in downtown Newport News in late 2020 with a dedicated strategy of giving back to their community. In the three years they’ve been open they’ve partnered with over 60 different local and national non-profits to raise over $40,000. Coastal has won multiple awards for their charitable giving, and continues to attempt to pave a path forward with radical transparency for businesses that want to partner with non-profits.”
Malting barley produced in the southeastern U.S. has seen major quality improvements in the last six years. Is it now possible for a southeastern malt house to produce highly consistent, highly reliable, locally grown malt. Southeastern breweries have an opportunity to offer a truly agriculturally distinct product that their customers will demand. This presentation reviews the improvements that have made this possible.
Aaron Goss founded Carolina Malt House in 2015. Carolina Malt House steeps, malts, kilns, and roasts on custom equipment all designed by Aaron and fabricated under his supervision. Carolina Malt House, along with many farmers and researchers, have invested tremendously in adapting barley, the oldest and most widely adapted crop known to man, to the Southeast (and in adapting their growing practices to this crop).
The current climate of the industry requires breweries to keep a watchful eye over their expenditures. Yeast cost is typically not well-quantified so here we oultine ways to quantify yeast cost and increase value through simple practices.
This presentation will cover:
Jacob Hoover is the Sales Development Specialist at White Labs. He currently resides on Maryland’s eastern shore and provides fermentation support to Mid-Atlantic and Northeast breweries. He has been with White Labs for six years after graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Science from the University of Delaware. Jacob is a Certified Cicerone, BJCP Judge and is currently attending Johns Hopkins University to earn a Master of Science in Bioinformatics. In the current climate of the brewing industry, he has developed a passion for helping breweries implement new processes and identify solutions for reducing ingredient costs while focusing on product quality.
This Star Wars-themed technical financial talk has quickly become a crowd favorite, having been requested through multiple state guilds over the past year, as it is chock full of applicable, immediately actionable guidance for brewery owners and leaders. Learn how 2020-2023 economic conditions led us to where we sit as an industry in 2024. Understand which financial ratios are most applicable to calculate now, where to find the data to calculate each, what each means, and how you can affect those numbers to hit sustainable benchmarks. Take a deeper dive into the debt service coverage ratio to comprehend how this figure fits in with your budgeting and forecasting. Learn how to perform a breakeven analysis for your specific brewery economic model, and how each of the four types of costs a brewery encounters slots into that calculation. Gain a greater grasp on what goes into an overhead calculation and how we should utilize that number as a part of our pricing strategy. Learn where to look for possible signs of financial distress before the symptoms are felt.
All attendees of this session will receive an innovation costing Excel workbook to take home to their respective breweries. As Master Yoda once said, “In a dark place we find ourselves, and a little more knowledge lights our way.” This presentation is aimed at providing that knowledge to light our way. May the force be with us.
Audra Gaiziunas (she/her) is the owner of Brewed For Her Ledger, LLC, a management consultancy firm focused on providing guidance to the craft alcohol community. She is currently serving as Burlington Beer Company’s chief financial officer and is an owner in DSSOLVR. Prior to launching her own company in 2013, she served as Dogfish Head Craft Brewery’s controller and Mother Earth Brewing’s chief financial officer. She has been working exclusively in craft beer for over 15 years and was elected to the Brewers Association’s Board of Directors as an At Large Member in 2024 while having served on the Finance Committee since January 2020. A graduate from the Kenan-Flagler OneMBA program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Audra possesses over 20 years of experience in senior leadership roles in craft brewing, manufacturing, services, non-profits, and startups. She earned her undergraduate degree in accounting and business management (double major) from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa in 1997.
This presentation provides a crash course tailored to craft breweries aiming to understand on going federal and state requirements. We’ll cover essential topics including TTB Operational Reporting and Excise Tax, ensuring your brewery understands the financial implications and reporting responsibilities. Gain insights into obtaining COLAs and navigating the complexities of formula approvals for your unique brews. We’ll also explore TTB Transfers in Bond, a vital procedure for managing excise taxes and proper reporting.
On the state level, we will dive headfirst into Virginia ABC’s excise tax reporting requirements and product approval processes, crucial for maintaining compliance and expanding product lines. Learn the intricacies of contract brewing arrangements and collaboration brews. Whether you’re a seasoned brewer or new to the industry, this session will equip you with the knowledge to navigate the regulatory environment, minimize risks, and maintain a focus on crafting exceptional beverages. This practical crash course is essential for anyone looking to streamline their compliance processes and foster a sustainable brewing operation.
As a Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority special agent, Kevin Anderson was on the lookout for regulatory violations, underage drinking and other vices. Today, he has switched to the business side of the alcohol industry— navigating state and federal alcohol regulations for his winery, brewery, distillery, wholesale and retail clients. After leaving the Virginia ABC Authority in 2015 Kevin became a consultant with ABC Consulting and BreweryCompliance.com, a national consulting firm based in Virginia that offers state and federal licensing assistance along with compliance and consulting services. Kevin was named 100 People to Meet in 2020 by Virginia Business.
These days, the craft beer market resembles more of a battlefield than an underdog. Join me for a journey into how today’s craft breweries are finding success and how strategy plays a vital role in the future of craft beer. This isn’t just about theory—it’s about real-world examples of how strategy can transform your brewery’s fate. Through personal and professional stories from my 20-plus years in the industry, you’ll see how to harness the power of strategic business management and use it to boost sales. Get ready to be inspired, entertained, and equipped with the insights to allow your brewery to survive and thrive. Strategy isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the lifeblood of your brewery’s success, so let’s get into it.
With over two decades of experience in the food and beverage industry, Julie Rhodes is an expert in off-site beverage sales, digital marketing, leadership, team management, and distributor partnership management. She owns Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions, an educational services and strategic business consulting company built specifically for small to medium-sized craft beverage companies, where she teaches owners, operators, and teams how to work smarter, not harder. She is also a freelance business journalist and active public speaker, belonging to multiple state brewery guilds and cider trade associations. She was the 2023 Mentor of the Year for the Brewers Association, sits on the BA DEI Marketing and Communications Subcommittee, and teaches marketing and sales for multiple business of craft beer programs at the university level.
Join Hayes Humphreys, Co-Founder and President of Devils Backbone Brewing Company, and Regional Vice President of Northeast Craft for Anheuser-Busch, for an insider’s look at what it’s like to be a craft brewery under the umbrella of the world’s largest brewer. What can you, an independent craft brewer, learn from Anheuser-Busch, and what angles can you work to stay ahead and compete with macro brewers.
Get the real scoop on cross brewing at macro breweries, beer quality, and operational efficiency. Find out if they made us change Vienna Lager! Satisfy your curiosity about craft brewery commercial planning and execution when you’ve got a big brewery sugar daddy. Find out what happens to company culture when you go from fighting the man to being the man. You’ll hear every truth approved by corporate communications!
But seriously: come hear an honest, first hand take on what an independent craft brewer can learn from how a macro brewer approaches the craft beer business and get some clues about the gaps and opportunities that approach offers for your business.
Armed with an MBA from the Darden School of Business, 2.5 months of experience driving a truck for Mike McCarthy’s Capitol City Brewing Company, and a reputation for being the last one at the party, Hayes Humphreys joined Devils Backbone Brewing Company as Chief Operating Officer and General Manager in 2011. During his time as the company’s executive leader, Devils Backbone grew from it’s humble roots as an award winning, rural Virginia brewpub into one of the fastest growing craft beer brands in the country, and was eventually acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev. Post-Acquisition, Hayes remained with the company as president to lead the organization through the integration, disruption, and expansion that followed. He currently serves as Vice-President of Craft for the Northeast, which includes Devils Backbone Brewing and Distilling companies, and Cisco Brewers, based in Nantucket, MA.
As breweries look to scale their operations and reach new markets, navigating the path to growth can be challenging. “Smart Expansion Through Successful Benchmarking” offers a strategic guide to achieving sustainable growth by leveraging industry benchmarks effectively.
In this session, we’ll explore how breweries can use benchmarking to inform and optimize their expansion strategies. Attendees will gain insights into:
Whether you’re planning to open new locations, expand your production capacity, or enter new markets, this session will provide the tools and knowledge needed to navigate your growth journey with confidence. Join us to learn how to turn data-driven insights into successful expansion strategies and achieve your brewery’s growth goals.
Audra Gaiziunas (she/her) is the owner of Brewed For Her Ledger, LLC, a management consultancy firm focused on providing guidance to the craft alcohol community. She is currently serving as Burlington Beer Company’s chief financial officer and is an owner in DSSOLVR. Prior to launching her own company in 2013, she served as Dogfish Head Craft Brewery’s controller and Mother Earth Brewing’s chief financial officer. She has been working exclusively in craft beer for over 15 years and was elected to the Brewers Association’s Board of Directors as an At Large Member in 2024 while having served on the Finance Committee since January 2020. A graduate from the Kenan-Flagler OneMBA program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Audra possesses over 20 years of experience in senior leadership roles in craft brewing, manufacturing, services, non-profits, and startups. She earned her undergraduate degree in accounting and business management (double major) from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa in 1997.
Pulkit K. Agrawal (PKA) is the Founder and CEO of Beer30 by The 5th Ingredient®, a leading brewery operations management software aimed at enhancing beer quality and consistency. After graduating from Harvard College, PKA began working as a Process Engineer for Ballast Point Brewing, where he focused on packaging lines and nitrogen beer. In January 2018, PKA launched Beer30®, a brewery data management system that offers grain-to-glass process and quality data tracking, while expanding beyond the standard inventory tracking of other systems. Beer30 focuses on real-time brewing data input, raw material inventory, cost of goods analysis, quality and sensory tracking, sales and distribution, and accounting integration. Beer30 is currently in over 450 breweries globally, helping to #BrewMoreBeer and #BrewBetterBeer across the world. In December 2022, PKA was selected into the Forbes 30 Under 30, Class of 2023, in the Food and Drink category. In his free time, PKA enjoys traveling, scuba diving, and doing entrepreneurship coaching.
Seth Caddell is husband to Bethany, dad to Enosh, and co-owner of Coastal Fermentory in Newport News. He is a co-owner at Coastal Fermentory and teaches in the Beer Brewer Professional Program for the University of Richmond. He sits on the board of the Newport News Green Foundation and has won “Best Local Leader Making a Difference” from CoVa Biz magazine the last 2 years.
A concise overview of the malting process starting with the raw material, barley. We’ll go into barley seed morphology, and expand on the critical functions of each component of the kernel and how numerous factors, including favorable and unfavorable growing conditions can impact them. Endosperm modification is defined and explained as to what happens during this necessary process to degrade cell walls, and freeing the starches from the protein matrix. Starch granules being a key component of barley and necessary for wort production, we dive deep into the world of amylose and amylopectin to reveal the similarities and differences of these starches, and how different enzymes utilize them to produce an array of different sugars. This leads us to mashing for the desired wort sugar profile, and a visual analysis of wort sugars produced using multiple grists made from varying percentages of different malts. We end this presentation with a brief refresher on malt CoAs, and how to use them to your advantage for producing consistent and quality beers. This presentation is designed to be approachable to all brewers from novice to seasoned veterans. This should also be a valuable session for all brewery employees to understand the details of what this raw material contributes to the final product that we all enjoy and love.
Galen Smith serves as the Southeast Technical Sales Manager at Malteurop Malting Company, where he brings valuable expertise and passion to his role. He also sits on the board for the Carolina’s District MBAA. With a background of many years as a head production brewer in NC, Galen made a significant career shift to leverage his experience and contribute to the industry as a malt supplier. Guided by his commitment to aiding brewers in utilizing malt effectively, Galen takes great pride in assisting them in optimizing their brewhouses to achieve optimal performance from the malt. His mission is to rekindle the allure of malt, making it captivating and desirable once more.
Whether you’re a small taproom looking to increase brand awareness or a larger distribution brewery looking to help your team with pull through this 360 planning method will help you build your next campaigns/strategies.
We’ll start on the planning side by asking the right questions & answering those questions by establishing campaign or strategy goals. From there we will plan for digital, print and even in market marketing for that campaign. What sales assets need to be tied to the campaign, event ideas, on premise activations and off prem
activations. For the taproom side we’ll discuss how important it is that your campaigns express what the experience is like at your establishment. Whether that is classy/elegant, fun/vibrant or quality focused. Your content in ads and postings displays who you are and by planning ahead you can better capture that rather
than posting last minute using that picture you quickly threw together on that same barrel that you always put a pint on. With the successful addition of structure & workflow even the smallest companies can strive to build 360 marketing plans like the biggest companies.
Digital Marketer, Marketing Strategist, Beverage Sales guy and father of 3 before 30.Talk about an overachiever! After dabbling in the distribution world and juggling the chaos of the marketing agency realm, Warren realized he wanted something more. He’s still trying to find what it is, but is convinced that co-founding Beer Marketeers with one of his best friends was the right move. When he’s not obsessing over strategy & dropping buzzwords like Nielsen data, he’s honing his skills as A master of fire-cooked cuisine on his outrageously expensive Breeo fire pit & channeling his best audition for “Chef’s Table: Over The Fire Cooking” while his kids launch a coordinated attack from all angles. Don’t be fooled by the chaos, though. Warren thrives in the midst of mayhem. He’s the chaos whisperer, the strategic guru who always has a game plan, except for when his wife leaves him alone with the three little rascals. But hey, who needs a plan when you’ve got three mini tornadoes wreaking havoc in your life? With a sprinkle of dad jokes, a dash of marketing expertise, A Passion for craft beverages and an insatiable drive for success, Warren is here to revolutionize the beverage industry one strategically focused campaign at a time.
As breweries look to maximize profits, utilize capacity, and diversify beyond the taproom experience many are (re)looking at distribution as way to gain more revenue. Distribution laws and distribution agreements are fraught with potential pitfalls and risks for the supplier. Some of those risks can be mitigated with a well crafted distribution agreement. In a world where some distributors use a “one page” contract or – in some cases – no agreement at all, it’s important for breweries to negotiate on terms where it matters. This presentation will focus on areas that breweries can look to protect their interests today and guard against future calamities.
Since founding Beer Law Center, John’s practice has centered on the craft beverage industry. John works with clients to help them achieve their personal and business goals. With a background in chemical engineering and homebrewing, John loves the industry and has dedicated his career to making a difference for artisanal beverage businesses everywhere. John is a BJCP Judge, holds a certification in WSET Level II – Wines and Beer, and is the US’s only Certified Cicerone Alcohol Attorney. John’s book “Beer Law: What Brewers Need to Know” is also a great reference for anyone in the industry.
Self-distribution is an extremely effective way to grow your brand locally, and can set you up for regional or national distribution. It can also be extremely challenging, a drain on resources, a distraction, and completely backfire. Walk away from this session with an understanding of what successful self-distribution looks like, how to get there, guidance around avoiding the usual pitfalls, and troubleshooting systems and customer issues. “Laura Lodge learned about the distribution tier working with a small, independent distribution company in the mountains of Colorado. Job? Everything, including entering orders, loading/routing trucks, delivering product, all aspects of accounting + managing the office, and more. She shares her experience to benefit the artisanal/craft business owner in Distribution Insight for the Craft Brewer.
Today, Laura is the owner of Customized Craft Beer Programs, a consulting business offering insight and assistance with all things craft beer. A veteran of the craft beer industry, she has consulted for brewers and distributors, created retail programs for destination resorts, coordinates the well-known Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival held in the Colorado Rocky Mountains each year, and has participated with the creation and production of educational & experiential craft beer events throughout the country.
During the pandemic, Laura became the Co-Founder of Start A Brewery, LLC, a business created to help dreamers, breweries in planning, and growing breweries by pulling together educational resources from savvy professionals across the brewing industry. Free to the public, StartABrewery.com divides the daunting process into phases and breaks it down by category, further augmented by a library of information. Start A Brewery has turned out to also be a resource for her as a Mentor for the Brewers Association Mentorship Program over the past year.
Laura grew up in the Cleveland, Ohio area, and now splits her time there with home in Vail, Colorado, where she lives and enjoys the outdoor lifestyle.”
Just like you need specialized equipment to brew beer, you will need specific tools to help you market your brand. Traditional marketing tactics often fail to create sustainable growth in an increasingly competitive craft beverage market. This presentation will introduce you to the Flywheel Method, a modern approach to marketing that leverages momentum to attract, engage, and delight customers, driving continuous audience growth for your craft brewery. You will walk away from this session understanding the mechanics of the Flywheel Method of Marketing and how its customer-centric philosophy can transform your strategy. Learn how to align your marketing efforts to create a seamless and compelling customer journey that attracts new patrons and turns them into loyal advocates for your brand.
Key takeaways will include:
With over two decades of experience in the food and beverage industry, Julie Rhodes is an expert in off-site beverage sales, digital marketing, leadership, team management, and distributor partnership management. She owns Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions, an educational services and strategic business consulting company built specifically for small to medium-sized craft beverage companies, where she teaches owners, operators, and teams how to work smarter, not harder. She is also a freelance business journalist and active public speaker, belonging to multiple state brewery guilds and cider trade associations. She was the 2023 Mentor of the Year for the Brewers Association, sits on the BA DEI Marketing and Communications Subcommittee, and teaches marketing and sales for multiple business of craft beer programs at the university level.
All events start with the same questions most things start with: who, what, when, where, and why. But taking an idea plus those answers and turning them into a triumphant accomplishment isn’t easy, and we all know it is getting harder. Customers don’t just want beer and a food truck anymore. Learn about the methods used to create a successful events program, from someone who took over one with no prior events experience.
Hi there! My name is Jordan and I am a bartender and the events coordinator at Vasen Brewing Company in Richmond. Born and raised in Midlothian VA, I went to Christopher Newport University for biology. Science was always my love, and protecting the environemt was my passion. Beer was never the plan, and yet here I am. Familiar story for many of you I am sure. I worked at a brewery in Williamsburg my senior year of college and loved it then bopped around odd jobs in the Greater Richmond area after the pandemic started. I got hired as a bartender at Vasen three and a half years ago, then added events coordinator to my tool belt about a year afer that. I’m so excited to be here!
One of the most abstract and challenging aspects of selling any product is in knowing what price to set for it. Particularly in a highly diversified and fragmented industry such as craft beer, consumer cues and data can be sparse at best, and non-existent at worst. In this seminar, attendees will learn the basic principles behind successful price management, and how to apply them even within the context of rotational and one-off products. Presenter Aaron Gore’s pricing courses have been taught in MBA and undergrad programs across the world, and are tailored to the unique needs, opportunities, and abilities of those in the craft brewing world.
Aaron MJ Gore is the Director of Partnerships and Community for Arryved, helping to connect craft breweries with the tools and resources that they need to succeed. With a decade of sales, retail management, and business analytic experience in the craft beverage industry, he loves the opportunities that he has every day to make a difference for small business owners across the country. He is an Advanced Cicerone, Certified Pommelier, Certified Cheese Scholar, and is (AF)(NA) Beer Certified. Additionally, he is an active industry advocate, public speaker, beer educator, and the father of two daughters who are the true passion of his life.
Virginia craft brewers have been eager for an accessible avenue to send their products to market. Virginia Beer Distribution Company (VBDC) is here to help! VBDC is a non-stock, no-profit corporation with a mission to assist Virginia breweries with distributing their products to Virginia retailers while adhering to the commonwealth’s three-tier system. VBDC is modeled off of the very successful Virginia Winery Distribution Company that was established in 2007 and supports over 200 Virginia wineries.
We’ll discuss the structure of VBDC, how to register to become a brewery partner including the licensure process, and the associated fees. We’ll also provide an overview of how VBDC adheres to the three-tier system.
Dakota Rust began his journey in the alcohol industry over 10 years ago where he participated in the Youth Alcohol & Drug Abuse Prevention Project conference hosted by Virginia ABC. Dakota continued to attend the conference, each year working his way up the leadership ranks until he became a Conference Intern. After graduating college, Dakota had a short stint with a local news station here in Richmond where he was a Production Assistant. Dakota worked to prepare the talent for the morning newscasts. Dakota made his way back to Virginia ABC where he worked in the Bureau of Law Enforcement’s Records unit. Dakota processed a wide variety of payments for new industry applications, retail applications, label approval applications, renewals, and monthly excise taxes. Dakota was then promoted to Records Supervisor where he managed payment processing, refunds, renewals, data entry, FOIA & Hearings, and MBAR. In February 2024 Dakota joined the Virginia Beer Distribution Company as the Operations Manager.
This presentation delves into the critical aspects of brewery insurance, highlighting its importance and the impact of claims on a brewery’s operations. Breweries face unique risks that necessitate comprehensive insurance coverage and there are brewery-specific coverages that most insurance companies don’t offer. Each type of coverage addresses specific risks, from equipment breakdown, contamination, tank collapse to customer injuries and liability arising from alcohol consumption.
Understanding the intricacies of brewery insurance is vital for risk management. The presentation outlines how different policies work together to protect a brewery’s assets, employees, and reputation. Special emphasis is placed on liquor liability insurance, which covers legal costs and damages if a brewery is held responsible for alcohol-related incidents.
The effect of claims on a brewery is profound, influencing insurance premiums, coverage terms, and financial stability. The presentation examines real-world case studies where breweries navigated insurance claims, illustrating common challenges and successful strategies. Attendees will learn about the claims process, from filing to resolution, and how to mitigate the impact of claims through proactive risk management and effective communication with insurers.
By the end of the presentation, participants will have a comprehensive understanding of brewery insurance, the significance of each coverage type, and practical insights into managing and mitigating the effects of insurance claims.
Kyle C. Rheiner is a Certified Insurance Counselor, Agency Principal and is the Food & Beverage Practice Leader at Arthur Hall Insurance in West Chester, PA. Kyle has over 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry along with actually brewing and distilling craft beverages. Since 2013, Kyle has become the trusted insurance advisor for over 150 craft beverage makers in the US. Kyle is also the Host of The Beer Mighty Things Podcast – a craft beverage business library with over 25,000 downloads including interviews with industry leaders throughout the world.
While dining rooms are bustling, reservations are pouring in, and staffing levels are optimal, the real question remains: are our profits reflecting this success?
In a landscape marked by persistent inflation and wage pressures, many operators are finding that the numbers just don’t add up as they should.
According to the Wall Street Journal, “Escalating food costs have combined to create a 30% surge in restaurant prices since 2019. The question is how much the businesses can charge before losing customers. If that weren’t enough, the pandemic left more lasting changes: the lure of the gig economy on potential workers and the accelerated growth of fast-food restaurants.”
Given these circumstances, sticking to the status quo simply won’t suffice.
In this panel we will spotlight independent operators who are taking proactive measures. By revamping their service strategies, these operators are not only maintaining exceptional guest experiences but also safeguarding their bottom line. Their approach involves a blend of in-depth insights into labor and food costs, coupled with cutting-edge technology innovations that enhance labor allocation efficiency.
Brad Maki hails from southern West Virginia and was first introduced to craft beer while playing in the music scene. In February 2016 Brad moved to Richmond, VA to take on the role of Taproom Manager for Stone Brewing’s east coast HQ, where he enjoys bringing amazing experiences to guests through great beer!
Brett Robison began his career in financial services, refining his analytical skills with algorithmic trading solutions, but his passion for hospitality and beer led him to transition into the craft beer industry in 2010. Since then, he has advanced the craft beer scene in DC, Maryland, and Virginia by creating training programs for taproom staff and consulting on POS systems. Co-founder of Silver Branch Brewing Company in 2019, Brett is an Advanced Cicerone® and BJCP Certified Beer Judge. His deep beer knowledge and active participation in festivals and educational events have significantly impacted Montgomery County’s craft beer community.
As GoTab’s Director of Sales, Doug Cleary’s focus is in building partnerships and helping breweries and brewpubs grow their business through better experiences. For the past 15 years, he has worked in the hospitality and food & beverage industry in hybrid roles of new business, operations and product management. Doug has extensive leadership experience in providing quality service having also run multiple special event divisions with Michelin-rated restaurant groups and the largest caterer in the Northeast. Today he will be sharing lessons learned and tips for elevating the guest experience in the taproom.
Tim Wilson, Food and Beverage Manager at Caboose Brewing Company, gained the practical skills needed to be a hospitality professional through multiple roles in the hospitality industry. His journey began in the bustling kitchens and dining rooms of various restaurants, where he honed his understanding of operational requirements, from food preparation to customer service. This hands-on experience provided Tim with a comprehensive view of the inner workings of the restaurant industry, allowing him to develop a keen eye for detail and efficiency. In addition to his restaurant experience, Tim has also worked with private clubs, specializing in the organization of special events. This role further broadened his expertise, as he learned to manage everything from intimate gatherings to large-scale functions, ensuring seamless execution and memorable experiences for guests.
Tim’s educational background is equally impressive. He earned a degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, one of the most prestigious programs in the field. This rigorous academic training provided him with a solid foundation in business and management skills, complementing his practical experience and preparing him for the multifaceted challenges of the hospitality industry.
Beyond his professional and academic achievements, Tim’s six-year service in the US Navy played a pivotal role in his personal development. The discipline, leadership, and resilience he cultivated during his military service have been invaluable assets in his career.
This discussion will focus on the past, present, and future of publicly available hops. Past varieties such as Cascade, Chinook, and Centennial will be given a fresh look, seeing how terroir and changes in growing practices can lead to new flavor profiles. Recently released varieties Triumph and Vista will be given a similar treatment, looking into how these varieties are performing inside and outside of the Pacific Northwest. Finally, we will take a look at some varieties that are on the verge of being introduced.
Erik Norsen is a Sales Manager, Technical Aide, and Compliance Officer for The Hop Guild. A graduate of Oregon State University’s Food Science and Technology program, focusing on Fermentation Science while dabbling in the Enology and Viticulture side of things. He spent almost a decade working production and management roles in both the wine and brewing industry, before starting with The Hop Guild. Currently residing in the Finger Lakes region of New York, he spends his free time growing heirloom vegetables, camping, and attending Phish concerts.
Many times, simple techniques and ideas can result in significant reductions in the use of water, energy, and even materials – reductions that lessen environmental impacts and can result in cost savings. The Department of Environmental Quality in partnership with the Virginia Green Travel program has been working to help breweries identify these opportunities. Together, we have been providing on-site pollution prevention assessments at no-cost to the brewery. Why would a brewery be interested?
The assessment involves a facility walk-through discussing operations, highlighting innovative practices that are already in place and sharing new opportunities. During this session we’ll share the practices that are most often recommended, and the most innovative ones Virginia breweries have implemented.
Meghann Quinn has managed the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Office of Pollution Prevention for the past 9 years. The Office of Pollution Prevention promotes green practices that go beyond regulatory requirements through programs including the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program, Virginia Green, and the Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards. Prior to working with DEQ, she gained experience working with industry and municipalities on compliance and environment management systems. Ms. Quinn has a master’s degree in environmental studies from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Mary Washington. She grew up on Long Island. In her free time, you can find Meghann running or chasing her 2 young boys around.
Keith Boisvert has been with DEQ since early 1999. In that time, he has been involved with many pollution prevention efforts. He coordinated programs like State Agency Pollution Prevention, Businesses for the Bay and EPA’s National Partnership for Environmental Priorities. He was the Virginia Electronic Recycling Coordinator and developed the Virginia Information Source for Energy (VISE) website. He is also a key member of the VEEP implementation team and is the lead on most facility reviews and site visits. Mr. Boisvert has participated in numerous facility site visits focusing on environmental management system development and identification of P2 opportunities. Mr. Boisvert has an undergraduate degree in Natural Science from Worcester State College and a master of science in Biology from the University of Richmond.
Tom Griffin is the owner of RVA Green Management Services and has served as the Executive Director of the Virginia Green Travel Alliance since 2014. Mr. Griffin is inspired to help businesses and organizations make incremental changes that are sustainable and profitable. Through RVA Green Management, he has focused on waste stream auditing services and sustainability services in the hospitality industry. Through the Virginia Green Travel Alliance, Mr. Griffin has administered the Virginia Green Travel certification program and provided technical assistance and recognition opportunities for all sectors of Virginia’s hospitality industry. Mr. Griffin has an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Virginia and a master of science in Urban and Regional Planning & Environmental Management from Virginia Commonwealth University.
In the presentation “Thrive in 2025: How Strong Leadership Can Make or Break Your Brewery”, Pulkit K. Agrawal (PKA), Founder & CEO of Beer30 by The 5th Ingredient, will dive in on the critical role that the executive team at a brewery has at successively navigating this difficult industry downturn. It is during these times that strong and effective leadership becomes paramount to pivot and thrive.
As breweries make their business plans to optimize operations in 2025, it is essential for leadership to focus on adapting a mindset shift of empowering their team through the art of delegation. Pulkit will explain how attendees can equip managers with the necessary tools to drive success with OKRs and KPIs, navigate heavy investment projects by assessing ROI and metrics of success, and focus on operational and financial growth. He will also address the inevitability of setbacks and the importance of managing failure as an integral component of the growth journey.
Pulkit will dive into the power of executive coaching and how all top performing executives should work with a coach. He will wrap up by providing real-world examples of how The 5th Ingredient has been using these techniques into their own business planning and the development of their leadership team and employees. From team building to motivation strategies, Pulkit will offer practical strategies for cultivating a team-oriented and results-driven workforce, especially during the evolving difficult brewery landscape that we know will be coming in 2025.
Pulkit K. Agrawal (PKA) is the Founder and CEO of Beer30 by The 5th Ingredient®, a leading brewery operations management software aimed at enhancing beer quality and consistency. After graduating from Harvard College, PKA began working as a Process Engineer for Ballast Point Brewing, where he focused on packaging lines and nitrogen beer. In January 2018, PKA launched Beer30®, a brewery data management system that offers grain-to-glass process and quality data tracking, while expanding beyond the standard inventory tracking of other systems. Beer30 focuses on real-time brewing data input, raw material inventory, cost of goods analysis, quality and sensory tracking, sales and distribution, and accounting integration. Beer30 is currently in over 450 breweries globally, helping to #BrewMoreBeer and #BrewBetterBeer across the world. In December 2022, PKA was selected into the Forbes 30 Under 30, Class of 2023, in the Food and Drink category. In his free time, PKA enjoys traveling, scuba diving, and doing entrepreneurship coaching.
As industry analyst and Sightlines editor Bryan Roth has long joked, “Nobody wants to drink beer anymore.” It’s not technically true—beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in the US by volume, as it has been for over a century—but it is true in the sense that more American drinkers are more omnibibulous than ever before. What does that mean for YOU, Virginia craft brewer? Your colleagues from around the Commonwealth have some ideas. Join moderator Dave Infante, the Richmond-based editor and publisher of Fingers, and guests for a wide-ranging discussion about the pros and cons of brewing “beyond beer” products.
From hop water, to hard tea, to THC-infused seltzers and more, the alternative-beverage landscape is teeming with potential portfolio additions that may help your brewery utilize more capacity, reach new customers, and make more revenue. This panel will give you the framework to evaluate those opportunities for your brand and find new ways to stand out in a crowded market.
About the speakers:
Dave Infante is a two-time James Beard award-winning journalist who publishes Fingers, an independent newsletter about drinking in America. He also works as a contributing editor and columnist at VinePair, where he publishes the weekly beer-industry column Hop Take, and produces and hosts the beer history podcast Taplines. His reporting has appeared in The New York Times, Fast Company, HuffPost, The Guardian, MEL Magazine, PUNCH, and others. In addition to covering the beverage-alcohol industry in the United States for over a dozen years, he has also reported on climate change, digital subcultures, the labor movement, and more.
Dave Michelow is the President and Co-founder of The Veil Brewing Company where he oversees all aspects of the
business. Dave is also a partner and Co-founder of several other Richmond-based businesses including Mosto
Tequila, Barrel Thief Wine & Provisions, Eazzy Burger, ZZQ & Reverie Distribution. Dave earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from The College of William and Mary and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Greater Richmond SCAN. Dave and his wife Kelly have a son at JMU and a daughter at Collegiate. During their spare time, they love
hanging out with friends and going to their favorite restaurants.
Jay Bayer is a native Virginian and longtime fan of craft beer. His interests in classic European lagers began to develop as an exchange student in Southwestern Germany. After college at James Madison University, Jay attended the Siebel Institute in Chicago to further his beer passion. Combining his intersts for craft beer and Modern American cuisine, Jay opened his first restuarant, Saison, in 2012. With eyes ever aimed at getting into beer production, Bayer and team opened Bingo Beer Co as a Lager focused “eater-tainment” experience and production brewery in 2018.
Ryan Coleman lives in Richmond, Virginia with his partner and two daughters. He started making HIKE in his Brooklyn apartment when he gave up beer shortly after his first daughter arrived on the scene. He realized early on that NA beer wasn’t a good fit and saw a space for something different, a beer alternative that didn’t try to mimic beer. He was a seltzer maniac and wondered if he could simply dry hop seltzer and make a refreshing, aromatic sparkling water that would register in his lizard brain that he was shifting gears to hang mode at first sip. Thus began the path to HIKE.
The craft beer industry is going through a significant period of evolution that is making the business extremely challenging for today’s brewers. This conversation will cover a bit about how craft beer got to where it is today, and will also cover tips and ideas to ensure success and sustainability for breweries as we move into the future. Ideas for product mix, package mix, taproom enhancements and business optimization will be covered. Mitch Steele has been involved in craft beer since the 1980s and offers a unique perspective on the history and possible futures of craft brewing in the United States. He will share his history and lessons learned throughout the discussion.
Mitch is the Brewmaster and Co-Founder of New Realm Brewing Co. in Atlanta, GA. He has been brewing beer professionally for over 36 years, studying brewing science at the University of California Davis and home brewing prior to becoming a professional brewer in 1988. Since 1988 Mitch has managed brewing operations and innovation with four different breweries, including 14 years with Anheuser-Busch followed up by 10 years at Stone Brewing in San Diego County, where he managed all brewing operations as Stone Brewing grew from a 50,000 bbl operation to one of the top 10 largest craft brewers in the country, operating 4 separate breweries in 2 countries. In 2012, Mitch authored the Brewers Publications book IPA: Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of India Pale Ale and in 2014, the Brewers Association awarded Mitch with the prestigious Russell Scherer Award for innovation in craft brewing. In addition to his duties at New Realm Brewing Co., which operates 4 breweries in the Southeast, Mitch currently chairs the Brewers Association Supply Chain Sub-Committee, sits on the Board of Directors for Brewers Association, and is a Board member for the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild.
The loyal customer is more valuable today than at any point in the history of craft beer. Let’s take a look at how to turn your casual guests into raving fans. Strap on your SCUBA gear and get ready for a deep dive into the data and taproom execution of 3 highly successful modern loyalty and membership programs. These programs go beyond the 20oz pour to bring in recurring revenue and put more buts on barstools!
–
Ross Stensrud accidentally graduated from UC San Diego while studying lacrosse and spending plenty of time at O’Brien’s Pub. After a short-lived attempt to put his engineering degree to use designing pool cleaners, he pivoted to programming—first building websites, then mobile apps. Since then, he’s co-founded several small businesses focused on bringing top-tier mobile technology to small businesses across various industries.
A San Diego native who grew up during the heart of the craft beer boom, Ross jumped at the opportunity to launch TapWyse and support the industry he’s long admired. He now lives in Carlsbad with his wife, Laurel, and their two boys, Roscoe (9) and Mason (7). When he’s not working, you’ll likely find him shuttling between basketball courts, golf courses, music lessons, and skate parks.
