Fall Virtual Conference 2024
Get Excited for the CBP Fall 2024 virtual conference
Not everyone has the opportunity to attend an in-person beer industry event, which is why we are proud to host two virtual conferences and make the content accessible to all. Pour yourself a cold one and enjoy our free educational sessions from the comfort of your own home, taproom, or brewhouse.
Thank you to our community of Craft Beer Professionals for your excitement, encouragement, and enjoyment of our event.
Huge thanks to CDR BeerLab and ABS Commercial.
Full Schedule
For session details, click the buttons below.
Monday, October 14
presented by CDR BeerLab
Time (ET)
Monday, October 14
presented by CDR BeerLab
11am
Session details…
I’ll be using the historical numbers of the BA for the last decade and what I’ve learned interviewing over 75 failed breweries all over the world to answer that question. I’ll explore how the marketplace has changed, where the common missteps are and what operators can do to prevent calamity in their business. Ultimately I’ll cite examples of brewers that struggled and are happy with the experience, how the experience has made them better humans and, hopefully, end with the answer “Both yes and no.”
Kelly Meyer has been an entrepreneur for over 20 years. From fitness to fermenters to farm and ranch development, he has always approached his businesses with a laser focus on profitability. After 10 years in the beer business, he wrote the craft beer industry’s only honest assessment of profitability, specifically the lack of it, called How NOT to Start A Damn Brewery. Since 2021 he has hosted a podcast where he interviews industry professionals, primarily those that have closed their beer businesses, to find out what can go wrong and if there’s any way to prevent it. Over 75 failed breweries in Canada, the UK, Australia and of course the US have all contributed their stories and insights to the cause of finding out How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery.
12pm
Achieving beer excellence involves understanding the complex interplay of ingredients and processes. Modern breweries range from small craft setups to large industrial operations, each facing several challenges in maintaining quality. Key factors include the conversion of starch to fermentable sugars during mashing, yeast metabolism, and wort composition. Monitoring parameters like nitrogen levels, SO2, and pH is vital for fermentation efficiency and beer stability. Colloidal stability and water quality also play crucial roles, affecting flavour and consistency. Brewers often use density measurements, but detailed analyses of fermentable sugars and other components provide more accurate insights. This speech will introduce CDR BeerLab®, an analytical system, that offers an efficient solution, combining ease of use with real-time, reliable results, supporting both small and large breweries in establishing a robust in-house quality control system. CDR BeerLab® uses pre-calibrated reagents, minimizing errors and streamlining operations. By offering rapid, precise analyses, CDR BeerLab® helps brewers maintain high standards and optimize their production processes, ensuring consistent quality across various beer styles. At the end of the presentation there will be, switching to a moving camera, a practical demonstration of the system.
Simoni Bellassai graduated in 2009 in Chemistry with honors at the University of Florence in Italy, for which he has worked one year as research fellow in the Electrochemical department. At the end of 2009, Simone joined the R&D department of CDR srl, company that develops and produces several analysis systems for the QC of the Food&Beverage. Since 2016, Simone has been working as CDR FoodLab® division manager at CDR where he grew a wide experience in the chemical analysis. In 2016, he graduated with honors in Enology and Viticulture at the University of Florence. In 2018 he published on the magazine Wines&Vines the article “Winemaking in the Era of Climate Change Determine yeast-assimilable nitrogen and gluconic acid for optimum alcoholic fermentation management”.
12:30pm
Whether you are planning to make a full exit in the near future, looking to just take some chips off the table, or simply wanting to stay “in the know” on industry current events and trends, please join us for an informative and interactive discussion on business valuation trends and market activity within the craft beer industry. In this presentation, we will dive into key items to consider in order to position your craft brewery to maximize potential sale value down the road. In addition, we will discuss current merger & acquisition trends (types of transactions, transaction volume, multiples, and more) to bring you up to speed on transaction activity within the industry. Finally, we will introduce Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) and detail why ESOPs are so popular in the craft beer industry and why forming one could be the answer to your exit planning needs.
Fred Campos – Fred Campos is a partner in the Advisory Services Division of Marcum and serves as the Firm’s Transaction Advisory Services Leader for the Southeast region. He has more than 20 years of experience in accounting and finance. Throughout his career, Fred has executed on more than 250 transactions (buy- and sell-side) that ranged in purchase price from $15 million to more than $1 billion.
Elizabeth Ciccone – Elizabeth Ciccone is a partner in the Valuation, Forensic & Litigation Services practice group of Marcum. Elizabeth specializes in matrimonial litigation and collaborative and non-adversarial divorce. She has also performed valuations of business interests for a variety of purposes including, but not limited to, business damages, shareholder litigation, and estate and gift tax matters.
Tim Croushore – Tim Croushore is a principal at Marcum and leader of the Firm’s West Coast Valuation, Forensics & Litigation practice. Tim is based in the Los Angeles office and has more than 36 years of valuation consulting experience with a broad background in financial reporting, estate and gift tax planning, litigation, acquisition support and lender diligence work.
Wilson Denari – Wilson Denari is a Manager in the Valuation and Litigation Support Services group of Marcum. He has performed valuations of business interests for a variety of purposes but primarily specializes in completing valuations for buy and sell-side ESOP transactions as well as annual valuation updates to ESOP trustees with existing ESOP clients.
1pm
Breweries are in a prime spot to make a radical impact on their communities. For many breweries giving back and doing good are one of the ways they differentiate themselves from other industries. Seth dives into leveling up your generosity and being a better partner to non-profits in an attempt to help breweries see the opportunity of not just doing some good, but to aggressively impact their communities for the betterment of all.
Seth Caddell is husband to Bethany, dad to Enosh, and co-owner of Coastal Fermentory in Newport News. He also teaches in the Beer Brewer Professional Program for the University of Richmond, 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. He is passionate about helping breweries see the opportunities to make a difference in their communities, and how breweries could be a massive force for good.
1:30pm
Using the WSET Level 2 Beer SAT, Mirella will talk through a full sensory assessment and description of a beer. SAT is short for ‘Systematic Approach to Tasting’ and is one of the tools that was developed by WSET as a part of their course for the WSET Level 2 Award in Beer. The SAT covers all aspects of beer tasting, including the Appearance, Nose, Palate as well as a Conclusion to assess quality. As she takes you through a tasting, Mirella will highlight five take-aways that will help you improve the way you assess and communicate beer to your customers and peers. She will also explain how the Conclusion section of the SAT can be used to assess the quality of a beer, even if it’s not brewed to style. Many experienced tasters have found the WSET Level 2 Beer SAT to be a useful tool….find out why!
Beer specialist, Mirella Amato, has dedicated herself to supporting the growth of craft beer by promoting a better understanding of beer and its many qualities since 2007. Currently working as Senior Business Development Manager for Beer at WSET, Mirella is always striving to further her beer knowledge and sensory evaluation skills. She was the first Canadian (and fifth person ever) to earn the title of Master CiceroneTM. She is a Doemens Bier Sommelier (GER) and a Beer and Cider Academy Sommelier (UK). She has completed advanced brewing certificates at both Maska Laboratories, Québec and UC Davis, California. Mirella is also a Master Level BJCP and has sat on the jury for homebrew and professional competitions internationally. She is the author of the award-winning book ‘Beerology: Everything You Need to Know to Enjoy Beer…Even More’ and created the online course ‘Mastering Beer & Food Pairing brought to you by Beerology’.
2pm
As “we make beer” continues to fail as a differentiator in today’s marketplace, it is more important than ever to have a complete beverage program. Not only do non-beer options help to attract new customers, but they provide avenues of exploration, and the opportunity to capture business that would otherwise go to more traditional bars and restaurants. In this seminar, attendees will learn about the different varieties of non-beer fermented beverages from a consumer-facing standpoint. They will also learn how to apply this knowledge in building their own non-beer programs, whether internal or through wholesale, to expand their business and their opportunities for success.
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 also a co-founder of the Court Shoes Only and Evergreen Brewing Initiative non-profits, and a board member for the upcoming American Craft Beer Hall of Fame. He is an Advanced Cicerone, Certified Pommelier, Certified Cheese Scholar, WSET Level 2 Spirits Certified, 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.
2:30pm
In the craft beer world, where a new brewery seems to sprout up every day, a fresh logo alone won’t set you apart. Join the Brand Weaver in this rollercoaster presentation designed specifically for brewery owners ready to dive deeper than mere aesthetics. Discover the core differences between a simple redesign and a full on rebrand. This session will guide you through the key top five strategies to keep in mind when rebranding your brewery. More importantly, we’ll explore the tangible benefits and real results a successful rebrand can deliver. Learn how to not just refresh your image, but how to resonate with beer lovers in a way that sustains and grows your business. Don’t miss the chance to transform your brewery from just another name in the market to a standout brand.
There are few certainties in life: birth, death, taxes, and The Brand Weaver (Tim) overthinking his bio until it almost implodes. Yet, here’s a bio! Born in a lab under the watchful eyes of mad scientists (think wild grey hair and maniacal laughs), The Brand Weaver was an accidental result of an experiment gone slightly awry. Instead of better buttering toast, they created a branding guru. Emerging from his test tube amidst a dazzling explosion, The Brand Weaver was destined to help businesses dominate their markets. With over 15 years of experience and a client list featuring big hitters like DC Comics, Warner Brothers, and Kamado Joe, he’s mastered the art of captivating audiences and crafting standout brands—think a Cannibal Corpse fan at a Harry Styles gig!
3pm
Non-alcoholic beer is now a major trend fueled by health consciousness, social inclusivity, and innovation. Ensuring its safety is crucial for both consumer trust and brand reputation. As demand for low and non-alcoholic beers rises, brewers are expanding their offerings with more sophisticated products. However, they face a major challenge: while traditional beers are protected from spoilage by their alcohol content, low and non-alcoholic beers are more vulnerable to microbial growth and spoilage due to their lack of alcohol.
Just like in traditional beer, achieving the ideal balance of flavor, aroma, and quality is crucial in non-alcoholic (NA) beer production. Brewers face the challenge of preventing spoilage while preserving this balance. NA beers, with lower hop bitterness, higher fermentable sugar content, and potentially higher pH levels, are more prone to spoilage compared to their alcoholic counterparts.
One effective way to stabilize beverages is through preservation methods. Ethanol naturally inhibits bacterial growth in fermented drinks, but its absence in non-alcoholic beverages presents a challenge for extending shelf life. Brewers must find alternative preservatives or methods to achieve optimal stability and longevity.
New natural antimicrobial ingredients, mainly a cationic biopolymer from white button mushrooms, has been studied for its ability to protect low and non-alcoholic beers from both pathogenic bacteria and general spoilage microorganisms in a series of microbial challenge tests. Natural antimicrobial ingredients present an opportunity to reduce the risk of general microbial spoilage of LA and NA beers, while eliminating the risk of pathogenic bacteria contamination.
Matt Stocek joined the organization as a Chemistry Researcher. He is a dynamic professional with a solid foundation in molecular genetics and biology, holding a B.Sc.(Honors) from the University of New Brunswick. With extensive experience in biochemistry research at Chinova, he has excelled in extracting compounds and enhancing chitosan yield. Matthew has now ventured into the Sales team as a Technical Sales Specialist. Outside the lab, his adventurous spirit has taken him backpacking through numerous countries, completing a significant stretch of the Appalachian Trail, showcasing his passion for exploration and outdoor activities.
Chinova Bioworks is a Canadian food-tech company founded in 2016 to revolutionize the food and beverage industry by introducing natural and sustainable ingredients derived from white button mushrooms.
3:30pm
An intensely flavored IPA delivered wordlessly to a customer who dislikes bitterness, or a Pale Ale mistakenly delivered to a customer who ordered the lager isn’t just cringy, it’s bad for business! Luckily, staff training can mitigate these problems and enhance employee engagement all while increasing beer sales. Are techniques that rely on memorizing esoteric beer styles still relevant in a changing beverage landscape? What can training solve for your brewery employees and customers? How does staff training fit within the constraints of a taproom or production brewery? It’s time to challenge the status quo and think differently about training for front-of-house brewery staff. In this seminar we will reveal research-backed tools and techniques to empower your brewery staff to sell more beer and satisfy changing customer tastes. You will experience these techniques first-hand and walk away ready to implement them in your brewery.
Lindsay is the Founding Partner of DraughtLab and Adjunct Sensory Professor for the UC Davis Master Brewers Program. She has over a decade of experience building sensory training programs and has worked with hundreds of breweries to implement their own. With DraughtLab she has published multiple industry-standard lexicons like the Beer Flavor MapTM and has made Sensory science accessible for companies of all sizes and levels of expertise. Along with her daily work, she is involved in the brewing industry as an international beer judge, instructor for the Siebel Institute, and author of seven ASBC Sensory evaluation metods.
4pm
It’s tough out there for breweries, and adding a hemp-derived product line might look like an enticing way to expand into new product lines. This presentation will cover the federal and state landscape for how to create a hemp-derived beverage, how best to mitigate risks to your alcohol licenses, and watch-outs and concerns at both the distribution and retail level. Attendees will leave with a road map to bringing a product to market and a list of best practices to mitigate potential risks to your core business.
Shauna Barnes founded Barnes Beverage Group to provide legal and compliance advice to alcohol beverage and beverage companies of all sizes and at all stages. She and her team have over 50 years of experience in the industry. She has stocked her firm with in-house legal and compliance professionals because she knows traditional law firm incentives don’t align with how companies approach business decisions. Shauna’s goal is to have her team be efficient and focused on risk in every engagement with clients. Their clients include nano, micro, and craft breweries, distillers, wineries, importers and brand owners, as well as established publicly traded companies, who are making all types of alcoholic and non-alcoholic products, including beer, wine, spirits, and beyond-beer. Shauna is a nationally Chamber’s ranked alcohol attorney with over a decade of experience giving legal advice to beverage companies on legal, compliance, and regulatory risks surrounding day-to-day operations, strategic planning, international expansion, product rollouts, and major promotions and marketing campaigns.
4:30pm
Brewery owners and managers are struggling to find new drinkers. Younger consumers aren’t interested. RTDs, whiskey and tequila are having a moment. CBD, THC and functional beverages are carving out their share. Waters are exploding. And craft beer is stuck in a sea of sameness, desperate to stand out.
What if there was a checklist of 40 marketing and sales tactics that could change the course of your business? And each one took just minutes to execute?
The team at Market Your Craft wants you to have the tools and best practices to find new sales quickly for your craft brewery or cidery. Not next quarter. Not even a month from now. Starting tomorrow! We’ve distilled years of working with brands like yours into a blueprint for successful marketing and sales in today’s challenging market.
We’ll provide step-by-step instructions for unleashing the power of your:
– Brand Website
– Public Relations
– Events and Activations
– Social Media Engagement
– Sampling and Demos
– Integrated Sales Channels
– High-Performance Marketing Strategy
Conquer your fear of marketing! Start by storytelling what makes your brand different. You have what you need to jumpstart next-level sales growth right in front of you. We’ll help you prioritize the strategies and tactics. Presentation attendees have access to 15 Complimentary Guides, with proven tools to attract new drinkers, build momentum and capture new sales in this environment.
Market Your Craft is a virtual team of experts in storytelling your craft beer brand. We’ve worked with some of the most iconic brands in the beverage industry, including Sierra Nevada, BJ’s Brewhouse, Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark and others. Led by Scott Kolbe, industry veteran of 20+ years, our goal is to help you become more discoverable in today’s crowded market. We measure success by how quickly we provide your internal team with the tools needed to drive traffic, build engagement and capture sales.
5pm
Beer is local. In our quest for success, the most impactful efforts often start in your brewery’s own backyard. As our industry evolves, there is immense value in having a local guild to advocate for, support, and provide resources to your area’s breweries. This session will explore the fundamentals of starting a local guild from the ground up and strategies for actively engaging its members. Our guests—experienced guild leaders—will share how they’ve united their beer communities, discuss effective fundraising efforts, and provide valuable lessons learned. Whether you’re looking to start a guild or strengthen your existing network, this session will offer practical takeaways to help you harness the power of local collaboration.
Panelists:
Erik Fowler (San Diego Brewers Guild)
Karis Roberts (Asheville Brewers Alliance)
Marcus Raschke (Coastal Virginia Brewers Alliance)
Matt Rowsell (Long Island Brewers Guild)
Moderator: Andrew Coplon (Craft Beer Professionals/Secret Hopper)
Erik Fowler is a Certified Cicerone with over a decade of experience in the craft beer industry. His career spans roles in education, marketing, sales and production, including positions at White Labs, Stone Brewing Company and ChuckAlek Independent Brewers. Erik spent nine years as Head of Education and Craft Hospitality at White Labs, where he championed brewing education programs and White Labs Brewing Co. Erik also has served as an instructor for San Diego State University and UC San Diego in their beer programs. He currently serves as Executive Director for the San Diego Brewers Guild, bringing his expertise to San Diego and beyond.
Karis Roberts is a philanthropist, dreamer, disruptor, and educator located in Asheville, NC. Until 2018 Karis was an early education teacher and beer tender in the community. She has been the Executive Director of the Asheville Brewers Alliance for the last year and a half working with beverage producers and local guilds all over the East Coast. Roberts also holds many part-time jobs in the Asheville area working with local breweries. In her free time, she is honored to serve on the Girls On The Run of WNC Board, a Board of Directors of Catherine McAuley Mercy Foundation, and is a member of the social change philanthropy organization Cothinkk. She is also a very proud Big with Big Brother, Big Sisters of WNC. Karis’ partner owns his own craft beverage company making craft sodas and craft cocktails.
Marcus Raschke is a 26-year Navy veteran who discovered his passion for brewing while transitioning to civilian life during the pandemic. With a Craft Brewing Certificate from Cornell University and completion of the prestigious International Brewing and Distilling course, Marcus has honed his craft over the past five years. His brewing journey has taken him through various breweries before he found his home as Head Brewer at Capstan Bar Brewing Co. in November 2022. In addition to his brewing expertise, Marcus serves as Vice President of the Coastal Virginia Brewery Alliance (CVBA), where he actively contributes to the local brewing community.
Tuesday, October 15
presented by ABS Commercial
Time (ET)
Tuesday, October 15
presented by ABS Commercial
11am
While the introduction of ChatGPT and other AI tools has caused waves of disruption in industries across the globe, we have yet to see how AI will change the way we brew (if at all). In an industry crafting physical products, requiring us to be “hands on deck” – what can we expect from this new technology? Over the last years PLAATO has collected over 10 million fermentation data points and see that process insights is a foundation for making the right decisions – critical for building a sustainable brewing businesses. We don’t believe that AI and machine learning will take your job, but will rather help you and your business become more effective, and save your business both time, money and help reduce emissions. In this presentation we will cover the impact of AI on 1) Production efficiency 2) Production consistency 3) Sustainability 4) Supporting innovation and product development.
Kristian Fjelde Pedersen is a longtime brewer and leading Senior Software Engineer at PLAATO. He is responsible for our Machine Learning and AI initiatives – he’s on the forefront of using fermentation data to produce great beer, consistently and efficiently.
Magnus Valmot is the CEO of PLAATO. He is a passionate engineer, always interested in building great teams and great products
12pm
Pilot systems are a great tool for breweries to diversify their taproom offerings. We’ll discuss how this flexible system allows for small-batch experimentation, helping breweries refine new recipes before scaling up to full production. Breweries can innovate and expand their beverage options, keeping their taprooms fresh and engaging for customers.
Owen Woods has over 12 years of experience in the brewery industry. He spent 10 years as a brewer, responsible for beer production, fermentation, and packaging – utilizing and maintaining a variety of brewery equipment along the way. Owen is now a Sales Consultant for ABS Commercial, where he applies his knowledge of brewery equipment to help new and existing breweries with their unique equipment needs.
12:30pm
Buying for your brewery can either be time consuming, costly, frustrating or all of the above. We’ll go over 3 ways to buy smarter and see measurable savings. We’ll also review how to save time in the process, which can be just as valuable to team running a brewery today. The outcome is techniques you can apply in the coming months at your brewery. We’ll also cover a few examples of some recent success from different sized breweries applying these same buying practices.
My name is Dan Klasen and I’m the Founder and President of the Beverage Federation. The Beverage Federation is a Group Purchasing Organization that makes purchasing simpler for brewery/winery/distillery owners and suppliers. We help you overcome purchasing hurdles so that you stay profitable. Several years ago, before starting the Beverage Federation, I learned the hard lesson with my own business that lots of little expenses and mistakes will catch up. My company had millions in revenue, employees, IT, legal… We had all the things that you’re supposed to have as a business, but, regardless of how many extra hours I put in, we still struggled with profit margins. Eventually, we had to close our doors, which was the single hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my professional career. Had I known then what I know now about the power of purchasing, things would have been a lot different.
The Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) model has tremendous potential for the beverage industry. I see hundreds of great small/medium breweries, wineries, and distilleries suffering from the same problems that I had years ago. They are all doing their purchasing, spending too much money and time when buying, and not maintaining relationships with high-quality suppliers.
1pm
Digital advertising is overwhelming for many craft brands, especially when it comes to social media. Still, as algorithms continue to shift to favor a balance of organic and paid content, it’s becoming more critical than ever for marketers to understand how to organize and execute paid digital advertising campaigns. Brands can quickly get a lot of bang for their marketing buck, but they need to know how to set up and execute native social media advertising campaigns (not boosts!). In this session, we will explore the language of social media ads, how to allocate your ad spend, tailor your audience segments, write engaging ad copy, select sales-focused media, and identify performance KPIs that will let you know if your ads are working or not working. Attendees will walk away from this advanced session with excellent working knowledge of how to set up targeted social media advertising campaigns and track their performance.
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 Committee, and teaches marketing and sales for multiple business of craft beer programs at the university level.
1:30pm
How many of you prepare a budget each year? Not many hands went up, probably. Admit it, you get a small headache when you hear the word ‘budget.’ Maybe even cringe. But for some of us, creating a budget is fun and exciting. We love crafting that roadmap for your business from a bunch of numbers and data.
Discover the art and science of budgeting for craft breweries in this comprehensive presentation that will equip you with the tools and knowledge to create a solid financial foundation for your business. We will guide you through the process of preparing an easy budget quickly and efficiently using Excel, demystifying the numbers and turning data into a clear roadmap for success. Learn advanced budgeting techniques to enhance your financial planning and gain insights into how to use your budget to drive results, optimize operations, and ensure sustainable growth. Join us and turn budgeting from a daunting task into an exciting opportunity for your brewery’s future.
Sean is a manager with Draffin Tucker, a full-service CPA firm with offices in Atlanta and Albany, Georgia, providing outsourced finance and accounting services to a number of industries. His 27 years of experience includes working for a regional CPA firm providing consulting and auditing services and financial leadership roles for companies in numerous industries varying in size from $1 million to $650 million. Prior to returning to Draffin Tucker, he most recently served as the CFO for a craft brewery in South Georgia where he found a passion for craft beer and helping others. Now he works with craft beverage clients to assist them with their finance and accounting needs. He graduated from Georgia Southern University in 1997 where he earned a BBA with a major in accounting and minor in finance. He is also a certified Lean Six Sigma black belt.
2pm
Learn how to optimize your online presence without breaking the bank. This presentation will empower attendees with the essential knowledge and practical skills to enhance their website’s visibility and organic search rankings. We’ll focus on key areas of SEO including: Local SEO, On-Page SEO, Website Performance and Accessibility, Off-Page SEO, and ongoing SEO Strategy.
Chris Overlay is the founder and CEO of Get Hoptimized, a marketing agency built for craft beer. Chris has given numerous presentations on craft beer marketing at CBC and other guild events across the country and is the host of the Get Hoptimized podcast. He has over 11 years of marketing industry experience and graduated with a degree in marketing from The University of Nevada Las Vegas in 2013. When he’s not working, Chris is either homebrewing, enjoying a hike with his wife, or watching Golden Knights hockey and Denver Broncos football.
2:30pm
This session will explore how to successfully incorporate workshops and events into your space to attract more guests and create a unique experience. Attendees will learn practical tips on where to find workshops or hosts, how often to schedule events, and the ideal number of participants to ensure profitability. The discussion will also cover how to evaluate whether an event is worth repeating.
Drawing on real-world experience, the session will provide insights into connecting with small businesses and creating mutually beneficial partnerships. Examples include working with outside food trucks, hosting live music, and organizing events such as seafood festivals, local fundraisers, and seasonal craft fairs. Attendees will leave with fresh ideas on how to showcase their brewery as more than just a place for beer, helping to attract new customers and build a vibrant community atmosphere.
Hey! I’m Kara! Born and raised in Western Mass, I have a full healthcare background and got into the brewing Industry right before covid. I started as a Beer tender/server, went on to be a shift lead, and now hold the position of Taproom Manager. I am the co-event coordinator for a local Car Club and I also assist with a local Animal Control to help create events to raise money for the ACO. I love working with and helping people plan their special occasions. I have been strong on bringing more workshops into my workplace as it helps bring in new customers and families. We also love hosting events for kids and local sports teams. In my spare time, I am always out and about adventuring with my Husband and 8 year old son. I love trying new Brewing companies, wineries, and distilleries. =)
3pm
Water chemistry seems straightforward, but some aspects can be forgotten or opportunities for improvement disregarded, impacting the final product. Starting off with a hydrating refresher (for some) on the basics of water, this webinar will swim through the roles of minerals, dive into water sources, and filter out critical information on water adjustments. Stabilize that haze, nutrient that yeast, and learn why some brewing regions are remarkable in some styles and not quite a pint half full on others. From hose-dragger to pipette-wielder, there is something useful to squeegee from this webinar!
On a mission to help the brewing community to have the best beer possible, Frances founded Fermly with the goal of assisting breweries of all sizes by offering scientific expertise, education, and equipment. Frances has spoken on a variety of topics, from leadership, business development, and technical brewing, to chemistry, as well as writing several published technical articles in pursuit of increasing knowledge. With a background in nutrition, brewing, and medicine, they utilize their knowledge and skills in a variety of applications and strives to help all breweries Fermly know their beer.
3:30pm
Revenue is the most important part of your business! When revenue comes in consistently and automatically every month you have achieved taproom nirvana!
In this session we will do a deep dive into 3 highly successful modern taproom membership programs that add cash to the bottom line every month! Learn what works best to get people signed up. What brings guests back most often. And what is most profitable!
You will leave this session with everything you need to refresh your existing program or start a kickass new one for your taproom today. This ain’t your grandpa’s mug club!
From Ross: I accidentally graduated from UCSD while studying lacrosse and frequenting O’Brien’s Pub. After a brief attempt to justify the cost of my engineering degree by designing pool cleaners (true story) I quit and started programming instead, first websites and then mobile applications. Since then, I have started a few small businesses with friends to bring best-in-class mobile tech to small businesses in other industries. After growing up in San Diego during the craft boom, I jumped at the chance to start TapWyse and serve this incredible industry. I now live in Carlsbad with my wife Laurel and two boys; Roscoe 9 and Mason 7. When not working you will find me shuttling them between basketball, golf, music, and skateboarding. Cheers!
4pm
What Sets Successful Breweries Apart in 2024? We researched 298 breweries nationwide with this question in mind. We’ll be sharing our findings on how factors like managing your product offerings, measuring your customer experience and tracking your progress could be affecting your brewery’s success.
Matt Hon is Sales Director of Brew Ninja, a brewery management software that streamlines day-to-day operations for breweries of all sizes. From inventory management to cost tracking, accounting to sales, and reporting to compliance, Brew Ninja simplifies your business so that you can focus on making great beer.
4:30pm
Managing people in a brewery presents unique challenges, from handling unruly guests to ensuring employee safety in different work centers. I will provide a practical and strategic conversation on HR in breweries, exploring the evolution of HR from a paper-pushing department to a crucial component of business strategy, employee experience, and retention. Whether you have an HR person or not, you will leave with a better understanding of how HR shows up in your role and your business. This is a “why does it matter” and “why does this help me” type of conversation—not a lecture.
You’ll learn how to create, document, and publish a code of conduct that aligns with your brewery’s vibe and legal obligations. We’ll discuss how to identify various types of harassment and establish procedures for receiving and investigating complaints, even when the harasser isn’t an employee. We’ll talk about real-world scenarios, such as a taproom employee dealing with an unruly guest or a salesperson handling inappropriate behavior during a tap takeover.
Additionally, I’ll share nonnegotiable steps to protect your business and employees, leveraging HR resources efficiently without making it a fluffy “HR” conversation. This chat will equip brewery owners and managers with actionable insights to elevate their practices and create a more efficient employee experience.
Join me to transform your brewery’s HR from a check-the-box admin activity to a strategic advantage, with practical insights and real-world examples to enhance your employee experience and business success.
Jessica Hart is an experienced HR leader with a knack for simplifying complex issues. With an MBA and a background navigating post-merger transitions at Heineken and The Lagunitas Brewing Company, she has managed organizational restructures, compliance, and employee relations across nearly all 50 states. Specializing in breweries and wineries, Jessica excels in supporting cultures where employees wear multiple hats. Known for her practical approach, Jessica is a sought-after speaker on HR trends and risk mitigation. Outside of work, she loves hiking in northern California with her husband and their toddler on the weekends and planning trips back to the Midwest to visit in-laws.
5pm
While the process of making beer has remained largely unchanged over the years, the technology surrounding breweries is constantly evolving. Most brewers don’t get into brewing to sit behind a computer and spend countless hours fiddling with spreadsheets. With so many technological options these days, which ones can actually help improve employee performance and decrease their workload? Alex and Harrison explore various methods of deploying technology in breweries, such as digitizing brew logs, using technology to calculate COGS quickly, deciphering data to expand distribution efforts, and more! Our goal is to help you choose and implement the best technology for your brewery to give you more time back to make great beer!
Alex labonge was born & raised in North Carolina. He is an alumni of Grimsley High School and UNC-Wilmington, and currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a former swimmer and grilling enthusiast. His first craft beer was Natty Green’s Freedom IPA, and North Carolina beer holds a special place in his heart. Alex has spent 8 years with Next Glass, and currently is a Solutions Consultant supporting the Brewery Solutions team. While coming from outside of industry initially, Alex brings valuable experience after thousands of conversations with brewery owners around the world.
Harrison Hickok was born & raised in New England and currently lives in Wilmington, NC. He spent 8 years working for breweries between Connecticut and Philadelphia and held many roles, including Assistant Brewer, Shift Lead, Assistant Barrel Master, Brand Ambassador, and Cellarmen. Harrison has held a number of roles with Next Glass, and is currently an Account Executive with the Brewery Solutions team. His first craft beer ever was the Dogfish Head Aprihop.