Operations

Online Reputation Management: How To Keep Your Good Name Among Employees

posted Nov 30th, 2022 by Andy Crouch

The reputation of your business is everything. From the customer experience, to the quality of your beer, and employee retention and satisfaction, maintaining and protecting your brewery’s good name takes many forms. When it comes to your staff, it’s important to maintain a strong relationship even in the tough times.

In the past two years, the brewing industry has relearned the importance of treating its employees well. When things go wrong, they rarely stay within the four walls of the brewery. Instead, the details get splashed across Internet job forums and social media sites, such as Instagram, where they take on a life of their own.

Hiring solid, reliable, and engaged employees is always one of a company’s greatest challenges and in the present market, it’s even harder. Taking some time to consider, build, and maintain your corporate reputation can be key to attracting top talent to help your brewery grow.

Let’s consider some tips for maintaining a strong brand reputation for your company.

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The Brewhouse of the Future (Part 2): Packaging

posted Nov 29th, 2022 by John Holl

After a recipe is developed, the ingredients are carefully selected, a beer is brewed with care, and fermented properly, it is time for packaging. Brewers put a lot of thought into their packaging, not only design but function, durability, and how it takes care of the beer.

As the world continues to change and a greater focus is put on sustainability, environmental impact and becoming carbon neutral breweries are going to have options and choices when it comes to creating a brewhouse of the future that has smarter packaging.

The brewhouse of the future, which is closer than some might realize, is also going to focus on automation – even on the smaller scale – which will still allow brewers to be hands on but will increase safety.

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The Brewhouse of the Future (Part 1)

posted Nov 22nd, 2022 by John Holl

What will the brewery of the future look like?

In many cases the industry, at present, is standing on the edge of an enhanced digital revolution that will bring efficiencies not only to the brewhouse but also the tap room. The COVID-19 pandemic sped up many of the digital encounters that had already been available but that are now commonplace.

In turn, the companies behind these technologies have turbocharged their innovations and offerings. A walk through the BrewExpo America last year in Minneapolis was a showcase of technology and apps as much as it was stainless steel equipment and packaging.

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Tips For Brewery Automation

posted Nov 17th, 2022 by John Holl

In an industry that revels in terms like “craft” or “handcrafted” there is also a fondness for automation. For brewers that started on small manual kits that required constant hands-on attention, there is celebration when budgets allow for pro-equipment where the machines are of the Ron Popeil school of thought.

Automation is something brewers strive for as it helps with all manners of the brewing process and the carefully dialed in machines can help create lagers and ales to spec while (hopefully) ensuring a smoother brew day.

From mash tuns to fermenters, packaging lines and labelers automation continues to make brewing easier and more efficient A stroll through the annual Brew Expo America and smaller conferences around the country there are companies that are eager to show off the latest technical advancements.

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Choosing a Brewery Forklift

posted Nov 10th, 2022 by John Holl

There is a lot of talk about the handcrafted nature of beer, conjuring up idyllic images of artisan beverages. While that is certainly true for certain parts of brewing, automation is a necessary part of the process. Machines that make brewing easier in practice and on the back are welcome.

Chief among the necessary brewhouse accessories (for some) is the forklift.

For breweries of a certain size that have the space and the need for something beyond a pallet jack a forklift can be a godsend.

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Advanced Safety Advice from Brewing Pros

posted Nov 8th, 2022 by John Holl

It can be fun to focus on the lighter side of brewing. From taproom hangouts to clinking glasses there is a lot of reward to the hard work. Making sure the work is done in a safe manner is critically important not only for employees but the overall business.

While there are certain well known safety practices like how to properly wear boots to eye protection, there are additional steps breweries should be taking to ensure that everyone at the facility makes to that post-shift pint safe and sound.
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