Category: Operations
Expert Topic What to do in Las Vegas for CBC
The U.S. brewing industry will soon turn its attention to Sin City, as Las Vegas hosts the annual Craft Brewers Conference, Brew Expo America, and World Beer cup. Some have questioned holding the event in the city, citing it’s overall lack of craft beer culture and destinations. However, locals are pushing back on that notion, highlighting a growth of local breweries in the last several years, bars dedicated to interesting drafts, and restaurants that have well-thought-out beer menus.
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News IMPORTANT: MJF Kicks Off Matching Grant Challenge Leading up to CBC
In this third year of ProBrewer support for The Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling’s annual $100k Matching Grant Challenge drive, we checked in on the foundation and the impact it has had on the industry. We caught up by email with Garrett Oliver, MJF founder and Head Brewer for Brooklyn Brewery, and heard directly from The MJF Director of Operations, Breeze Galindo along with MJF recipients who have advanced their careers as a direct result of the many donations from people like yourself.
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Expert Topic Can’t Miss Seminars for the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference
This year, what happens in Vegas hopefully follows you home and stays with you all year long. The annual Craft Brewers Conference is of course a time to network (and commiserate) with fellow brewers, a chance to inspect the newest technology and equipment, and to make connections. It’s also a chance to attend well-researched seminars given by thoughtful, experienced presenters and hopefully bring that knowledge back to your breweries. Let’s look at five standout sessions that you should consider attending.
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Expert Topic Craft Brewers Conference Curtain Raiser: What’s New at CBC this Year?
The Brewers Association (BA) is busy prepping for the arrival of thousands of brewers, industry suppliers, and others at its annual Craft Brewers Conference (CBC). Hosted this year in Las Vegas, the conference comes at a time of considerable consternation and anxiety in a flat brewing industry. The BA planned seminars and speakers to help smaller brewers navigate these challenging times. I spoke with Ann Obenchain, the BA’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications, about what brewers can expect at this year’s conference.
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News Ray Daniels Sells Cicerone Program to Two Industry Veterans
Founder Ray Daniels announced today that he has sold the Cicerone Certification Program to two Master Cicerones with deep experience in the beer industry. Dan Imdieke and Jason Pratt will take over the sixteen-year-old program which will continue to be based in Chicago
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Sponsored Brewery HR 101
Crafting great beer is an art, but managing the human side of your brewery is equally essential for success. “Brewery HR 101” is designed to provide brewery owners, managers, and HR professionals with the foundational knowledge and tools necessary to build a strong and productive workforce in the craft beer industry. From hiring and training brewery staff to fostering a positive work culture and complying with industry-specific regulations, our guests will share insight on how to foster a thriving workforce.
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Sponsored WTF, Data?! Numbers = Profits! w/ Pulkit K. Agrawal
Almost every brewery is tracking their data – whether it’s in a spreadsheet, paper logs, or an electronic brewery management system. As breweries start scaling, there are two key areas that brewers and owners start looking at for their products — (1) making consistent quality beer and (2) improving costs over time.
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News TTB Takes Input from Brewers on Ingredient Labelling
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is considering whether to require nutritional information on alcoholic beverages such as what the Food and Drug Administration has long required on other foods and beverages. The TTB is currently taking public comment – including those from the industry – until March 29.
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Sponsored “This is Native.” – Collaboration & the Art of Storytelling
Skydance Brewing Co opened their downtown Oklahoma City brewery and taproom in fall 2021 with a lot of local buzz as a Native-owned craft brewery, but owner Jake Keyes felt his full story was not yet being told in their brand and sought to elevate the packaging of their core beers for stronger shelf appeal as they grew distribution.
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News Falconer Foundation Offering Two Scholarships to Siebel Institute
In collaboration with the Seibel Institute of Technology, the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation is offering two full tuition brewing education scholarships in 2024. Each scholarship is a full tuition grant and comes with a travel/lodging stipend.
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Sponsored CBP Video: Getting More Butts in Seats & Beer in The Fridge
Description:
Marketing for Breweries has taken so many forms it’s hard to even know what to do anymore. It’s more than just a punch on a punch card, a scan of a QR code or some arbitrary point system. Loyalty is creating an experience that makes your customer tell their friends about the incredible experience they had at your brewery.
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News Featured Interview: Bravus Brewing – First Non-Alcoholic Brewery in US
When Phillip Brandes started the first non-alcoholic brewery in North America in 2015, little did he know that this tiny segment would soon become the fastest growing category in beer. Phillip, who uses a proprietary method to make beer with less than 0.05% abv, is now discovering the advantages – and the challenges, of selling non-alc beer.
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News Growth in Low and No-Alcohol Beverages Continues to Grow – Worth $1.8B in US
Growth for low and no-alcohol beverages continues to impress, with latest figures indicating that growth for the two categories grew by 5% globally in 2023 and is expected to grow another 15% in the US through 2027. The no-alcohol market in the US is now worth over $1.8 billion.
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News IBD Announces New Technical Course on Brewing Non-Alcoholic Beer
The Institute of Brewing & Distilling (IBD) has launched a technical training course for brewers on how to make nonalcoholic beverages. The training course is targeted at brewers working in breweries of all sizes who want to produce “no and low alcohol products safely, at minimum cost and in compliance with regulations.”
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News TTB Continues ‘Boot Camp for Brewers’ with Three Upcoming Webinars
The Alcohol Tobacco and Tax Trade Bureau has announced three new classes in the online “Boot Camp for Brewers” webinar series which allow brewers to tune in to educational videos relating to specific TTB requirements. The three new webinars include Labeling, Low/No Alcohol Beers and Advertising for Wine, Distilled Spirits, and Malt Beverages.
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Expert Topic Innovation in Beer Transportation
Brewers control the quality of their beer right up to the point where it goes out the door. When a four-pack of cans, a sixer of bottles, or a growler leaves the brewery in a customer’s hands, a brewer’s job is largely done. But when beer heads out for distribution, that’s where things get complicated. Transportation, shipping, and logistics remain a challenge for most breweries, with heavy pallets loaded into heavy trucks that head to a distribution warehouse or even direct to accounts. We talked with one regional transportation company about its plans to innovate and shake up the business of transporting beer.
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News Six Individuals Earn Prestigious Title of Master Cicerone
The Cicerone Certification Program has announced that six individuals have earned the title of Master Cicerone, joining a group of only 22 other individuals worldwide to earn the title. Candidates earned the certification after completing two days of intense written and oral exams, testing knowledge of beer styles, draft systems, beer evaluation, brewing technology, and beer and food pairings.
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News Auburn University Offers New Master’s Degree in Brewing Science
Auburn University now offers a master’s program in brewing science and operations. It is designed mostly for students who work full-time but partners with on-campus brewery New Realm Brewing Company to allow a hands-on approach and learn the ins-and-outs of the industry.
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