Podcast
Craft Beer Professionals
Hosted by Craft Beer Professionals · EN
Craft Beer Professionals is a national network dedicated to the growth and betterment of the craft beer industry. CBP unifies and elevates the industry through educational content, peer to peer dialogue, and unique community events.
Educational sessions, interviews, and panel conversations that dive into critical topics in the craft beer industry.
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www.CraftBeerProfessionals.org
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Your Ideal Brewery Distribution Partner: How to Identify a Great Fit
3w ago00:56:10Tap to summarizeConsidering distribution? In the market for a distributor in a new territory? Or maybe simply trying to figure out what’s missing in your current distribution equation?Join us to discuss both the most important traits of a great distribution partner and some warning signs to watch out for when you’re shopping & interviewing. Plus, learn more about evaluating portfolios, market position, sales teams, & personality to determine whether a terrific distributor is really the right fit for you & your brand.Your discussion panel includes:Chris Black (Founder & King of the iconic Falling Rock Tap House in Denver, CO) Bill Wetmore (Sales & Marketing Director and Head of Beer Strategery for Fat Head’s Brewery)John Anthony (Sales & Distribution Manager for Goat Patch Brewing Co. & Pike’s Peak Brewing Co.)Moderator: Laura Lodge (Author of Distribution Insight for the Craft Brewer, Co-Founder of Start A Brewery, and Owner/ Strategic Business Consultant at Customized Craft Beer Programs)
Transcribe →Profitable Taproom Tactics
4w ago00:34:52Tap to summarizeDespite their best efforts, most Owners, GMs, and Taproom Managers leave money on the table because their taprooms operate below their true potential. In this session, we break down 12 proven tactics the most profitable taprooms use to generate 2x-5x more profit than their peers.We’ll walk through the 4 pillars of successful taprooms, outlining specific tactics and performance benchmarks, drawn from our work with 285+ U.S. craft breweries over the past 15 years. These tactics span pricing, product, margin, labor, events, merchandise, marketing, management, training, and customer service. So whether you just opened a new location, or want to fine-tune a long-standing operation, you’ll walk away with actionable steps you can use to make your taproom a consistent profit generator for your brewery.Julia Grubbs, CPA 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’ 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.
Transcribe →ESOP as a Succession Plan
Jun 1700:50:40Tap to summarizeAn ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) can be the right succession strategy for a craft brewer. This presentation will offer a detailed look at how an ESOP can enable an owner to receive fair value for transferring ownership while preserving the unique culture and legacy of the business even after the founder steps back. We will demystify the structure and legal aspects of an ESOP, making a complex process more approachable. Attendees will learn about the significant tax advantages both for selling owners and for a craft brewery after becoming ESOP-owned, and how an ESOP enables workers to become owners. The presentation will also provide practical guidance to assess whether an ESOP is feasible for a craft brewer.Alan is a partner in the Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation group at Husch Blackwell LLP.His practice encompasses the gamut of employee benefits law, with a particular focus on ESOP transactions and compliance.Many lawyers play golf. Instead, Alan plays squash and tennis, which provide him with a frequent reminder to keep his day job.
Transcribe →How AI and Technologies Can Drive Brewery Growth, Efficiency, & Strategic Advantage
Jun 1000:28:29Tap to summarizeThe craft beer industry is more competitive than ever. Rising costs, shifting consumer preferences, and complex supply chains require brewers to think beyond traditional methods of growth and efficiency. Advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), predictive analytics, and smart automation are no longer reserved for big corporations – they are increasingly accessible to breweries of all sizes.This session will demystify these tools and show how craft breweries can practically apply them to improve operations, enhance customer engagement, and gain measurable return on investment (ROI). Understand key factors from a valuation perspective, where and how to expand and grow. Attendees will walk away with actionable strategies and real-world examples of how AI can help with demand forecasting, quality control, inventory management, and even personalized marketing – unlocking new levels of competitiveness and sustainability in today’s crowded marketplace.Waqqas Mahmood is a senior director at CBIZ. He has been in the innovation space for almost two decades, helping organizations architect their digital future. Waqqas believes in creating a culture of innovation that nurtures new technologies and media that promote powerful and engaging solutions. He has a strong background in digital product management, human-centered design, and business transformation.Timothy Croushore has more than 39 years of valuation consulting experience. Prior to joining CBIZ, he held partner and managing director positions with “Big Four” and other national accounting and consulting firms in the valuation space. He has served in service-line leadership roles in various industries including sports, leisure and entertainment, restaurant and retail, consumer business, technology and private equity/hedge funds.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/
Transcribe →Brewery Collaboration Structures: What Works & Why
Jun 300:40:46Tap to summarizeRecent years have seen dramatic growth in brewery collaboration structures ranging from simple contract brewing to regional platforms consolidating brands under shared infrastructure. These models offer craft breweries access to professional capabilities, competitive scale, and optimized capacity utilization while maintaining independence – but only if you choose the right structure for your specific challenges.This session examines the major collaboration models available to craft breweries and provides a practical framework for evaluating which approach fits your situation. Drawing on 30 years of practicing law and over two decades of direct operational experience running and restructuring businesses across the alcoholic beverage industry, we’ll discuss when collaboration makes sense and what makes them succeed.We’ll cover production partnerships (contract brewing and alternating proprietorship), shared infrastructure models (co-location facilities and cooperatives), ownership structures (platforms, joint ventures, and M&A), and industry alliances (purchasing cooperatives and distribution coordination). For each structure, you’ll understand how it works, when it makes sense, and what the regulatory and financial implications are.More importantly, you’ll leave with a decision framework addressing: capacity constraints and production solutions, overhead reduction without sacrificing brand control, when professional infrastructure justifies integration, regulatory compliance requirements across different structures, and exit strategy planning before problems arise.Whether you’re exploring your first collaboration or evaluating platform acquisition, this session provides the analytical tools to match structure to strategy and the context to set yourself up for success.Kevin McGee is a California-based attorney and a graduate of the Executive Program at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. In addition to his extensive legal practice, he has served in executive roles across private equity, finance, and consumer brands, and has led companies through mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, aggressive growth and has advised on over $2.5b in transactions. His unique blend of legal and operational experience allows him to deliver practical, results-oriented counsel that combines legal precision with business pragmatism to arrive at solutions that empower his clients. Kevin works with companies at all stages of development, private equity firms, investment banks, family offices, and individual entrepreneurs.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/
Transcribe →Adding Spirits to Your Brewery
May 2700:26:25Tap to summarizeJoin Donald Snyder, a 20+ year spirit industry leader, as he discusses the many opportunities and challenges that brewers will face when adding spirits to their brewery operations. Adding a spirits program to a brewery is never a one-size fits all. From space constraints to unique state laws, every spirits journey will be different. Donald will walk through the federal licensing steps, TTB monthly reporting requirements, equipment considerations, packaging options, the current spirits sourcing market, a well-rounded spirits portfolio (from cocktails to spirits based RTDs to off-premise bottle sales), and even review an example Profit and Loss Business Model for different spirit types. Revenue diversification for brewers will becoming more and more critical and adding a spirits program could be a great way to bring in new customers.Donald Snyder, distilling industry consultant and previous President/Founder of Whiskey Systems Distillery Management Software, has 20+ years in the alcohol and beverage industry including holding senior management roles at the Buffalo Trace Distillery and MGPI of Indiana (formerly the Seagram’s Distillery). Donald now helps distilleries of all sizes with licensing, internal audits and TTB compliance checks, spirit sourcing, aged whiskey barrel brokering, packaging supply chain management, equipment and vendor selection, business valuations, merger & acquisition support, team training and development, software utilization, and many other areas to drive profitability. Donald is now bringing his spirits experience to the brewing world to help brewers unlock potential revenue to help them offer high quality spirits in their taproom to the meet an ever-changing customer palate.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/
Transcribe →Is DtC Right for Me? Understanding the Risks and Rewards of Shipping Beer
May 2000:53:44Tap to summarizeFor brewers looking to grow their market, the prospect of the direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping channel—and the potential to sell to consumers across the country that it brings—can be tantalizing. Indeed, a brewer with a successful DtC shipping program can reap benefits beyond simple remote sales, including eliciting distributor attention for three-tier sales. But as a complicated market, with numerous logistical and regulatory hurdles to overcome, DtC shipping is still not for everyone.Hear Alex Koral, regulatory general counsel at Sovos ShipCompliant, talk about the ins and outs of DtC shipping, including how to build your DtC presence, how to manage the compliance requirements, what logistics services you will need to ship, and how we can grow the DtC market further so that more consumers and breweries can benefit from this still limited but growing market.Based in Boulder, Colorado, Alex Koral is Regulatory General Counsel for Sovos ShipCompliant, where he serves as lead legal researcher for beverage alcohol regulation and has become a leading expert on interstate distribution of alcohol. He has spoken on the topic at many industry events including Craft Beer Professionals Virtual Conferences, Craft Brewers Conference, American Craft Spirits Association Convention, as well as meetings for the National Council of State Liquor Administrators and the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association. Alex has been in the beverage alcohol arena since 2015, after receiving his J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/
Transcribe →Dealing With Seasonality
May 1600:56:58Tap to summarizeSeasonality hits every brewery differently. A beach town in July looks nothing like a mountain town in February. In this panel, we are bringing together breweries from very different markets to talk about how they plan for the swings, manage staffing and inventory, adjust events and marketing, and keep revenue steady when foot traffic shifts. This conversation will include real examples of what has worked, what has not, and how they think about cash flow, community, and long term sustainability when the busy season ends and the quiet season begins.This conversation features:Cory Smith (Twin Oast Brewing)Daniel Callender (Salty Turtle Beer)Jenna Brown (South Lake Brewing Company)Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/
Transcribe →It's Okay To Not Be Okay: Mental Health at Breweries
May 1300:46:11Tap to summarizeCraft beer is all about friendship and fun, and that can ironically make it harder for folks who are dealing with anxiety, depression, or suicidality to open up about their struggles. Because craft beer is in the business of selling a good time, the industry can be resistant to acknowledging that some of its members are struggling. Some of beer’s favorite spaces and events, such as taprooms and festivals, can be uniquely aggravating to individuals dealing with anxiety in particular.In this talk, journalist David Nilsen will talk about how the industry can better support its workers who are struggling and provide mentally safer spaces for customers and employees alike.David Nilsen is a full-time beer writer and educator living near Dayton, Ohio. He’s an Advanced Cicerone© and an award-winning member of the North American Guild of Beer Writers and the British Guild of Beer Writers. He’s also the host of the Bean to Barstool podcast, the author of Pairing Beer & Chocolate, and the co-founder and editor of Final Gravity.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/
Transcribe →AI Beyond the Caption: Scaling Taproom Voice with Intent
May 900:49:42Tap to summarizeIn an industry built on authenticity and community connection, most teams resist AI because they worry it will dilute the brand’s voice or sound generic. Used strategically, AI can protect creative energy, support consistency, and make marketing more sustainable without replacing personality.This session explores how breweries can use AI as a calibration tool that supports brand tone, improves operational communication, and helps repurpose existing conversations and knowledge into usable marketing and training material. We will walk through how AI can bridge the gap between operations and marketing, support seasonal storytelling, accelerate employee onboarding, and create content frameworks that still feel like the people behind the beer.The session includes a live example build showing how to turn raw ideas or taproom dialogue into platform ready content while keeping voice intact. No technical background required. The focus is on structure and intention rather than automation.Participants will leave with prompt techniques, best practices for brand consistency, and methods for using AI without outsourcing identity.AI should not replace your voice. It should protect it so you have the energy to keep using it.Madeline McMahon is a fractional marketing strategist and founder of Madeline Fleehart Consulting specializing in sustainable visibility for small teams in the food and beverage sector. Their background includes organic storytelling, CRM architecture, and process design with a focus on strengthening consistency without adding complexity. Madeline has led AI education sessions for the Virginia Brewers Conference, Pink Boots Society, SCORE, and regional startups with an emphasis on practical use of AI by non technical teams. Their approach integrates narrative thinking with light touch tools to improve alignment across operations and marketing. They believe successful brewery marketing is intentional, repeatable, and grounded in lived brand experience rather than produced through automation.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/
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