Craft Beer Professionals

In this unique era of crossover drinking, new beverage concepts, reinventing the tap room experience, and a whacky economy, what’s the best way to find your course?Join Start A Brewery Contributors and craft beer industry veterans Jeff Mendel of Left Hand Brewing Company, Tim Myers of Strange Craft Beer Company, Laura Bruns of Craft Beer Uncovered, and Charlie Gottenkieny of Bruz Beers for an in depth exploration of opportunities, inspirations, personal small business development strategies, and other inside/outside of the box looks at the tools successful breweries have used to chart (and continue to chart) their course.Huge thanks to Small Batch Standard + InTouch LabelsStay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.orgJoin us in-person for CBP ConnectsHalf workshop, half networkingCharlotte, NC | June 9-11, 2025Register now: https://cbpconnects.com/

Believe it or not, there’s more to life than beer. There’s also wine, spirits, cider—even NA products! But just because you’ve mastered beer doesn’t mean you can simply begin making and selling other types of alcoholic beverages. When a brewery moves to expand their offerings and enter new markets, there is no shortage of new requirements and restrictions that apply. From new licenses to additional taxes to dealing with state control boards, the entire process can look different from everything you’ve become accustomed to.Come hear regulatory experts Alex Koral, Sovos ShipCompliant, and Candace Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, discuss the ins and outs of how your brewery can move beyond beer to reach new customers and excite existing ones with novel offerings.Candace L. Moon is a San Diego-based attorney who has spent the last 15 years dedicating her law practice to the craft beer industry. She has worked with over 500 craft breweries and craft breweries-in-planning nationwide, handling many legal areas including business entity formation, alcoholic beverage law, contract review, and trademark law. She has been a member of the Brewers Association since 2009 and served on the Board of Directors for both the San Diego Brewers’ Guild and The Pink Boots Society. Ms. Moon has taught Beer Law classes at UCSD, SDSU, and UC Davis. She is the author of “Brew Law 101: California Edition.” Ms. Moon is also the co-founder of Start A Brewery.com, a website for start-up breweries looking for guidance and a bi-monthly podcast of the same name.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 the 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.Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.orgJoin us in-person for CBP ConnectsHalf workshop, half networkingCharlotte, NC | June 9-11, 2025Register now: https://cbpconnects.com/

We can't wait to share beers and see you in-person in Indianapolis. We kickoff CBC Week with our Welcome Party on April 28 at Guggman Haus Brewing Co.RSVP: http://indy.craftbeerprofessionals.org/In this conversation, we will be joined by several of our event partners to discuss how to best plan for CBC, the importance of in-person events, and how to make it a success. Don't miss tips by an Indy local and strategies to make the most of the conference.This conversation features:Adrian Pawliszko (Sippo)Courtney Guggenberger (Guggman Haus Brewing Co.)Pulkit K. Agrawal (Beer30 by the 5th Ingredient)Robert Anderson (Flottweg)Learn more about Indianapolis: ⁠https://www.visitindy.com/⁠Join us in-person for CBP ConnectsHalf workshop, half networkingCharlotte, NC | June 9-11, 2025Register now: ⁠https://cbpconnects.com⁠

The beer industry is filled with challenges—economic pressures, shifting consumer trends, and the constant noise of uncertainty. But instead of succumbing to doom and gloom, how can we cultivate resilience and purpose? In this session, Chris Douglas, a coach at Growth Equation, joins to explore the concept of tragic optimism—finding meaning and growth in difficult times. Through practical insights on core values, controlling what’s within your power, and identifying the battles worth fighting, we’ll discuss strategies to overcome procrastination, stay grounded, and build a strong community. True performance and lasting well-being aren’t built on quick fixes—they emerge from intentional, consistent habits. Join us for a conversation on turning challenges into opportunities and sustaining success in an ever-evolving industry.Prior to joining The Growth Equation as COO and starting my performance coaching practice, Chris Douglas worked as a civil rights attorney and clinical law professor at Berkeley Law for over ten years before launching my own consulting business where I have partnered with athletes, events, start-ups, law firms, and small businesses to actualize success. My expertise in these areas has been featured in print and online publications including Outside, Ultrarunning Magazine, The Recorder, Triathlete, The Daily Journal and The San Francisco Chronicle and been heard on NPR and CBS Radio.When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, and engaging in athletic feats of endurance.Learn more about The Growth Equation: https://thegrowtheq.com/Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.orgJoin us in-person for CBP ConnectsHalf workshop, half networkingCharlotte, NC | June 9-11, 2025Register now: https://cbpconnects.com/

Taprooms are operating more like restaurants than ever before, and to stay competitive, they need to adopt the best practices from forward-thinking restaurants - especially when it comes to using data to drive profitability. Even in a tough market, the most successful businesses are leveraging cost data, menu insights, and server performance metrics to improve margins and maximize revenue.Jim Taylor, founder of Benchmark Sixty, has helped hundreds of restaurants optimize productivity, margins, and employee retention, while Jeremy Carney, founder of Central Coast Analytics, develops world-class data solutions that give craft breweries instant access to critical business insights. Together, they’ll share what the best operators are doing right now to control costs, price smarter, and drive higher check sizes—so you can put these strategies to work in your taproom.Jim and Jeremy will give examples of how taprooms that don’t track and act on this data often deal with unexpected results, constant surprises, and inconsistent profitability and performance.And how by leveraging data, you can:Protect your margins by keeping costs under control and pricing profitably.Staff smarter by aligning labor with demand instead of guesswork.Increase revenue by optimizing your menu and improving server performance.This session will break down how to track the right numbers and take action on them immediately. Attendees will walk away with easy-to-implement strategies that can boost profitability right away, and live attendees will receive free resources to help put these ideas into action.Jeremy: As the Founder of Central Coast Analytics, Jeremy is revolutionizing how craft breweries interact with data. With 20 years of experience in analytics, he develops cutting-edge solutions that provide breweries and other industry partners with critical performance insights at their fingertips. His work enables clients to quickly see a holistic overview of their business and effortlessly drill in to uncover actionable insights. Jeremy's passion lies in helping breweries transform data from a headache into a strategic advantage, empowering breweries to make smarter, data-driven decisions.Jim: Jim Taylor is a restaurant industry leader with over 20 years of experience helping businesses optimize operations, improve margins, and drive profitability. As the Founder & CEO of Benchmark Sixty Restaurant Services, he has worked with hundreds of restaurants across North America and the UK, helping them turn data into profit by rethinking productivity, staffing, and financial strategy.Jim has also played a key role in the growth of a leading national restaurant brand and is now a partner at Le Crocodile by Rob Feenie in Vancouver. He recently published his first book, Bold Operations – Building the Foundation of Strategic Excellence in Restaurants.Passionate about transforming the hospitality industry, Jim challenges leaders to “see things differently” to create sustainable businesses, improve employee retention, and reduce financial stress. His mission is to redefine how restaurants measure success, making the industry a thriving place for both businesses and employees.Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.orgJoin us in-person for CBP ConnectsHalf workshop, half networkingCharlotte, NC | June 9-11, 2025Register now: https://cbpconnects.com/

Beverage tax surety bonds are essential instruments for businesses in the beverage industry to ensure compliance with state and federal tax regulations. This presentation will provide an in-depth understanding of beverage tax surety bonds, their purpose, and their significance in the industry. We will explore how these bonds function as a guarantee to state authorities that beverage producers, importers, and distributors will comply with tax obligations associated with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.Viewers will learn how surety bonds act as a financial safety net, ensuring that if a company fails to meet its tax obligations, the bond will cover the debt, preventing the state from losing revenue.We will also address the bonding process, requirements, and potential costs associated with securing a beverage tax surety bond.This session is ideal for beverage manufacturers, distributors, importers, and business owners seeking clarity on how beverage tax surety bonds can support compliance and safeguard their operations.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 28,000 downloads including interviews with industry leaders throughout the world.Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.orgJoin us in-person for CBP ConnectsHalf workshop, half networkingCharlotte, NC | June 9-11, 2025Register now: https://cbpconnects.com

The second Trump administration has barley begun, and employers and HR managers are worried if they are currently in compliance and if there is a strange brew on the horizon.We will discuss how the administration is and could impact employers. Learn how to ensure your business thrives and doesn’t fall a bit flat in the changing employment law landscape.Join Andrew Nielsen, General Counsel at myHRcounsel, as he dives into critical topics for your business, including: Immigration: What could mass deportation mean to your business? Employee Benefits: Is this the death knell for the Affordable Care Act?EEOC EnforcementNational Labor Relations Board changesWhether OSHA changes are comingThis session is essential for staying ahead of a barrel of employment issues. To get an even better pour from this session, submit your questions when you register, and Andrew will address as many as possible during the discussion.Andrew Nielsen is the general counsel for myHRcounsel. He has been practicing law for 18 years and has a great deal of experience in dealing with issues facing businesses, including employment law, contracts, and collections.Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.orgJoin us in-person for CBP ConnectsHalf workshop, half networkingCharlotte, NC | June 9-11, 2025Register now: https://cbpconnects.com

Craft Beer Professionals has partnered with Craft Beer Advisory Services to gather insights on workplace satisfaction trends across the brewing industry.Join us for a presentation of the data, an exploration of trends, and insights into the state of workplace satisfaction across the brewing industry.Request the report: https://craftbeerprofessionals.org/workplace-satisfaction-report/Learn more about Craft Beer Advisory Services: https://craftbeeradvisoryservices.com/Join us in-person for CBP ConnectsHalf workshop, half networkingCharlotte, NC | June 9-11, 2025Register now: https://cbpconnects.com

The process of taking a new product from concept to reality is one of the most difficult in the beer industry. With questions of type, scale, promotion, production, delivery, and sales in constant tension with each other, it can create a paralysis that can cripple the potential of even the most promising innovation. Moreover, in an industry built upon a foundation of new product creation and novel flavors, failing to master the art of true Release Management can be a fatal flaw for otherwise successful organizations. In this seminar, attendees will learn how to manage a product release like the Project that it is. Processes for obtaining approvals and buy-in from disparate departments, creating a timeline, coordinating actions in multiple silos for maximum effect, and following through for success will all be explained and demonstrated in detail.With more than a decade of sales, retail management, and business analytic experience in the craft beverage industry, Aaron MJ Gore loves the opportunities that he has every day to make a difference for small business owners across the country. He is the Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for Beer30, one of the drinks industry's leading software providers, is a co-founder of the Court Shoes Only charitable collaboration beer, and serves on the Board for the 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 and cider educator, and the father of two daughters who are the true passion of his life.Join us in-person for CBP ConnectsHalf workshop, half networkingCharlotte, NC | June 9-11, 2025Register now: https://cbpconnects.com

Join us to talk about cutting-edge technology and experiential strategies to engage the next generation of consumers. GoTab and BrewedAt are partnering to inspire breweries, taprooms, and hospitality venues to harness the power of memorable events, Gen Z-specific marketing strategies, and exclusive GoTab features like Secret Menus, shared tabs, and interactive experiences to attract a tech-savvy, experience-driven demographic.This event will empower industry professionals to reimagine how they connect with Gen Z by leveraging technology to enhance convenience and creativity while building loyalty through unforgettable experiences.By combining innovative technology with creative event strategies, this collaboration will spotlight how businesses can drive traffic, increase engagement, and foster loyalty among younger drinkers who demand both convenience and memorable moments.Evan Blum-Evan Blum is an accomplished beverage industry professional, with years of experience at Nestle Waters Supply Chain. While he has enjoyed his work in the industry, Evan's true passion lies in supporting local businesses that strengthen communities.After graduating from Temple University, Evan discovered the world of craft beer and quickly became enamored with its rich flavors and vibrant culture. He is passionate about all aspects of the craft beer experience, from the welcoming atmosphere of taprooms to the excitement of beer festivals. For Evan, craft beer is about more than just the beer itself-it's about the food, the company, and the sense of community that comes with enjoying a great pint.Adam Howe-With over 20 years in the service industry and 12 years in management, Adam Howe brings a wealth of hands-on experience and leadership expertise to his role as Solutions Engineer at GoTab. Adam has successfully opened and managed high-profile venues, including a $12M entertainment complex, an $8M beer garden, and a $1.5M tasting room/pub.Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.orgJoin us in-person for CBP ConnectsHalf workshop, half networkingCharlotte, NC | June 9-11, 2025Register now: cbpconnects.com