Craft Beer Professionals

Recent 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/

For 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/

Craft 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/

It’s hard out there for a brewery. With follower reach at an all time low and Meta no longer recommending alcohol pages, we need to flip the script. We need profitable & owned channel marketing programs!Bring your scalpel and your bunsen burner. In this session we will dissect the most profitable App Marketing programs. We will look at proven ways to drive repeat visits, real life tactics to sell through aging beer more quickly and how to stack recurring monthly revenue for the slower times.No “pie-in-the-sky” or fluffy marketing ideas allowed. Just real-world examples, numbers & best practices. So you can skip the guesswork and start implementing proven programs right away.This session is for micro to mid-size brewery owners, GMs, marketing managers and head janitors (because let’s face it, you do all these jobs anyways). Whether your goal is to grow weekday traffic, launch a paid membership, or turn first-time guests into lifelong fans, you’ll leave with a clear action plan tailored to your brewery.Ross Stensrud accidentally graduated from UCSD while studying lacrosse and spending plenty of time at O’Brien’s. After a brief stint designing pool cleaners (yes, really) in an effort to justify the cost of his degree, he pivoted and began recruiting smart friends to help build app marketing tech for local businesses—starting with music, then golf, and now craft beer with TapWyse. He lives in Carlsbad with his wife Laurel and their two boys, Roscoe (11) and Mason (9). When he’s not working, you’ll likely find him biking down PCH or shuttling his kids to basketball, golf, music, and skateboarding.Thank you to Cascade Floors + Harvest Hosts for helping keep our community and content 100% free and accessible to all Craft Beer Professionals.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/

As breweries look for new ways to grow, many are exploring opportunities beyond their local audience. Travelers are actively seeking out breweries as part of their journeys, creating an opportunity to connect with new faces and drive additional taproom revenue.In this session, we’ll share insights from working with hundreds of brewery partners across the country to highlight how breweries are using Harvest Hosts as a marketing and visibility tool to attract travelers and turn those visits into real sales. We’ll explore how RV travelers discover breweries, what influences their decisions to stop, and why welcoming travelers on-site often leads to increased foot traffic and word-of-mouth.Rather than focusing on big operational changes or new marketing campaigns, this session centers on practical, approachable ways breweries are using Harvest Hosts to support growth. Attendees will learn what hosting looks like in practice, how it fits into existing operations, and how breweries are generating incremental taproom revenue while staying focused on making great beer and running a smooth taproom.Thank you to Cascade Floors + Harvest Hosts for helping keep our community and content 100% free and accessible to all Craft Beer Professionals.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/

In today’s competitive market, simply producing high-quality beer is often no longer enough to secure sustained growth. Many forward-thinking breweries are strategically diversifying their product portfolios, expanding into high-growth categories such as hard cider, spirits, wine, RTDs, can cannabevs.While this expansion opens up exciting new revenue streams, it simultaneously introduces a new set of operational, financial, and regulatory challenges. The question for many producers is: where do we even begin?Industry experts Alex and Aaron with lead a discussion focused on demystifying the diversification process and will guide attendees through the critical considerations required when integrating an entirely new product line into an established brewery operation.The session with specifically focus on how production software, like Ollie and Ekos, can act as the cornerstone for a successful transition. We’ll focus on key areas such as streamlining procurement for new ingredients and packaging, adapting the production process, ensuring financial accuracy, and managing sales efficiency.Don’t let complexity slow your growth. Learn how to successfully expand your portfolio while maintaining efficiency and compliance.Alex 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 9 years with Next Glass, and currently is a Solutions Consultant supporting the Producer Solutions team. While coming from outside of industry initially, Alex brings valuable experience after thousands of conversations with brewery owners around the world.Aaron Keefner is happily approaching his 14th year in the craft beer industry, having started out in marketing with Goose Island in early 2012. He eventually moved to an operations role in wholesale support in order to gain experience on both the production/operations side, as well as the knowledge already obtained via marketing/sales. After 5.5 years he found himself at Revolution Brewing running their specialty beer program, including their celebrated Deep Wood barrel-aged program, as well as spearheading the rollout of their small batch program. In 2019 he assumed the role of Executive Director of Brewery Operations with More Brewing Company helping them expand and open their production facility in Huntley, IL and planning of a 3rd facility in Bartlett, IL. With his leadership, More was able to weather the storm of the pandemic and grow 600% in a span of just under 3 years. At the end of 2022, Aaron assumed his current role as a Solutions Consultant with Next Glass, serving as a product expert on Ollie & Ekos, ERP/CRM softwares for beverage production.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/

Brewhouse design decisions have long-term consequences. Layout, drainage, flooring, access, and workflow choices made early can either support efficient operations or create daily friction that is expensive to fix later. In this session, we’ll bring together an architect, a flooring specialist, and experienced brewery operators to walk through real-world brewhouse design dos, don’ts, and practical recommendations. The focus is not on theory or perfect builds, but on what actually works once the tanks are full, the floors are wet, and the brew team is trying to get through a long day safely and efficiently.This conversation features:Chris Klein (Cascade Floors)Curtis Holmes (Alaskan Brewing)Dustin Hauck (Hauck Architecture)Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/

We can’t wait to share beers and see you in person in Philadelphia. We kick off CBC Week with our Welcome Party on April 20 at Yards Brewing Company.RSVP: https://craftbeerprofessionals.org/philly-rsvp/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 a couple Philly locals and strategies to make the most of the conference.This conversation features:Dana Martin (Yards Brewing Company)David Poimboeuf (WHC Lab)Evan Blum (BrewedAt)Pulkit K. Agrawal (Beer30 by the 5th Ingredient)Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies:https://cbpconnects.com/

If you're an established Brewery Owner, Operator, or Investor and find yourself asking either "How do we get profitable?" or "How profitable can we get?" you'll find exactly those answers in this session.With a wide range of different brewery types and sizes, true apples-to-apples comparisons are rare, and many owners end up flying blind, running the business with a finger to the wind. Instead, in this session we’ll use our Brewery Benchmarks Model, built on data from our work with 285+ breweries across the country, to give clarity on the most important financial benchmarks brewery owners need to know.By the end of the session, you’ll know how you compare to your peers, where your biggest profit opportunities are, and how to avoid the mistakes most common to your model. Our goal is to help eliminate the guesswork, so you can make confident decisions and run a profitable business, regardless of size, age, or market conditions.Chris Farmand got his start in 2010 helping a new brewery build its back-office systems, a firsthand look at how complex running a brewery can be. That experience led him to found Small Batch Standard. He’s worked with more than 200 breweries, helping them uncover profit through outsourced accounting, tax compliance, and benchmark consulting. Chris holds a BS in Business Finance from the University of Florida and an MBA from the University of North Florida, and is an active member of both the AICPA and FICPA.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/

In our “What’s Going on in…” series, we partner with State Guilds to spotlight current successes, challenges, and trends in their beer communities. There’s so much we can learn from each other, and these conversations are designed to give you valuable insights that can be applied in your own state.Next up: ArizonaThis conversation features:Andrew Bauman (Arizona Craft Brewers Guild)Mitch Penney (Parry's Pizzeria and Taphouse)Ryan Whitten (8-Bit Aleworks)Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/

More butts in seats, stronger loyalty, and a clearer picture of who your guests really are. What started as the Charlottesville Ale Trail has evolved into a passport program that helps beer trails move beyond simple maps and into measurable taproom traffic. In this conversation, we’ll walk through how to set up and sustain a passport program that breweries want to participate in and guests are excited to use. We’ll cover engagement tactics, the data you can collect along the way, and how these programs can support economic impact stories and grant applications.Todd Wickersty is the Executive Director of the Charlottesville Ale Trail and co-founder of LoyalBrew, a digital passport platform designed for food and beverage trails. He helped launch the Charlottesville Ale Trail in 2018 and continues to lead its growth and community partnerships eight years later. During the pandemic, Todd and his business partner created a digital passport for the Ale Trail to help local breweries stay connected with visitors. That innovation evolved into LoyalBrew, now used by tourism organizations and beverage trails across the country to inspire exploration and support small businesses.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/

When brewing, you follow a scientific process. You know what yeast characteristics will yield what flavor profiles, and how to intervene if fermentation isn’t progressing properly. Why should the people side of your business be any different? This session will serve as a crash course in evidence-based, repeatable best practices for selecting employees with the right traits, skills, attitudes, and competencies to help you meet your business objectives.We’ll cover how to:• Find the perfect recipe: discuss how to determine which combination of knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes are most important in your key roles.• Gather your equipment: review various selection methods (interviewing, assessments, etc.), and learn the strengths, limitations, and appropriate uses of each• Take measurements: Investigate various methods and metrics for measuring and quantifying the impact of your selection strategy to your operational budget.As a measurement strategist, Whitney Martin’s passion and expertise lies in the field of surveys and assessments. A self-professed “data nerd,” Whitney has a Master’s degree in the area of Human Resources Measurement and Evaluation and has conducted extensive research on the predictive validity of various hiring assessment strategies.Thanks to over a decade functioning as a “vendor-agnostic” consultant, Whitney provides a unique perspective on the broad landscape of the testing and assessment industry, and employee selection strategies, in general. She is a firm believer that there are no one-size-fits-all “best” products, and that tools and vendors should be selected based on their ability to solve a specific problem. She spends much of her time studying the available tools in the marketplace, scrutinizing the science, and analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, and appropriate uses for each.Whitney has been a highly rated speaker at several National HR Conferences and has authored articles on assessments for several books and publications, including Harvard Business Review. She is a member of the Society for Industrial & Organizational Psychology (SIOP) and has two decades of experience working in the assessment industry.Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.org