2023 Tracks

2023 Tracks

Brewing Operations & Beer Styles

Every distinct beer style has a unique history and characteristics, and is brewed using specific techniques. Similarly, every brewery—from the smallest local brewpub to the largest regional or national packaging brand—has its own set of brewing processes and engineering challenges. Brewing experts in this track will highlight current beer styles and the techniques used to brew them, as well as ways to maximize quality and efficiency in your brewery operations, no matter the size.

Business & Leadership

Running a brewery is about more than just making good beer. Things like finance and accounting, hiring and staff motivation, and change management are all just as important to keep your business healthy. This track is intended for owners, managers, and leaders in the craft brewing industry. Join these sessions to open your mind, be inspired, and learn to be a more effective leader.

Export Development

American craft brewers are widely recognized as pioneering the now global craft beer revolution, and demand for high-quality innovative craft beer grows the world over. Seminars in this track aim to educate U.S. craft brewers about opportunities, regulations, and best practices for marketing and selling your beer abroad.

Government Affairs & Legal

It’s essential for every small business to stay up to date on the rules and regulations affecting their operations. Attend the seminars in this track to make sure you’re aware of the risks and opportunities in today’s national environment.

Quality & Ingredients

Quality and ingredient management is critical for continued success in the brewing industry. Seminars in this track will help you build your own sensory and quality programs, as well as source, analyze, and properly use the highest quality ingredients to brew the best beer possible.

Safety & Sustainability

In order to ensure the long-term success of the craft beer industry, it is vital that every brewery is committed to safety and sustainability. Nothing is more important than maintaining a safe and healthy environment for your employees and customers. This track is all about providing you with the resources you need to build a culture in your brewery that fosters environmental stewardship and protects your staff and equipment from harm.

Sales, Distribution & Marketing

It doesn’t matter how good your beer is if no one is buying it. The seminars in the Sales, Distribution & Marketing track will provide breweries with best practices for selling beer on- and off-premise, working with retailers and distributors, and designing successful marketing strategies to grow your brand.

Taprooms & Brewpubs

Some of the most important issues for on-premise breweries are simply about hospitality – how can you continue to make meaningful connections with your visitors to keep them coming back for more? This track will include seminars on enhancing your customer experience, training taproom staff, building programs for successful events and entertainment, and maintaining customer engagement during good times and bad.

Thrive

THRIVE is a Brewers Association (BA) initiative that takes a holistic approach to addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), human resources (HR), and physical and mental wellness in the craft brewing community. THRIVE recognizes that DEI, human resources, and wellness are related components of the workplace experience that are enriched when developed together. Through THRIVE, the BA seeks to establish “thriving human beings” alongside safety, quality, and sustainably, as cornerstones of a healthy, responsible, and profitable craft brewing industry. Experts in this track will provide informative and actionable content that improves DEI, HR, and wellness-related practices in breweries of all sizes.