Category: Beer Industry

my occasional rants and raves about what is going on in the industry.

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Crushies – SoCal Winners

The Craft Beer Marketing Awards were held last week in a Zoom ceremony that was a little long and heavy on the word “congrats” and there’s was a little love for our extended area.

Third Window of a Santa Barbara won a runners-up “Gold” for Best Bottle Design in the 12oz, 12.7oz and 16.9oz category.

The Bruery also got Gold for their packaging design for the Hoarders Society.

Bigger winners, aka Platinum went to Calidad for website photography and video and El Segundo newcomer, Upshift Brewing also took top honors for their flight tray, that they dubbed the Moto Flight with the handlebar design.

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Aftermath – Part 10

The NBA recently timelined their path to finishing the 2019/2020 season as well as draft and the 2020/2021 season. MLS is on the path back as well with the NFL still sitting with starting their season as planned.

But fans. They will be at home for some time. Either by the rules of the respective leagues or from fear. How is that gonna change the might combination of beer and sports? Well any company that has a significant percentage of business with sports stadiums is gonna lose that. That is mostly the big players. But they may be able to recoup part of that with branded packaged beer. KC Chiefs logo on Bud Light being one.

But the reduction in sales is going to extend to sports bars as well where seating capacity is now reduced and in L.A. food purchases are oddly required. Both of which will reduce beer sales. And that is before we even talk about unemployment.

Personally, I would have scratched the NBA, MLS and MLB seasons and waited until fall. The seasons were already compromised statistically and will be forever marked by asterisks. And without ticket sales, finances were going to suck anyway.

I do see a major concession surge though when the first fan filled games begin.

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Virtual GABF

The Great American Beer Festival (GABF), the big beer festival on the calendar is not going on as in the past. Instead of September 24-26 at the Big Blue Bear and in person in Denver, it will now be an “immersive online experience October 16-17.”

Though this sucks for the beer community and the breweries and bars in Denver that saw a big attendance boost, it was not a decision that comes as much of a surprise considering how 2020 is shaping up to be a year filled with bad news.

According to the Brewers Association, the virtual GABF is still in the planning stages but expect to see beer tastings, brewer interviews as well as food and beer pairing ideas possibly with a delivery of beer angle as well.

The good news is that the beer competition will take place in 2020. Will Pandemic beer be a style category?

I see this as a golden opportunity to try out crazy ideas and also how to incorporate more of the country into GABF since plane fare and time away is now off the table as an excuse not to go. And if all goes well with the re-openings, maybe smaller, mini GABFs can be held around the country. I vote for any wacky plan.

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Aftermath – Part 8

Grand RE-openings. There are going to be quite a few if people in Texas and Wisconsin are any indication when given any sort of quasi-approval to open the doors again. Previously, I talked about the simple ebb and flow problems that will arise when a taproom reopens but what about bigger parties?

There are breweries that were just about to open, breweries who will be ready this summer and a backlog inventory of missed anniversary parties in the second half of the year. 

How do you creatively balance the celebration aspect with the safety aspect?  On Mother’s Day not only were people viral video complaining about the wait times at Red Lobster but they were going to church, sick.  Less than a week later 200 people were sick.  From 1, one person.

How do you get beer fans to your brewery and then keep them safe and in a fun mood?  I do not have the answers.  I have been visiting breweries to pick-up only with a mask on but I understand if people are not comfortable with gatherings. 

I would say that providing branded masks would be a good start.  Having a hosted video of parties would be good as well with options for VIPs to get beer and special video.   Sending beer to EMTs or hospitals would be good. Maybe doing a drop off for the hardworking grocery store workers.  Creativity will need to come to the fore. 

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Aftermath – Part 7

When breweries finally get the go-ahead to open their doors, floor plans are going to have to change. First though, the floral industry must have really pushed Newsom hard to open before Mother’s Day.

But I digress. Safely opening is really going to be hard especially for any taproom that has a small space to navigate. Others will be able to utilize outdoor tables but I bet we are going to see Brewers and assistant brewers behind the bar for most places because it will be cost prohibitive to re-hire if you can only have 1/4 or 1/3 of the normal crowd outside. HERE is the link to what the State of California is mandating

I am thinking of one brewery where there is one entrance, two doors to open and maybe 7 seats at their bar and some table seating. Either those door stay open or someone is going to have to wipe down those handles until they are gleaming.

And you know that people will be majorly pissed and feeling entitled and will not understand why they have to wait for a seat. Let alone being told to wait in a car for a seat.

So, please, be extra thankful when you sit down for the first time. Be respectful of the rules and put a smile on under your mask.

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Belief

The Brewers Association made the announcement yesterday that it has teamed up with the fundraising organization Bottleshare in creating the new “Believe in Beer Fund”. This non-profit money raising effort will go towards support for breweries and state brewers guilds across the country in these dark times of silent taprooms.

Yesterday, the duo began accepting applications from guilds and breweries in need of financial support. That is part one. Part two is the solicitation of donations from consumers for the fund. The online vehicle for that is a GoFundMe, that campaign runs through Sunday, May 17. According to the BA, “The goal of the fund is to provide financial support to pay payroll, rent and utilities.”

The hard and scary part of the process belongs to Bottleshare which go through the applications and give the yea or nay. The money allocated will head to breweries in June. Let’s hope that is not too late.

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Aftermath- Part 5

Next post crisis agenda, L.A. Beer Week. Each June the beer community gathers around our wide geographic area and celebrates. This year will be markedly not business as usual.

But, I do believe there is opportunity here. Yes, even if still locked down and isolated or out of business can provide hope. First, I think there must still be a Unity beer produced. And I would suggest that it be a strong golden ale that provides ABV but a golden hued glimmer as well.

If we are still isolated, there should be Zoom parties set-up for each day of the week, Jerry Lewis telethon style where brewery A hosts for 30 minutes, then a second brewery takes over with four breweries a night talking about their history, how best to support them and how to buy their beer. Or videos, can be made that guide people through a breweries beers and put up on the main Guild website and a dedicated YouTube channel.

If we are allowed outdoors in June, I would propose a Socially Distant Beer Festival. If only 10 people are allowed together in one venue, sell 9 tickets and have everyone properly spaced and then have a curated flight of local beers to offer them. Use the rules to make new events that abide by them. Or set a date for a Christmas Festival as a make-up. That is far enough in advance that it could actually happen.

We want people to get re-engaged with local.