Craft Beer Professionals

There’s a huge difference between good service and a good guest experience. It’s challenging enough to ensure your guests are greeted in a timely manner, their orders taken quickly, drinks never run dry, and their bill received and closed on time. These service steps are absolutely critical, but do very little to combat a negative first impression. Standards for service are increasing at a rapid pace as patience of our guests wanes, so is it time to pivot our focus away from basic tasks and focus more heavily on our presence with guests? In this session we will cover:   QR Code Ordering - Pros & Cons for the Brewery Credit Card PCI Compliance (Chip vs Swipe) "Keeping the Human Touch" using technology for a better guest experience Kitchen & Pop-Up Order Efficiency through KDS SMS Texting in Guest Ordering Comprehensive Guest-Facing Beer Menus Using Order Variants to Reduce Beer Excise Tax This conversation features: Brent Hernandez (Redlight Redlight Craft Beer Bar), Doug Cleary (GoTab), Patricia Mejia (GoTab), Rick Malthaner (GoTab) Join us in-person for CBP Connects in 2023 Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now https://cbpconnects-milwaukee.eventbrite.com/

You and your employees' social, mental and physical wellbeing matter.  The craft beer industry is in a time of reckoning with an all-time record of people leaving their jobs, and employers struggling to fill vacant roles. 1 in 5 employees left a job at some point in their career because of its toxic organizational culture. By one estimate, employee turnover triggered by a toxic culture cost U.S. employers nearly $50 billion per year pre-pandemic.   What makes a brewery’s culture toxic is often the elevated levels of stress, burnout, mental health issues and pain experienced at work or as a result of their work. While these types of experiences are often common, they are not talked about by and among peers in craft beer. The consequences of the endured pain and silence lead to disengagement in many forms.   Two leaders in craft beer share their honest stories of quitting - leaving toxic behaviours, routines, and craft brewery cultures and finding their way to a balanced way of life working inside and living outside of craft beer. Where their identities are more than what they drink or the brewery they work for. Dana Kaluzny (she/her) is a Facilitator, bringing people together for projects that matter and the Co-Owner and Founder of Endswell Beer, a small-batch brewery for people who love beer with people in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada. Tom Halaska has almost 30 years of Food & Beverage experience, and community has always been at the heart of his programming. Currently the National Sales Director for Ritual Zero Proof Spirits, Tom’s focus is now on helping bar and restaurant owners to create a more inclusive beverage program for the modern drinker. Prior to his current role, as Global Brand Manager, Tom not only lifted WellBeing Brewing Company to the top of the Craft NA Beer category, but also helped create the national category itself. Join us in-person for CBP Connects in 2023 Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now https://cbpconnects-milwaukee.eventbrite.com/

Brewers pose unique challenges when it comes to carbon dioxide in the workplace. While CO2 is a necessary product in the brewery process, exposure to high concentrations can be life-threatening.    While normal CO2 concentrations tend to be around 400-800ppm, the case of CO2 off-gassing or a CO2 leak can quickly reach 50,000ppm (5% CO2 by volume). This is above the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) evacuation threshold of 30,000ppm or 3% CO2 by volume.   As an expert on Carbon Dioxide and Safety, CO2Meter provides the 5 best safety tips to protect against CO2 leaks for yourself, your employees, or your brewery.   Josh Pringle is the Vice President of Business Development and Operations for CO2Meter, Inc. CO2Meter designs and manufactures gas detection, monitoring, and analytical devices. Josh is recognized internationally as an expert in CO2 monitoring and carbon dioxide gas.  He presents more than two dozen times per year on the science of CO2, codes and regulations, and monitoring to a variety of industry experts and organizations wanting to upskill and educate. Join us in-person for CBP Connects in 2023 Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now https://cbpconnects-milwaukee.eventbrite.com/

Join this panel discussion with Pneumatic Scale Angelus, ABS Commercial, and MacKinnon Brothers Brewing for a conversation on “From Grain to Package.”  PSA’s Mike Davis and Elden Rowland join Alex Smith, Lead Brewery Consultant with ABS/Raleigh Brewing and Dan MacKinnon, Co-Owner and Brew Master of MacKinnon Brothers Brewing to talk about the journey from a passion for brewing beer to building a successful brewing business to packaging the final product to get it to the consumers who enjoy the fruits of that labor. Huge thanks to both ABS Commercial and Pneumatic Scale Angelus for their support to CBP. Join us in-person for CBP Connects in 2023 Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now https://cbpconnects-milwaukee.eventbrite.com/

When you think about the ultimate tap room, assuming excellent beer, where does your mind go? To beer draft lines and glassware? To the comfort of the tables and chairs? To great service or ambiance?   Whether you’re just opening your tap room or looking to give your existing tap room a boost, our panelists from Start A Brewery will bring you actionable steps based on their years in the industry. Magic? Well, more inspiration and insight plus a little bit of planning.   Join us as we talk shop – your shop – and look at tap rooms with a slightly different perspective.   Your panel: Dustin Hauck, Principal at Hauck Architecture Misty Gordon, Multimedia Graphic Design Artist for Misty Gordon Creative Nancy Trigg, President and CPO of Arryved Ren Navarro, Owner/Operator at Beer. Diversity Ben Weston, Head Honcho at Hoptown Handles Andrew Coplon, Founder of Craft Beer Professionals/Secret Hopper Laura Lodge, Co-Host/Moderator: Co-Founder of Start A Brewery, Owner/Strategic Advisor at Customized Craft Beer Programs, Author of Distribution Insight for the Craft Brewer, and President/Executive Director for the Big Beers Educational Foundation. Join us in-person for CBP Connects in 2023 Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now https://cbpconnects-milwaukee.eventbrite.com/

It’s been almost two years since our eyes were opened to some of the toxic behaviors common in brewing culture. While awareness was the first step in building a new culture, we still have work to do to take care of one another and heal. Fortunately, you (the people who work in the industry) are primely positioned to make that happen! Safe Bars will guide you in this interactive experience to illustrate why we still need to invest in safer spaces to bring about much-needed change, and equip you with tools to take action. In this workshop we’ll build the ideal taproom culture. The reckoning has us all talking about the changes we need to make to ensure that all people who celebrate with us feel seen, respected, and protected. We will build that environment and experience how it feels so you can recreate it in your establishment. Amie Ward, Executive Director, Safe Bars Alana Koenig-Busey (she/her) is the JEDI Project Coordinator at Crafted For All, a professional development platform that fosters inclusive, equitable, and just spaces and experiences in the craft beverage sector. She also works as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Project Coordinator at the Brewers Association (BA), directing the BA Mentorship and DEI Mini-Grant programs. Alana has a background in beverage hospitality management and a professional certification in human resources, SHRM-CP. She also provides training in safe alcohol service through TIPS and bystander intervention through Safe Bars. Sign the Safe Bars P.A.C.T. and make a long-term commitment to establishing safer, more respectful work and drinking spaces for employees and consumers. Join us in-person for CBP Connects in 2023 Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now https://cbpconnects-milwaukee.eventbrite.com/

Marcus Baskerville is arguably one of the hardest working people in craft beer. From being a co-founder at Weathered Souls Brewing Company to helping lead the Black is Beautiful initiative to opening up a new taproom/incubator in Charlotte, North Carolina, Marcus is dedicated to positive change and the longterm success of our industry. In this conversation, we speak with Marcus about his most impactful experiences over the past several years, discuss the importance of family, how we can learn from our mistakes, and even Batman.  If you’re ready for worry-free protection from beverage alcohol compliance risk, reach out to Sovos ShipCompliant today at sovos.com/shipcompliant.  Join us in-person for CBP Connects in 2023 Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now https://cbpconnects-milwaukee.eventbrite.com/

Over the past several years, many breweries have reconsidered their service models – searching for the delicate balance that best maximizes the experience for both guests and staff. In doing so, this has also generated more conversations about best practices regarding tipping.  In this panel, we will discuss different tipping models, their benefits, their challenges, and how conversations on tipping can result in greater success for your taproom.   This conversation features: Carmone Macfarlane (Phoenix Brewing), Greg Heller-LaBelle (The Colony Meadery), John Szymankiewicz (Beer Law Center), Justin Roberts (Kickfin), Sam Gebhardt (Berthoud Brewing)  Join us in-person for CBP Connects in 2023  Half workshop, half networking  Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023  Grab your spot now https://cbpconnects-milwaukee.eventbrite.com/

Thank you to everyone who attended CBP Connects in 2022. In this conversation, we reflect on the highlights, relationships, and reasons why this is a must attend event for 2023.  This conversation features: Ariel Rivera (Blue Moon Brewing Company - RiNo) Ashlie Randolph (Lifting Lucy) Tranice Watts (Lifting Lucy/Patuxent Brewing)  Grab your spot now for CBP Connects Milwaukee (June 19-21, 2023) https://cbpconnects-milwaukee.eventbrite.com/

In this conversation we talk about how to make a quality meme, outside the box brewery events, and the importance of keeping education accessible. This conversation features: Chris Overlay (Hoptimized Digital) Emily Wang (Fermly)  Laura Lodge (Start A Brewery)  Meg Ellis (Texas Craft Brewers Guild) View the complete schedule and RSVP for your chance to win a limited edition CBP shirt: https://fall2022.craftbeerprofessionals.org/ Huge thanks to ABS Commercial, Pneumatic Scale Angelus, and CO2Meter