EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS

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Amanda Milford, Cigar City Brewing

As presented at Craft Brewers Conference by Tony McCrimmon and Amanda  Milford: Breweries can be a hazardous place to work. Among the biggest  hazards are the numerous chemicals we use, including those that an  injure is by contact, inhalation, or absorption through the skin, as  well as chemicals that can react with each other and have a negative  effect on our health. In 2024, the Occupational Safety and Health  Administration (OSHA) updated its Hazard Communication (HazCom) standard  regarding chemical storage. In this presentation, Amanda will review  this standard and how it affects your brewery. She will show you how to  better control chemical hazards, use tools such as Safety Data Sheets  (SDSs), and incorporate this information into your existing HazCom  program.

Anthony Stone, Tyler Astl & Major Asselin, Tampa Bay Brewing Company (TBBC) & Angry Chair

In the current market, with inflation and increased costs, it is more  important than ever to know how much it costs you to make your beer and  to price it appropriately. Learn some basic tools for calculating your  costs of goods (COGs), and strategies to improve them. We'll also carry  that over to how to price your beer both in your taproom and in  distribution so that you are making a profit. Whether you are only  selling beer in your own taproom or you're out in distribution, it's  imperative to your business that you remain profitable.

Aaron Gore, Beer30

Life, and business, are all about choices. How does an owner decide what  products in their portfolio to keep, what to eliminate, and what to  introduce? It takes solid process and objective data to eliminate the  guesswork and make your company better by not wasting time, energy, and  dollars on things that don't earn their place. In this session,  attendees will be given a primer on the philosophy of portfolio  management, the process of rationalization and innovation, and how to  apply it to their own businesses, regardless of scale

Ashley Hanke, Malkin Law, PA

How to advertise in a compliant manner, including social media  considerations, use of 3rd parties such as brand ambassadors, FTC and  TTB compliance, website compliance, and marketing activities.

Isaac Arthur & Cody Fague, CODO Design

Is your brewery planning to launch a new brand (beer or beyond) in the  coming year? Or to open a new location? Or to buy another brewery?

If  so, there are important branding considerations at play: Do you  position this new offering alongside your current brand, or under a new  name? How do you promote it? And what does this move say about your  brewery itself?

Brand Architecture provides a framework to answer  all of these questions and more. How do all of your brands, current and  future, relate or differ? How are they marketed and named? How are they  priced, and how does all of this help you build a stronger business?

Join  beer branding experts from CODO Design for a step-by-step journey using  a field-tested tool designed to determine the best approach for  extending your brewery's brand beyond beer.

You will then learn  how Brand Extensions, Sub Brands and Endorsed Brands can help your  brewery bring new products to market and grow your business—all without  threatening the reputation you’ve worked so hard to build.

Niko Tonks, Yakima Chief Hops

Join the Yakima Chief Hops R&D team as they discuss recent  advancements in the world of liquid hop aroma products. They will  specifically focus on demystifying the many formats of liquid products,  and offer practical guidance on how brewers can harness the power of  liquid formats to increase quality, cost savings, and sustainability.

Mohsen Saade, Fermentis

A large study conducted to analyze performance and sensory results of  W-34/70 fermented at various pitch rates, temps, and gravities.  Compelling results that suggest warmer fermentations than traditionally  performed in Lager beer are viable and may offer advantages for  minimizing off-flavors, speeding up production, as well as some  additional applicability in Cold and American IPA. A very popular topic  with brewers these days.

Donald Snyder & Jeff Rasmussen, Time & Tasks

Donald Snyder, distilling industry consultant and previous  President/Founder of Whiskey Systems Distillery Management Software, has  more than 20 years of experience in the alcohol and beverage industry  including holding senior management roles at the Buffalo Trace  Distillery in Frankfort, KY, and MGPI in Lawrenceburg, IN. After leaving  the corporate world, Donald now helps craft distilleries of all sizes  in a variety of areas including startup, internal audits and TTB  compliance checks, business valuations, merger & acquisition  support, team training and development, software utilization, and many  others.

Chelsea Giblin, Tampa Bay Brewing Company and First Magnitude Brewing

From small taproom events to big beer festivals, this seminar will cover how to set and reach goals, planning processes, maximize efficiency with execution, and how to ensure everything is covered from legal standpoints.

I started in the craft beer industry after graduating from USF in 2020 with my Advertising and Public Relations degree. I've worked in all aspects of the industry, from bartending and back of house operations, to the wide umbrella of marketing. My current marketing position at Tampa Bay Brewing Company covers event coordination, community engagement, social media handling, and working side by side with other departments to maximize efficiency and reach. 

Dustin Jeffers, Next Glass

Revenue vs. Profit Strategies for Volatile Markets.

Dustin Jeffers is the Vice President of Brewery Product and Experience at Next Glass. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Connecticut and his Master’s Degree from Florida Atlantic University. He has been in the beer industry since 2012, working at Saltwater Brewery as the Head Brewer and Chief Operations Officer, and at 3 Sons Brewing Co. as the Director of Operations. Dustin has been a part of multiple aspects of the brewing industry, including brewing, front-of-house, sales, and operations. Dustin now works for Next Glass, Inc as the VP of Brewery Product, focusing on Ollie and all Next Glass has to offer for the beverage alcohol industry.

Galen Smith, Malteurop Malting Co.

This presentation provides a detailed look at the malting process, outlining its key similarities and differences compared to brewing. It examines the structure and behavior of barley starch, focusing on how enzymatic activity during malting and brewing shapes the sugar profile of wort. The presentation also considers how growing conditions and environmental variability impact the quality and consistency of barley and malt, posing challenges for both maltsters and brewers.

Galen Smith serves as the Southeast Technical Sales Manager at Malteurop Malting Company, where he brings valuable expertise and passion to his role. He also is an officer with the District Carolina’s MBAA. With a background of many years as a head production brewer in NC, Galen made a significant career shift to leverage his experience and contribute to the industry as a malt supplier. Guided by his commitment to aiding brewers in utilizing malt effectively, Galen takes great pride in assisting them in optimizing their brewhouses to achieve optimal performance from the malt. His mission is to rekindle the allure of malt, making it captivating and desirable once more.

Garett Lockhart, Crosby Hops

We'll discuss hop variety trends and highlight what we're seeing with an emphasis on Public vs Proprietary varieties. We'll finish with a Sensory Showcase featuring 6 Crosby Estate Grown hop varieties. 

Garett brings over 15 years of experience in the craft brewing industry. After completing the Concise Course in Brewing Technology at Siebel, he joined Red Brick Brewing (now Atlanta Brewing Co.), rising from production roles to Brewmaster in 2013 and President in 2015. In 2021, he joined Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems, overseeing East Coast and Canadian sales before transitioning to Southeast sales under the Lotus Beverage Alliance. Garett joined Crosby Hops in April 2024 as Southeast Key Account Manager. A former customer and hop enthusiast, he's excited to share his passion and expertise with the brewing community.

Isaac Arthur & Cody Fague, CODO Design

Is your brewery planning to launch a new brand (beer or beyond) in the coming year? Or to open a new location? Or to buy another brewery?

If so, there are important branding considerations at play: Do you position this new offering alongside your current brand, or under a new name? How do you promote it? And what does this move say about your brewery itself?

Brand Architecture provides a framework to answer all of these questions and more. How do all of your brands, current and future, relate or differ? How are they marketed and named? How are they priced, and how does all of this help you build a stronger business?

Join beer branding experts from CODO Design for a step-by-step journey using a field-tested tool designed to determine the best approach for extending your brewery's brand beyond beer.

You will then learn how Brand Extensions, Sub Brands and Endorsed Brands can help your brewery bring new products to market and grow your business—all without threatening the reputation you’ve worked so hard to build.Isaac Arthur is a co-founder & CMO at CODO Design, an Indianapolis, Indiana-based beer & beverage branding firm founded in 2009 on the belief that they can create better work by directly including clients in the creative process.   CODO has branded, or rebranded, more than 95 breweries to date.  He’s written three books, including the Craft Beer Branding Guide (2017), Craft Beer, Rebranded (2020) and The Beyond Beer Handbook (2022).  He enjoys writing the Beer Branding Trends Newsletter each month for more than 9,500 subscribers, and also co-hosts a podcast by the same name where he dives into the art and science of building stronger beverage brands.  Outside of CODO, he spends his time outside with his daughters fishing, hiking and staying as far away from screens as possible.

Laura Burns, Omega Yeast Labs

The attenuation of a given yeast strain is a relative range because it can be heavily influenced by the wort fermentability or the composition of sugars extracted during the mash. On the hot side, we’ll overview how the brewer can manipulate wort fermentability in the mash and “set up the dinner plate” for a given yeast strain. On the cold side, we’ll dive into how different yeast strains can be used to consume more or less of the wort sugars and best practices to avoid attenuation problems stemming from poor yeast performance. We’ll apply this baseline knowledge and tackle more advanced technical challenges such as limiting ABV in NABLABs and targeting attenuation in dry-hopped beers.Laura Burns, Ph.D. is the Director of Research and Development at Omega Yeast. After studying stress responses in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for her graduate thesis at Vanderbilt University, she decided the best place to apply this knowledge was in brewing. She worked in production brewing for five years as Head Brewer and Director of Quality Assurance before heading back to the bench at Omega Yeast. Her undeniable curiosity drives her to tackle difficult questions that brewers face daily.

Melissa A. Hunt, Fresh From Florida / Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

Marketing With Fresh From Florida Ingredients and understanding seasonality of Florida produce. Fresh From Florida membership program for the Florida Brewers Guild and for individual Florida breweries.

Major Asselin and Steve Schrimsher, Tampa Bay Brewing

In the presentation "Canned Success: Strategies for Beverage Brand Launches," attendees will learn the essential steps for successfully launching a new beer brand in cans, specifically tailored for local breweries. Major Asselin & Steve Scrimscher – Tampa Bay Brewing Company will guide participants through the process, from creating a unique brand identity and designing eye-catching packaging to navigating regulatory requirements and selecting the packaging. We will look at costs and price break downs, retail and distributor involvement of the new package. Attendees will also explore marketing strategies for standing out in a competitive market, building a loyal customer base, and leveraging local connections to grow their brand at local chains. Whether you're a small brewery or just starting out, this seminar will provide the practical knowledge and insider tips needed to launch a successful canned beer product.Major D. Asselin has a 20+ year background in alcohol, beverage, beer sales and marketing. Working hand in hand on the retail, supplier and distribution parts of the business in both On and Off premise environments, Major has coupled his extensive technology and data integrated catalog of experience to create new business and marketing strategies at multiple companies in varying roles across Florida.  "I’ve been a fan of the craft beer scene since it started, grew up in it, and have been lucky enough to work directly on the business with some real legends in the local beer communites across the country. It's been a real joy creating and managing sales and marketing teams doing what I love."  Learn about my experience, skills, and more at https://majorasselin.blogspot.com/

Michael Jefferies, Mash Networks

In the highly regulated and competitive world of spirits, Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) ecommerce presents both unique challenges and significant opportunities. Join Mash Networks, experts in ecommerce strategy and the spirits industry, for an insightful session on DTC Ecommerce 2.0. This presentation will focus on the evolving landscape of spirits ecommerce, offering actionable strategies for navigating the complexities of regulations while driving growth and consumer engagement.

Mash Networks will explore the critical elements of building a compliant and effective ecommerce strategy for spirits brands, including overcoming distribution hurdles, leveraging digital marketing to increase visibility, and optimizing customer experiences across digital platforms. Drawing from real-world examples and extensive experience, Mash will show how brands can successfully grow their online presence, expand sales, and maintain compliance in this tightly regulated market.

Whether you're a spirits brand just starting to explore DTC or looking to refine your current strategy, this session will provide you with the tools and insights needed to thrive in DTC Ecommerce 2.0.Michael Jefferies is an experienced sales and marketing professional with a strong focus on the beverage alcohol industry, specializing in the ecommerce channel. With a proven track record of driving growth and building brand presence, Michael has developed innovative strategies to navigate the rapidly evolving, highly regulated, digital landscape. His expertise spans across key areas such as digital marketing, online sales strategies, and ecommerce platform optimization. Through his work, he has successfully enhanced the online visibility and sales performance of beverage alcohol brands from start-ups to established craft distilleries, helping them connect with consumers in new and impactful ways.

Patrick Brown, Blue and Co

As the dust settles from the 2024 election, the distilling industry must prepare for the potential tax reforms that lie ahead. Our presentation will provide a comprehensive and non-partisan analysis of the incoming administration’s tax policies and their implications for distilleries.

We will explore the anticipated tax policies of the new president and how these might interact with the expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This session is designed to equip distillery owners and accountants with the knowledge they need to navigate the evolving tax landscape.

Key Takeaways:
Gain a clear, non-partisan understanding of the political landscape in Washington and its impact on tax reform.
Review the expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and their potential effects on your business.
Understand the new administration’s tax policies and how they will impact distilleries and their owners.

Sean Sasscer from Cigar City, Khris Johnson from Green Bench, Jordar from Point Ybel and Brett from Alga

Sean Sasscer, Khris Johnson and TBD will present 3 lager beers and discuss the processes and techniques that were used to make them

Tom Williams, ELEASE

Overview: A realistic look at the current lending landscape. Explore which funding options remain viable as SBA and traditional lenders pull back. Includes new trends in alternative lending, vendor financing, and credit line optimization.

Time: 30 min presentation + 10–15 min Q&A

Target Audience: Brewery owners, operators, CFOs, and GMs navigating financing for equipment, expansion, or cash flow.

Session Summary:

With SBA loans tightening and most traditional lenders hitting pause, how can breweries secure the funding they need to survive, or smartly grow? This session dives into what’s still working in the 2025 lending landscape, highlighting relevant funding options, the pros/cons of alternative lenders, and how breweries can position themselves for approval. Real-world examples and financing tactics will be shared.

Key Topics:
The state of lending: SBA, banks, and the current slowdown
Leveraging Friends and Family for Debt or Equity
Alternative lenders: Questions to ask so you can figure out who’s legit, who to avoid, and how to vet your options
Funding equipment vs. working capital: Structuring for success
Building lender confidence: Credit, documentation, and signals that matter
Quick wins: Credit line optimization, asset-backed lending, recolaterlizing owned-outright assets, and more.J. Thomas “Tom” Williams is a born entrepreneur with a passion for building businesses that make an impact. As the owner of St. Pete Brewing Co. and ELEASE, which includes Keg Connect which provides kegs to over 1200 breweries across the US.   Tom has helped over 15,000 companies across the U.S. secure the tools and funding they need to thrive—through keg leasing, equipment financing, and working capital solutions.  A proud graduate of Boston University (B.A. in Economics, Class of ’94), Tom’s sharp business instincts were evident early in his career. He was involved with the Ernst & Young “Ernie” Project and has launched multiple successful ventures. Among them:  Tom has been an entrepreneur for over 30 years. His passion to innovate and support small business growth earned him a place in the Leasing Hall of Fame.  Driven by a belief in the power of self-employment and entrepreneurship, Tom continues to champion founders, creators, and small business owners across the country.

Vernon J. Spaulding, Providence Process Solutions, LLC

This presentation will define the cost buckets associated with building a new beverage facility along with dozens of cost overrun preemptive mitigation strategies.  A Excel spreadsheet covering all such items will be provided at no charge along with key topic notes so that all audience members can focus on the multiple real life stories that will be covered during this enlightening presentation.37 Years designing and building beverage process facilities.