Advice From The Trail: Alex Sage on Video Content Marketing

Photos of and courtesy Alex Sage

Each volume of Craft Marketing showcases a Featured RadCrafter – a craft marketing professional who is crafting content, telling stories, and curating resources about the beer industry. RadCrafters are helping to shape and share the culture that is craft beer. 

This go-around, meet Alex Sage who manages marketing and graphic design for City Star Brewing. We’re unabashed about declaring that City Star runs some of our favorite social media feeds, in particular because of their trendy and hilarious videos.

Tell us about your background before City Star, and your evolution into your current role. 

My job title at City Star is Marketing/Graphic Design. I have been in the craft beer industry for 13 years and have done everything from beer tending to brand ambassador to taproom manager. I started out at City Star beer-tending and moved into social media and marketing. 

Seems like several years back at this point y'all got into the groove of creating engaging, trending, and on-brand video content on TikTok/IG and haven't stopped since.

We started experimenting with videos in 2021. City Star owner Whitney Way and I try to stay on top of researching what is pushed out most through social media algorithms, and at that time everything was telling us videos, videos, videos. Instagram was beginning to ramp up using reels, and I had done a deep dive into TikTok watching people learn fun dances, laughing at funny skits and saw how audios would trend. I wanted to bring that same spirit to City Star so we threw our hat in the game! 

It seems like your audience loves it, and is growing!

Videos have been huge in growing our audience. With the algorithm prioritizing pushing videos, we were able to gain access and engage with new people who our pages did not previously reach. Berthoud is a small town which surprisingly some people have never even heard of and some don't know there is a brewery. Doing videos has put our brewery AND Berthoud on the map for a [destination] place to come stop in for a beer. We constantly have people coming into the taproom telling us they love our videos and asking when the next one will be. It's helped us be able to further engage with our audience both though the internet and in person. 

Do you notice any engagement trends for your audience?

Figuring out the algorithm is half the battle and the other half is knowing your audience and what your goals are for using videos. When we first started out on TikTok we were getting tons of new followers but when we looked at the data, these followers were from other states and even other countries. We had to hone in our goals for what we wanted to be using videos for. Yeah it's cool that someone in England watched our little brewery video...but did anyone in Loveland see it and come visit us? This is where our "let's just show em' a good time" spirit for videos began. Our fun, comedic, silly videos create brand awareness near and far while also encouraging our local neighbors to pop in. We try to make content that if you're a craft beer drinker you can relate and if you're close by you'll want to come see us. 

How do you choose which trends to participate in while still staying true to the City Star brand?

When it comes to videos I try to take the Red Bull marketing approach which is to show the experience rather than the product. Sell the experience not the beer. Yes, we could list what beers are on tap, we could talk about the hops and geek out over craft beer, we could feature our new beers that come out every Friday...but I want someone to watch our videos and think "They're having so much fun at City Star, let's go to THAT brewery!"

City Star strives to produce delicious craft beer that brings our community together so the goal is for people to see our videos and then call up a friend to come visit us for a beer. Our brewery's audience is aged 21-60 with the majority resting in the 25-45 age range. We want to use audios that are going to be most relatable to this age range as well as pop culture references. (It's no fun if someone misses the joke!) If it makes us laugh at ourselves, then we post it! 

Is using both TikTok and Instagram more time consuming?

Doing videos in general is a bit time consuming. We try to be mindful of which platform we use for which audience. Our TikTok audience is mostly people from out of state so we make TikTok videos about relatable craft beer things for all. For Instagram, our audience is more local and more probable to come in and visit us— so we do those videos that are more geared towards that. Unfortunately synching them up can be a pain for matching audio and platform guidelines, I have yet to find a great app for that. 

If anyone reading has a suggested app, please jump into the comments or slide into our DMs!

What video equipment and apps do you use and recommend, especially for tight budgets?

Keep it cheap and easy! I just use my iPhone to record through TikTok, Instagram or Capcut. Luckily these free apps are pretty user friendly for filming and editing your videos. We step our game up with a ring light every once in a while but mostly we just try to show off our space in its authentic state - no cinematics here! 

Any last pieces of advice on using video as a brewery marketing tactic?

It can be intimidating making videos but there are lots of ways to have fun and show off your business without using your face if you're camera shy. Don't get discouraged. We have spent an hour creating a video that got 200 views and 15 seconds on a video that got 660,000 views - you just never know! It's a great tool to bring together your staff and guests. JUST HAVE FUN!

Advice From The Trail: Cara Nosek on Packaging Design and (Re)Branding

Photo of and courtesy Cara Nosek

Each volume of Craft Marketing showcases a Featured RadCrafter – a craft marketing professional who is crafting content, telling stories, and curating resources about the beer industry. RadCrafters are helping to shape and share the culture that is craft beer. 

Ska Brewing – an iconic brand based on a comic book and inspired by all waves of Ska music – recently underwent a brand refresh. We called Cara Nosek, Queen of Graphics at Ska since 2013, to weigh in on how brands can evolve so gracefully too. 

Bootstrap Brewing Exports to Europe

LONGMONT, CO– Bootstrap Brewing is excited to announce that it has begun exporting beer to Europe.

The company joined the Brewers Association’s Export Development Program earlier this year and attended its first Import Festival in February at the Beer + Food Attraction in Rimini Italy. At the show, owners Steve and Leslie Kaczeus were able to meet with importers and distributors to sample beer which directly resulted in partnerships formed with Beer Republic, a BrouwUnie Company based in the Netherlands and Great Brands of Sweden.

Bootstrap Brewing recently shipped its first pallet of award-winning beers to Beer Republic and they will begin hitting stores, bars and restaurants in the Netherlands and other European countries very soon.

“For the initial launch, we wanted all eight styles of Bootstrap’s canned products so we can introduce our customers to their full product line and see which ones are favored,” explained Steven van Eendenburg van Oosterhout of Beer Republic.

Then, in early April, Great Brands received news that 2 of Bootstrap’s beers, Medal AF IPA and Wreak Havoc Imperial Red, won placements in the Systembolaget’s tender which is Sweden’s state-owned retail monopoly run by the country.

“This is absolutely fantastic news for a brand-new supplier that has never shipped into our market to win 2 placements straight out of the gate,” explained Jörgen Hasselqvist, owner of Great Brands. “We’re excited to work with Bootstrap to promote their products in Sweden, Finland and Norway in the coming months.”

Bootstrap will attend more international shows to continue to develop relationships with more importers and distributors on other continents.

“This year, we’ll attend shows in the U.K., Sweden, Costa Rica, Japan and any other countries that make sense to continue this momentum,” explained Leslie Kaczeus. “We love to travel, and this new marketing emphasis is a perfect way to sell more beer while visiting countries we enjoy exploring.”

For more information Bootstrap Brewing, contact Leslie Kaczeus at leslie@bootstrapbrewing.com.

For more information about Beer Republic, contact Steven van Eendenburg van Oosterhout at steven@brouwunie.nl.

For more information about Great Brands, contact Jörgen Hasselqvist at jorgen@greatbrands.se.

ABOUT BOOTSTRAP BREWING

Home to best-selling and award-winning craft beers such as Insane Rush, Lush Puppy, Boat Snack, Medal AF, Stick’s Pale Ale, Chillax, Wreak Havoc, and Pickle Me Up, Bootstrap Brewing is an independent, adventurous brewery in Colorado dedicated to producing a wide range of ales and lagers. More information can be found on our website at www.bootstrapbrewing.com.

Advice From The Trail: Ben Moore On Beer Photography

Photo of and courtesy Ben Moore

We met Ben Moore at the 2023 Craft Malt Conference in Portland, Maine, which he calls home. His energy and enthusiasm were palpable, and he was both professional and fun to collaborate with on conference storytelling.

So we asked him to be the next RadCrafter in this series. Moved by his passion for his work, we asked him about the life of a beer photographer and what advice he has for others interested in the same craft. Prompted by his social media presence as @activebeergeek, we asked him about his work-life balance. Read the interview and get inspired here.

RadCraft Presents Near Beer, A Celebration of Place, at Harding House Brewing During The 2023 Craft Brewers Conference

NASHVILLE, TN— The Farm to Table movement is alive and well in the beverage industry as breweries with hyper-local ethos are popping up around the country. This event is a celebration of some of those breweries who are inspired by place. 

Come taste those places at Near Beer at Harding House Brewing Company in The Nations neighborhood of West Nashville during the Craft Brewers Conference on Tuesday, May 9 from 5 to 10pm. The breweries pouring include Scratch Brewing Company from Ava, Illinois, Fonta Flora Brewing from Nebo, North Carolina, Fullsteam Brewery from Durham, North Carolina, and Free Range Brewing from Charlotte, North Carolina. Most of the breweries participating are Craft Malt Certified™, some of them grow their own ingredients, and all of them engage with nearby farms to source their recipes. 

“Our unofficial industry tagline is buy local, but craft breweries don’t always do that themselves,” says the Co-Founder of Harding House Nate Underwood, who spearheaded Near Beer. “We wanted to celebrate and hang out with those breweries who walk the walk. Purchasing local agricultural ingredients isn’t always easy or inexpensive, so we’ve got to stick together. Using local malt, hops, and ingredients is what makes craft beer fun, flavorful, and diverse.” 

Near Beer is open to the public, and CBC ticket holders will receive beer discounts. 

Media interested in credentials to this event can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT HARDING HOUSE BREWING CO. 

Homebrewer-turned-brewmaster Nate Underwood brought his passion for local agriculture into his brewing style at Harding House Brewing Co. This brewery is named after the nickname given to a house he lived in on Harding Place here in Nashville, the place where the inspiration for the brewery originated. Co-owned by Matt Fung-A-Fat, Tyler Pate and Cameron Jones, Harding House strives to better the community in which it exists. This includes providing quality jobs and creating new agricultural economies. Harding House is committed to using the brewery as a place for the people of Nashville to gather and grow together. Learn more at hardinghousebrew.com. 

ABOUT RADCRAFT 

Founded in 2012 by Emily Hutto, RadCraft provides communications support for the beverage industry. From breweries and distilleries to maltsters and their affiliates, RadCraft’s partners are makers of thoughtful products and cultivators of radical ideas. Beers and spirits should tell stories about brands, and RadCraft loves a good story. Learn more at radcraftbeer.com.

Ska Brewing is first North American brewery to implement CanCollar® Corsair™ for plastics replacement in its packaging

DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing has completed the installation of a CanCollar® Corsair™ provided by WestRock. Ska is the first craft brewery in North America to implement this automation solution, which will enable the company’s transition from plastic rings to a fiber-based solution for its multipack product wraps.

Ska has never been keen on plastic packaging, but recently identified an alternative that supports its sustainability goals.

Enter WestRock, a global paper and packaging leader dedicated to sustainability whose portfolio includes solutions for craft and artisanal beverage producers. The company’s CanCollar® Corsair™ machine automatically applies various CanCollar® paperboard-based multipack formats to 24-pack trays of product, which gives Ska the ability to package all of its canned brand offerings — including four-packs and six-packs — using a solution that reduces plastics consumption by up to 95 percent when compared to alternative plastic multipack options.

“The CanCollar, which promotes circularity, will immediately reduce the amount of plastic Ska contributes to the environment by approximately four tons per year,” says Ska Brewing COO Steve Breezley. “This contributes to a reduction in overall waste and the carbon footprint associated with the shipping and storage of our products. The innovation, ethos and ethics behind this solution are what we’re all about.”

The installation of the CanCollar® Corsair™ is one of Ska’s ongoing, never-finished efforts to build a more sustainable future,” says Co-Founder and CEO Dave Thibodeau. “We saw the opportunity to implement this fiber-based CanCollar and we’re jumping on it. We hope it will become the industry standard moving forward.”

From the choice of aluminum cans over bottles and the recycling of bowling alley lanes and old denim in the tasting room design, to the reduction of water consumption in the brewhouse and so many other initiatives to reduce waste, Ska Brewing has been a thought leader paving the way for environmental innovation over the course of its nearly 28 years in business. The brewery would love to share these strategies with anyone who asks.

Beer lovers can look for all of Ska’s canned brand offerings to sport recyclable fiber collars applied by the CanCollar® Corsair™ on shelves starting in April.

Media inquiring about Ska Brewing or their sustainability objectives can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. Questions about WestRock can be directed to Robby Johnson at robby.b.johnson@westrock.com.

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award-winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include True Blonde, Modus Hoperandi and Rue B. Soho. For information, music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

ABOUT WESTROCK

WestRock (NYSE: WRK) is a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions, with more than 50,000 teammates in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Our integrated packaging capabilities offer end-to-end solutions to help customers address their greatest challenges.

The Makers Series Debuts with first episode featuring Bowigens Beer Company and Riverbend Malt House

CASSELBERRY, FL— The same producers of the show Crafted that debuted on Amazon Prime earlier this year premiered a new show called The Makers on Tuesday. This digital series and podcast profiles the makers, creators, culture, and community of craft beer. The first episode features the story of the making of Bowigens Beer Company Smooth Velvet, brewed with craft malt from Riverbend Malt House and an entire cake from Valhalla Bakery in the mash.

Smooth Velvet is an Imperial Mocha Red Velvet Ale brewed with an entire red velvet cake in the mash. Inspired by the phenomenal Red Velvet cake from Valhalla Bakery, this beer is brewed with a crafted blend of Pilsner and Munich malts along with wheat and oats from Riverbend Malt House. It is then aged on copious amounts of Madagascar vanilla beans, chocolate and freshly roasted local coffee beans from Rosso Specialty Coffee. This Imperial Red Ale is deliciously smooth with a perfect balance of flavors, and the best part is, it's dairy free! This beer will be available on tap and in 4-packs of 16oz cans on Friday, December 17 at 12pm at both Bowigens tasting room locations. The Bowigens Casselberry location will also have a limited amount of the Valhalla Bakery Red Velvet cake available for To-Go purchase.

On Tuesday December 21st, a new podcast discussing The Makers will go live on Spotify, Apple and all other platforms where podcasts are found.

“The Makers is an exciting new series for us and is a perfect extension to the Crafted brand that celebrates the vast variety and stories of craft breweries around the country,” says Craig Chapman of Crafted. “The Makers allows us to dive even deeper into the passion and stories of all the creative artisans that make craft beer.”

Watch the first episode of The Makers on Youtube. Future episodes will come out in early 2022. The producers are still looking for great stories to tell from around the country.

Contact Emily Hutto with media inquiries about this effort and about Riverbend Malt House at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT THE MAKERS

The Makers, by Crafted, is a digital series and podcast about the makers, creators, culture, and community of craft beer. Each episode pairs the best craft breweries, local culinary creators, and other ingredient makers together to tell their stories and collaborate to create an inspired craft beer and culinary experience.

contact: Craig@oegmediallc.com or visit crafted-culture.com

ABOUT BOWIGENS BEER COMPANY

Bowigens Beer Company is an American craft brewery located in Casselberry FL. We specialize in creative, innovative and full flavored beers. At Bowigens we consider ourselves artistic brewers. We are not interested in creating a beer unless we feel we’re making something that we are truly passionate about. Started in 2015 as one of Central Florida’s first craft breweries Bowigens Beer Company has also been one of the most award-winning in that time frame with multiple awards at the US Beer Open Championship, GABF®, Best Of Craft Beer Awards and Best Florida Beer.

For more information on Bowigens Beer Company visit www.bowigens.com.

Facebook @Bowigensbeercompany; Instagram @Bowigensbeercompany

ABOUT VALHALLA BAKERY

Valhalla Bakery crafts the finest plant-based pastries, cookies and other mouthwatering treats. Scratch made at shops in Orlando and St. Pete. Follow the bakery locations at @valhallabakery and @valhallabakery_stpete.

ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE

Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malthouse east of the Mississippi, in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com.

Living The Dream Brewing Takes Home Three 2021 Can Can Awards

LITTLETON, CO– Living The Dream Brewing was honored at this year’s Can Can Awards with not one, but three medals for its 7 Speed IPA, Ice Climber Double IPA, and Powder Run Cream Ale. 

The Can Can Awards is the premiere beer competition focused solely on canned beers. The 2021 awards had 173 Brewery Participants who submitted 788 cans for review in 82 categories. Fifty seven judges, 49 of whom are BJCP and or Cicerone Certified, and 23 stewards determined the winners. 

Living The Dream’s 7 Speed IPA took Gold in the American IPA category. With 7 different aroma hops and 4 different malts, 7-Speed is a classic, floral and citrus-forward Pale Ale that emphasizes the flavors of Citra, Simcoe, Meridian and Mosaic and creates a perfectly balanced flavor profile.

Ice Climber Double IPA was awarded silver in the Double IPA category. This bold but balanced West Coast-style IPA has a refreshing tropical fruit aroma with a sturdy malt backbone and a repeatable dry finish. 

Powder Run Cream Ale, Living The Dream’s flagship and most decorated beer, took silver in the Fruit, Herb, and Spice category. Powder Run is crafted with premium malted barley, flaked corn, Noble hops, and a touch of lactose that creates creamy mouthfeel. Its yeast is highly attenuative to balance out the sweetness of the corn and added vanilla. 

“It’s always great for our team when they get recognized for their talent and hard work,” says Living The Dream Founder Jason Bell. “Every day they strive to be better than before.”

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Living The Dream. 

ABOUT LIVING THE DREAM BREWING

Living the Dream Brewing is a craft brewery established in 2014 in Littleton, our home base for adventure in Colorado. Built on a foundation of brewing beer using only the finest ingredients, Living the Dream celebrates the people, places, and activities of the Centennial State. Live the life you've imagined, and join us at livingthedreambrewing.com. 

Living The Dream Brewing Celebrates 7 Years With A Week of Anniversary Events

LITTLETON, CO– Living The Dream Brewing is celebrating 7 years in business this July with a week of dog and family friendly events, including an evening with Mingle Charcuterie, the Dog Days of Summer pup expo, and specialty beer releases. 

July 14

Enjoy charcuterie, chocolates, and beer pairings at 6pm on Wednesday, July 14. $30 tickets include a charcuterie board, a beer flight, a full pint, and four Mingle chocolates per person. 

July 15

On Thursday from 4 to 8 pm, bring your well-behaved, social, and leashed best friend to the brewery to enjoy activities and goodies from Bone Apetreat, Wag N' Wash, Altitude Animal Hospital, Denver Pet Pics, Hike Doggie, and KONG.  

July 17 & 18 

Head to the Living The Dream tasting room for a weekend full of special beer releases, including Chai Stout, Blackberry Saison, and the debut of the newest Powder Run Cream Ale variant: Lemon Bar. Barrel Aged Imperial Stout and Barrel Aged Barleywine will also make their return to Living The Dream’s taps.

On Saturday, enjoy eats from Woodhill Small Batch BBQ and Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs. On Sunday, Biker Jim’s returns alongside What the Crepe!. 

Come for the beer and food trucks, stay for the cornhole tournament. 

“Given we didn’t get a chance to celebrate last year, we are feeling excited, thankful, and lucky to be able to celebrate 7 years as a part of the local community and the fantastic craft beer community here in Colorado!,” says Founder Jason Bell. 

For more information about this anniversary celebration, visit livingthedreambrewing.com and follow Living The Dream on Facebook and Instagram. 

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Living The Dream. 

ABOUT LIVING THE DREAM BREWING

Living the Dream Brewing is a craft brewery established in 2014 in Littleton, our home base for adventure in Colorado. Built on a foundation of brewing beer using only the finest ingredients, Living the Dream celebrates the people, places, and activities of the Centennial State. Live the life you've imagined, and join us at livingthedreambrewing.com. 

Fermly and Elevation Beer Co. Collaborate on Japanese-Inspired Rice Lager

PONCHA SPRINGS, CO— Fermly, an independent lab for brewers based in Denver, is excited to announce another collaboration beer, Kintsugi, a rice lager brewed with their friends at Elevation Beer Company that tapped this week.

This unique take on a hybrid fermentation incorporates saké yeast and Elevation’s houser lager yeast strain. With a 50% jasmine rice based grain bill, the beer is a classic rice lager through and through. After fermentation, the team added lychee fruit to this lager to impart a light sweetness to support the characteristics of this solid crispy boi.

Kintsugi is inspired not only by the yeast, but also a time-honored philosophy. Originating from the Japanese pottery technique that repairs cracks with gold-dusted lacquer, it is a celebration that something is more beautiful because it has broken. “As we enter into the first summer after a pandemic, it is fitting to acknowledge the difficulties every person and business has gone through and that although it wasn’t easy, we are all better for it,” says Fermly Co-Founder Emily Wang. 

Elevation Beer Co. guests can now sip Kintsugi Rice Lager on tap and purchase it in 12 oz. cans to-go while supplies last.

Contact Emily Hutto with media inquiries about Fermly and their collaboration beers at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT FERMLY 

Fermly is an independent quality lab designed by brewers, for brewers, complete with a data platform for tracking information from batch to batch. Launched in Denver by former brewery owner Danny and TTB-certified chemist Emily Wang, Fermly serves brewing companies of all sizes across the country who need and value QA/QC with customized lab services, an innovative subscription approach to lab work, and data privacy protection. Fermly know your craft. Visit www.fermly.com to learn more. 

ABOUT ELEVATION BEER CO.

Proudly operating in the remote mountain town of Poncha Springs, Elevation Beer Co. is more than just a beer company— it’s a family, a community, and a collective of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Dedicated to creating sustainable, meaningful careers in rural Colorado, we take the preservation of our home as seriously as we do the quality of our beer. Taste the flagship 8 Second Kolsch and a lineup of other usual suspects and seasonals at Elevation’s tasting room, and in canned 6-packs across Colorado. Go higher at elevationbeerco.com.

Fermly and Resolute Brewing Present Arnold Palmer-Inspired Guild-Tee Party Beer For The Colorado Brewers Guild

DENVER, CO— Fermly, an independent lab for brewers based in Denver, debuts its latest collaboration this week. Guild-Tee Party was brewed with the Resolute Brewing team to support the Colorado Brewers Guild. 

Guild Tee Party was brewed to create the classic flavor profile of an Arnold Palmer, perfect for a late spring tee time. Brewed with Pilsen and Cologne malt from BSG, Carafoam from Weyermann Malt, and Orange Pekoe tea from The Tea Spot in Boulder; and hopped with Magnum hops and tea in the boil to begin the first steps of infusion. 

“The wort tasted like black tea but heavily sweetened,” says Emily Wang, Co-Founder and Lead Scientist at Fermly. “All of those fermentable sugars were broken down by Inland Island Golden Kolsch yeast to create an idyllic crispy profile. Whole lemon puree was added after fermentation. Best recommended to enjoy in collared shirts and well-coiffed lawns.” 

Guild-Tee Party was served at the annual Colorado Brewers Guild golf tournament, and it made its debut at both of Resolute’s tasting rooms in Arvada and Centennial this week.

“Teaming up with Fermly for the CBG Tourney was a no-brainer. Emily and Danny provide an incredible service for us and many other breweries around the state,” says Andrew Duvall, Community & Sales Manager at Resolute Brewing. “Guild-Tee Party showcases their talents while celebrating a grand return to hanging out with all the awesome folks we so dearly missed in 2020. Ultimately, we miss doing kickass things with our friends in the industry, so we brewed about it! Also, the CBG helped us navigate so many obstacles throughout the pandemic by providing constant updates and guidance, while advocating for legislation such as direct-to-consumer deliveries. We would've been lost without them, so this beer is for the Executive Director Shawnee and company!” 

Contact Emily Hutto with media inquiries about Guild-Tee Party at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT FERMLY 

Fermly is an independent quality lab designed by brewers, for brewers, complete with a data platform for tracking information from batch to batch. Launched in Denver by former brewery owner Danny and TTB-certified chemist Emily Wang, Fermly serves brewing companies of all sizes across the country who need and value QA/QC with customized lab services, an innovative subscription approach to lab work, and data privacy protection. Fermly know your craft.

ABOUT RESOLUTE

Resolute Brewing Company is a microbrewery located in Centennial, Colorado and a Tap Room & Cellar located in Arvada, Colorado. Our founders come from various walks of life, including finance, engineering, and accounting, but we resonate as one around our passion for community, great beer, and even greater people. Resolute is more than a brewery; it is a community of people and families enthusiastic about being a part of something bigger than themselves. Resolute's employees and culture imbue hospitality, social responsibility, and a love of the craft.

Beverage Industry Veterans Launch Start A Brewery Website

ONLINE— Beverage industry veterans Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge, co-founder of Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival and Customized Craft Beer Programs, launched their new website startabrewery.com earlier this week at a virtual kickoff with many of the site’s contributors who span industry sectors. 

Moon and Lodge have long been sought out for their industry connections, known for their networking prowess and ability to identify vendors who “speak beer.” Now they’ve poured 35 years of combined experience into their new project to best leverage their network to help the craft beer industry succeed and grow.

“I’m not sure this project would have transpired had it not been for increased screen time during pandemic,” says Lodge. “Candace was approached by a seller of the startabrewery.com URL, and what might otherwise have been a buried email has become a new educational resource for our growing community.” 

Start A Brewery is free to the public, and is supported solely by advertising. This website is a testament to the premise that ‘a rising tide floats all boats’ and the conviction that together we can raise the bar for quality. 

Join Moon and Lodge for a press conference about this new website during American Craft Beer Week on Thursday, May 13 at 4pm ET. Register for this live, virtual opportunity and learn more at startabrewery.com.

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries, and to interview Moon and Lodge. 

ABOUT STARTABREWERY.COM

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business and brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning and those who have successfully launched and are ready to grow. Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery.com is an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it. Follow StartABrewery.com on Instagram at @startabreweryLLC, Facebook at @StartABreweryDotCom and Twitter at @startabrewery. 

ABOUT THE FOUNDERS 

Candace L. Moon is a San Diego-based attorney who has spent the last eleven years dedicating her law practice to the craft beer industry. She has worked with more than 450 craft breweries and craft breweries-in-planning nationwide, handling many different legal areas including alcoholic beverage law, contract review and trademark law.

Author of Distribution Insight for the Craft Brewer and the co-founder of the Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival, Laura Lodge has been engaged in the craft beer industry since 1997. She’s the Owner of Customized Craft Beer Programs that designs events, resort retail programs, and educational programs based on craft beer.

Mainstem For All: Walla Walla-Based Mainstem Malt Welcomes New Equity Investors Through Crowdfund Campaign

WALLA WALLA, WA— Today Mainstem Malt announced the launch of Mainstem For All, a crowdfunded effort to engage a growing diversity of the company’s stakeholders as shareholders, in support of their innovative mission as a craft maltster. 

Mainstem Malt is the first-ever malt company to invite hundreds-if-not-thousands of folks to join their team as equity investors. This innovative effort calls to action supporters of agriculture, conservation, craft food & beverages, and beyond to put their money where their malt is. 

Mainstem was born in 2014 as a market-based approach to conservation with landscape-scale ambitions. Already, co-founders Phil Neumann and Alyssa Martinez Neumann and a scrappy team are impacting management decisions on more than 30,000 acres of farmland, all by connecting family farms to conscientious distillers, brewers, and their biggest fans. Mainstem For All elevates the company’s conservation mission, and emphasizes their more comprehensive  commitment to sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Mainstem For All is live on Wefunder, where 42 investors have already pledged $40,450. Full funding would support increased malt production and sales, development of a new headquarters and Northwest malt innovation center, and early development of novel technologies that could change the way the world interacts with premium agricultural ingredients.

“Beyond Alyssa and me, there are 14 fiercely loyal households on Mainstem’s cap table. For philosophical reasons, we’ve always wanted to open the company up for an equity crowdfund campaign,” says Mainstem Malt Co-Founder Phil Neumann. “Now’s the time. We’ll be the first malt company globally to raise money like this, and It feels SO good to be underway. Our dream is to get 1000+ new investors on the team and infuse a diversity of new perspectives into the company’s growth.”

Learn more and invest at wefunder.com/mainstemmalt.

Please direct all media inquiries to Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT MAINSTEM MALT

Mainstem Malt is a malt company like no other. Founders Phil Neumann and Alyssa Martinez-Neumann started this Walla Walla-based operation in 2014 as a way to support family farms, rural communities, and landscape-scale conservation work. Along the way, they realized Mainstem is in a unique position to inspire much broader change, and have since been pushing to be the beverage industry's model for agricultural supply chain sustainability and innovation. You can find Mainstem’s malt at breweries and distilleries throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, flowing into premium craft beverages that evoke a strong sense of place and purpose. Grain Like Grapes, Malt That Matters. Learn more at MainstemMalt.com.

Advice From The Trail: Trillium Brewing on Content Marketing

Phil Cassella, photo courtesy Trillium Brewing

It goes without saying that Trillium Brewing are masters of content, among so many other things, who make us salivate on the reg with their scrumptious photography and streamlined messaging. Trillium’s Content Designer Phil Cassella and Marketing Director Mike Dyer are inspired, savvy, and generous with their insight— to say the least— and they gave us the lowdown on creating and executing a successful brewery content strategy. It all comes down to hospitality and patience. 

Beer Connects Communities and So Too Will BEER! A Love Story Feature Documentary

LYONS, COLORADO—  HerzMuses Enterprises presents the global digital premiere of BEER! A Love Story, a Blue + Green Communication and Storyhouse production. This independently funded, 4K full-length feature documentary debuts today through an exclusive partnership with Untappd through February 28.

BEER! A Love Story was produced by Director Friedrich Moser and Maarten Schmidt. Moser, who directed the Oliver Stone-backed A Good American among many other documentary films, now brings his filmmaking prowess to featuring craft beer. This film weaves together the stories of 30 international protagonists across multiple countries who speak the universal language of beer, the world’s most consumed fermented beverage.

“We wanted this film to bridge the gap between Europe and America, and to show the panorama of beer styles now replicated across the globe,” Moser says. “For any foodie, movie buff, and beer or beverage fan this is a must-watch film.”

In BEER! A Love Story, Moser profiles a cast of U.S.-based craft beer personalities including Peter Bouckaert, Steve Hindy, Julia Herz, Greg Engert, European namesakes such as Rodenbach, Orval and Stiegl, and small, breakout brewers like Bierol in Austria and Cloudwater in Manchester, UK. 

From January 21 through February 28, Untappd users can exclusively rent and download the film. “We are thrilled to play a part in bringing this film to our global community of beer lovers”, said Trace Smith, CEO of Next Glass, parent company of Untappd. “Untappd has always been about beer bringing people together, and that theme is at the heart of this film.” 

Watch the movie trailer and find everything about BEER! A Love Story, including future screening events in February and beyond at beermovie.org. 

BEER! A Love Story Media Inquiries: Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com

Hashtag: #BeerMovie

Press Assets: available for download here

ABOUT THE FILM PARTNERS

• Blue + Green Communication is a film production company based in Vienna, Austria.

• Based in Brussels, Belgium, film production company Storyhouse is run by producer Maarten Schmidt. 

• Julia Herz of HerzMuses Enterprises is featured in the film and is managing the 2021 global digital premiere.

ABOUT EXCLUSIVE FILM PARTNER UNTAPPD 

Founded in 2010, Untappd is the world’s largest social beer app, with over 8 million users globally. Individuals can check-in and rate beers at bars, restaurants, breweries and a host of other venues as well as view friends’ profiles to toast and comment on their beer choices. Additionally, the company provides menu publishing software to over 18,000 businesses worldwide. www.untappd.com

Untappd Media Inquiries: Kenny Gould, Creative Director, kenny@untappd.com; tel:7049758612

Craft Maltsters Guild Goes Virtual with 2021 Craft Malt Conference, February 10-12

The Craft Maltsters Guild proudly presents the fourth annual Craft Malt Conference, coming to you in a virtual format from February 10-12. The decision to go virtual in 2021 was made to support safety measures during COVID-19 but with the added perk of increasing accessibility for the greater craft malt community. Come one, come all. This is an easy-to-attend artisan grains and craft beverage conference you won’t want to miss.

#CraftMaltCon2021 is a three-day event, with curated live seminars on the latest research, trends, and best practices relevant to those in the craft malt supply chain. Participants can also participate in digital malthouse tours, peruse a virtual trade show, and attend cyber happy hours each evening. Attendees will also have the chance to talk with sponsors during live Q&A sessions and check out new products via video demos. 

“We’re excited about the potential this exciting new format offers,” says Executive Director of the Craft Maltsters Guild Jesse Bussard. “Adapting our conference to a virtual experience makes craft malt education more accessible than ever!” 

The 2021 Craft Malt Conference keynote speaker is the esteemed craft beer icon Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. Other guest speakers include Richard Simpson of Simpsons Malt, Bart Watson of the Brewers Association, Becky Harris of Catoctin Creek Distillery, and Dr. Charlie Bamforth of UC Davis, from the University of Nottingham and Sierra Nevada, among many other leading craft malt, beer and spirits industry experts. 

The conference finale is the Malt Cup Awards Ceremony on Friday, February 12th. 2021 marks the third year of this one-of-a-kind malt competition, which was remotely judged by a nationwide team of 74 maltsters, brewers, distillers, researchers and Cicerones. Entry analysis and judging was organized by the Montana State University - Barley, Malt and Brewing Quality Lab. Medals will be awarded for the top three winners in both 2021 categories, Pale Malt and Pilsner Malt.

Registration for the 2021 Craft Malt Conference includes access to the full conference schedule, and is available both to CMG membership and non-members. Register here. 

Media interested in attending the virtual Craft Malt Conference are eligible for comped conference participation. Please contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com to participate in the conference, and with all other media inquiries about the Craft Maltsters Guild. 

ABOUT THE CRAFT MALTSTERS GUILD

Formed in 2013 by eight craft malthouses, the Craft Maltsters Guild’s mission is to promote and sustain the tradition of craft malting in North America, provide services and resources to the Association’s members, and uphold the highest quality and safety standards for Craft Maltsters. Learn more about the Craft Maltsters Guild at www.craftmalting.com.

Deerhammer Presents Cask Savant in collaboration with Crooked Stave

BUENA VISTA, CO— Deerhammer presents the second bottle in its Progeny Series crafted in collaboration with Crooked Stave. Cask Savant is now available in limited quantities at Colorado retailers. 

The Progeny Series is a lineup of small-batch spirits created through inspired partnerships between Deerhammer and other crafters in Colorado. Cask Savant is the second official spirit in this series coming after a whiskey and chocolate pairing with Cultura Chocolate, and an array of barrel aging projects with the likes of Wit’s End Brewing Company, Call To Arms Brewing, and Colorado Cider Company.

In 2015, Deerhammer lay Crooked Stave Hop Savant— a hoppy Brett beer— to rest in heavy toast light char American oak casks. The results of this 50% ABV spirit play out with notes of blackberry jam, sage brush, orange peel, hazelnut, toasted bread crust, and a spectacular interlacing of funky lupulin spice; all of which have culminated in a remarkable dram that you will not taste the likes of anywhere else. 

“Getting to work with a local Colorado distillery that is truly hands-on, making their own wash, fermenting, and distilling is something I wanted to do since I started Crooked Stave. Deerhammer is that perfect partner,” adds Crooked Stave Owner and Brewmaster Chad Yakobson.“I think it's truly amazing the time and love that went into the creation of Progeny Series No. 2 ~ Cask Savant. For Lenny and his team to devote five years to aging this wild and adventurous spirit is something unique.”

“To our knowledge this is the very first example of a spirit born from a 100% Brettanomyces yeast fermentation,” says Deerhammer Founder and Head Distiller Lenny Eckstein, “and those hallmark, rustic, funky-fruit Brett characteristics have materialized big time!” 

Cask Savant is available in limited 750ML bottles at select Colorado retailers with an SRP of $69.99 while supplies last. 

Deerhammer is currently aging more Progeny Series spirits in Redstone Meadery and Carboy Winery barrels, among others, that will be released in coming months to years.

For more information about Cask Savant or Deerhammer, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT DEERHAMMER

Steeped in Tradition. Crafted in Colorado. 

Amy and Lenny Eckstein founded Deerhammer in 2010. Drawn to Buena Vista, Colorado by the whitewater currents of the Arkansas River, their passion for whiskey is driven by that same adventurous spirit. As artisans and business owners, Amy and Lenny’s process is defined by a deep curiosity for the history of spirits and a thoughtful analysis of each individual step of the distilling process. Deerhammer's cornerstone contribution to the field of American craft spirits, Single Malt Whiskey, has become the company's flagship product. Deerhammer also distills Whitewater Whiskey, Buena Vista Brandy, and Dutch Style Gin. Find the distillery online at deerhammer.com.

ABOUT CROOKED STAVE 

Founded in 2010, Crooked Stave is a modern, artisan brewery with a quality-driven focus. The brewery strives to blend science and art through creativity and following our passion. Located in Denver’s Sunnyside neighborhood, Crooked Stave is recognized throughout the world for complex and creative wild and sour, barrel-aged beers and a variety of traditional and innovative ales and lagers of all kinds. Crooked Stave invites beer-lovers to visit the Crooked Stave tap rooms located at the brewery, as well as in Fort Collins at The Exchange, and seek out Crooked Stave beer offerings wherever sold. For more information, follow Crooked Stave on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Support Local Agriculture this Colorado Gives Day through 100 Year Lease

LOVELAND, CO— Just in time for Colorado Gives Day 2020, Root Shoot Malting relaunches its Steward fundraiser to support the 100 Year Lease campaign to preserve local, time-honored agricultural land. 

This fall, Root Shoot Malting debuted its short film 100 Year Lease. This documentary film, produced by Traverse Image, is dedicated to the education about and preservation of the American family farm. It tells the story of the 5th generation Olander Farm, the family farm that Root Shoot stems from. 

“We're rooted in Colorado; that’s where the name Root Shoot came from,” says Root Shoot Malting co-owner Todd Olander. “This is where we want to be, and we'll do whatever we can to stay here.” 

Along with the film premiere, Root Shoot launched a crowdfunding campaign through the agriculture-centric platform Steward to generate contributions toward a conservation easement on their farm. As of this week, Steward has streamlined the donation process to make contributing to 100 Year Lease that much easier. 

Donate to Root Shoot Malting’s conservation easement here, and watch 100 Year Lease on Root Shoot’s YouTube channel. Please contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Root Shoot Malting and Olander Farms. 

ABOUT ROOT SHOOT MALTING 

Root Shoot Malting’s family of farmers grow, harvest and malt the finest grains to give brewers and distillers high-quality taste in every glass. Opened in 2016 on 1,500 acres of Olander Farms’ irrigated land in Loveland, Colorado, Root Shoot harvests alfalfa, wheat, corn, rye, and barley. Root Shoot gives breweries and distilleries the ability to procure local, consistent and high quality craft products. Find this craft maltster online at rootshootmalting.com.

ABOUT TRAVERSE IMAGE

Traverse Image is a Colorado digital film company with a focus on documentary films about the natural world. Traverse Image believes that films can inspire monumental change— the passionate company is tenacious in their pursuit of bringing powerful stories to life through film. Get inspired at traverseimage.com.

ABOUT STEWARD & THE STEWARD FOUNDATION

Steward is the fundraising platform for sustainable and regenerative agriculture, helping small farms to flourish by allowing anyone to invest and become stewards of the land. Steward’s charitable branch, The Steward Foundation Inc., is an IRC 501(c)(3) charitable organization created to manage contributions and fund grants to projects surrounding sustainable and regenerative agriculture. By making a donation to The Steward Foundation, donors will be contributing directly to Root Shoot Malting's conservation easement project. 100% of a donor's charitable donation will be distributed to the project, and the donation will be tax-deductible to the extent that no goods or services were provided to the donor in exchange. The Steward Foundation’s tax identification number is 37-1912757. Find Steward online at gosteward.com.

Why Rapids & Grass is a Brewer's Favorite Festival, Even When They Can't Go

Photo by Zach Mahone @ South Main Co.

“The beer is great, the music is fire, and the venue is laid out wonderfully.” 

That’s Ashleigh Carter, the co-founder and head brewer of Bierstadt Lagerhaus. She’s not alone.

You know it’s a good sign when you see a brewer at a beer festival. And in this case, the Rapids & Grass festival in Buena Vista is packed full of them— especially in anticipation of the festival’s rafting component. 

Rapids & Grass is so much more than just a beer fest; it’s an opportunity to get to the mountains, enjoy the river, and get social. Although the festival has decided to skip this year, keeping public health and safety in mind, it still goes down as one of our favorite festivals -- and here’s why the brewers agree. 

“The Rapids & Grass beer festival is unlike any other beer festival I have attended. I have traveled all over the country and poured at a few different beer festivals in Europe and none of them are as laid back and chill as Rapids & Grass,” shares Skip Schwartz, wood cellar and innovation lead at WeldWerks Brewing, “Attendees have access to some of the best beer Colorado has to offer at their fingertips with a relaxed, no lines or waiting. Last year was my first time attending and I know why I will be going back in the future.  Never have I worked a festival with my shoes off and my pants rolled up and it fit into the atmosphere of the festival. Not to mention a water gun fight broke out mid-festival with a few other brewers, which was a lot of fun!” 

Jordan Wheeler, senior packaging operator at WeldWerks Brewing adds, “Ummm everything Skip said. It’s definitely a festival I want to attend every year. It will never get old pouring beautiful beer with such a beautiful backdrop.”

There’s no arguing that the festival’s venue is one that is hard to rival. It also makes for a perfect location for brewers to also kick back, relax, and hang out with each other. 

“Obviously Buena Vista is beautiful,” shares Carter, “and really the beer is just a small part of the fest.”

“What makes it unique is how many brewers actually participate,” Carter continues, “We all get to hang out and camp together the night before and night of the festival, so there is that added social aspect that makes it fun to participate.”

It’s not just the brewers who enjoy it, either. 

“It’s an honor to get to pour our whiskey amongst some of the best beers around, and it’s inspiring to see what these brewers continually offer up such bad ass expressions of their craft,” says Lenny Eckstein, founder & head distiller at Deerhammer in downtown Buena Vista, “It’s always been Deerhammer’s approach to bring innovation and creativity to whiskey. A huge part of this is fueled for us by those on the beer side of the fence.”

Not to mention, the festival draws huge crowds to the Arkansas Valley, boosting tourism and the area’s economic viability. 

“There’s this ongoing effort to bring visitation to BV throughout the year,” shares Eckstien, “The thing about Rapids and Grass is that the crowd that comes up here, who’ve maybe blazed through BV or heard of our hot springs or killer mountain bike trails, or whatever, when they come here for Rapids & Grass they are getting full exposure to the full spectrum of awesomeness that BV has to offer. Deerhammer is PACKED during Rapids and Grass. It’s a great crowd who comes here looking to enjoy this place.”

To our friends Sarah, Shane, and their great Rapids & Grass partners, we love you and we miss you. Thank you for bringing world-class beer and music to Buena Vista. 

— Words by Karen Mills

Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - June 2, 2020

Small businesses across the globe continue to take hits amid Coronavirus shutdowns and policy changes. From South Africa to Istanbul, North Carolina to Latin America, and beyond— here are 19 Coronavirus relief efforts that support the hospitality industry.

1. Three weeks after deciding to convert their beer tanks into giant soup-making tanks, Drifter Brewing Company has fed more than 75,000 people across ten different communities in Cape Town through Operation Soup-A-Heroes.

2. Laws Whiskey House released a single barrel selection to support Colorado Restaurant Response. This unique single barrel bourbon has been aged 5 ½ years and has flavors of wildflower honey, butterscotch and orange peel will also be available for sale at participating Colorado Restaurant Response restaurants in May. Find a list of retailers and more details here.

3. Hospitality Net has been adding special coverage with specific topics pertaining to the impact Coronavirus is having on the hospitality industry. Their page contains a growing list of resources with topics that pertain to the industry, with new ones being added as they become available.

4. The James Beard Foundation is committed to helping independent restaurants survive the crisis, rebuild stronger, and thrive for the long term through their Open for Good campaign.

5. One Fair Wage’s High Road Kitchens Program launched during the COVID-19 crisis. High Road Kitchens are independent restaurants that provide food on a sliding scale to those in need, as well as providing jobs for restaurant workers and act as a subsidy for responsible restaurant owners.

6. The United States Bartenders’ Guild National Charity Foundation provides emergency assistance grants to bartenders and their families.

7. The North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild launched the #NCBeerPledge to promote health and safety as businesses begin to reopen. “The #NCBeer Pledge is our industry’s demonstration of that commitment to you.”

8. Hi-Wire Brewing releases a beer to benefit service industry workers in response to the impact the pandemic has had on the industry. A portion of the proceeds from every 6-pack of Donate to Service Industry Workers by Drinking This Beer sold will be donated to the USBG National Charity Foundation and the North Carolina Restaurant Workers Relief Fund.

9. CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees is providing support to food and beverage service employees with children diagnosed with COVID-19.

10. Daniel Grieves reported on chef initiatives in Latin America in the article Sharing the table with coronavirus on 50 Best Stories. Grieves is writing a book to be called Restaurants at Home, featuring 100 recipes from 100 restaurants in Istanbul. All the money raised from sponsors as well as from book sales will go into a fund for restaurant employees in need in Istanbul.

11. The Restaurant Workers Community Foundation created a restaurant workers’ COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund.

12. After seeing the community enthusiasm for their COVID relief efforts, Athletic Brewing Company has pledged to continue their efforts till they reach $100,000 in donations to The Restaurant Employee Relief Fund.

13. The Independent Restaurant Coalition is lobbying Congress to advocate that the stimulus money and related programs pertain to and are tailored for independent restaurants. 

14. Shiner Beer donated $500,000 to the TX Restaurant Relief Fund, an initiative by the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation. The fund benefits independent restaurants and their workers impacted by COVID-19 by issuing grants.

15. The Brewers Association has teamed up with Bottleshare to create the Believe in Beer fund, which support breweries and state brewers guilds impacted by COVID. “We’re proud to join efforts with the Brewers Association to reciprocate the love and strength that characterize the craft beer community and help the breweries that make it so special,” shares Christopher Glenn, Founder of Bottleshare.

16. Distillers from all around the nation have been responding to the pandemic by pivoting their operations to include the production of hand sanitizer. The Distilled Spirits Council has created a COVID-19 Hand Sanitizer Connection Portal as a resource for distillers looking to produce hand sanitizer, including a map of distillers that are producing hand sanitizer, a list of necessary ingredients and supplies, and distribution methods.

17. Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas, seeks to raise $2 million for COVID relief efforts with Operation Crush COVID-19. Rather than selling Laguna Madre, a limited-edition, 8-year-old bourbon, as planned this summer, they’ll be making all 2,004 bottles available elusively to donors who support their cause.

18. The Above and Beyond Foundation is dedicated to providing financial relief to help hospitality workers who have been laid off due to the pandemic. Learn more about their efforts here.

19. Pendleton® Whisky, who has close ties to the Western sports community, knows that many athletes within that community are facing challenges due to cancelled events and fewer chances to ride. They’ve donated $100k towards COVID relief efforts for their community.