As a brewery owner, I am constantly trying to think of ways to do new and interesting things. I never have trouble coming up with new ideas for microbrews, but when it comes to events and promotions, I always seem to get stuck. There is so much competition in our industry, and I really want to make Blackbird a one of a kind brewery. When I first learned about Cinemescapes I was intrigued because I knew my movie buff staff would get into it, but I had no idea how powerful their events would be. Cinemescapes is now a weekly occurrence on our brewery calendar! I’d like to share some of the positive things that have come from our collaborations with Cinemescapes. 

1) Attracted new business

We had a huge turnout at our first Cinemescapes event, but the crowds only grew larger as we made these events a regular thing. We found that a lot of people that wouldn’t normally come to a brewery on a weekday (or at all) were interested in coming because they wanted to see a movie at a cool venue! We continue to get new customers based on the film we screen.

2) Saved time and money for myself and my staff

My brother always says “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” and I have to admit, usually he has a point. While avoiding costs on shiny new toys that won’t really result in more value is smart, making small changes to make your brewery the best it can be will pay you back over and over. When it comes to brewery events, little changes can go a long way. If you’ve started having events at your brewery, but they just aren’t yielding the crowds or revenue you were expecting, you’re probably making some very simple mistakes. In this post I’ll outline some common roadblocks to a successful event. 

Hosting events at your brewery is hands down the best way to keep your beer supply in demand. If you own or manage a brewery, you have the perfect event venue at your fingertips, and taking advantage of that space and fun atmosphere to host an event can elevate your brewery to the next level. Breweries that host events are fan favorites because they create a sense of community. Brewery events are powerful ways to increase your customer base without breaking the bank, but coming up with event ideas can be challenging!

1) Food & Beer Pairing

A food and beer pairing event has a ton of fl

exibility. You can choose to pair your beers with whatever food you think goes best, or you may want to consider teaming up with a local restaurant or food truck. You can change the food pairing weekly or keep it the same if you think you’ve found the perfect pair.

Who found the perfect pairing:

Lamplighter Brewing Co. teamed up with a local gourmet grocery store Formaggio Kitchen on their weekly Wednesday Beer & Cheese nights!

The brewery doors are open and the beer is flowing. Congrats, this is huge! By Now you’ve probably noticed how much competition there is in the craft beer industry. Considering how lucky we are to have over 120 breweries in Massachusetts, it’s important to differentiate your brewery outside of the beer itself. You need to find your story, your brand, and your personality. Yeah, that’s right, the “WHO AM I?” question. The best people to help you find the answer are your customers. Remember, it’s not always about what you have to offer, but who you’re offering it to!

It’s no secret that craft beer is having a moment-- it’s a great time to be a beer lover! That said, with more and more craft breweries entering the game, how do you attract new customers to your brewery? It’s important that you set your brewery apart from bars (boring!) and other breweries. Here are three simple ways to make a name for yourself among the competition: