Breaking Brews Podcast

The Breaking Brews Podcast is gearing up for Season III and it's time to get excited! But, before we do, let's you and me sit down and catch up...in between seasons.On this In Between Session, I drop some teasers on what you'll be hearing in Season III of the show. Also, I encourage you to pick up a new Breaking Brews hoodie or t-shirt, courtesy of our friends at Drunk Swag Source! And, I share with you the best ways to communicate with me via social media going forward.Also part of this In Between Session are recent podcast appearances I've made.First, I joined my friends at WordWrite Communications on the P100 Podcast to discuss the beer industry. You can check out the full episode, as well as the other episodes in their archives wherever you download your podcasts and by visiting p100podcast.com.Next, check out the full episode of Behind The Hops with Ryan Galiotto. We talked about, you guessed it, the beer industry - podcasts, current trends (good and bad), the story behind Breaking Brews, and much more. You can check out the Fueled by Hops Community on Facebook AND, last but certainly not least - check out the first-ever 412FueledFest on Saturday, March 14th! Info and tickets can be found by clicking here.MUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.com

SESSION SUMMARY: Hops are a critical ingredient in the creation of beer. Without them, beer would simply not be beer. The flavors and aromas they deliver in various styles of IPAs, Pale Ales, etc. are typically what stand out in those styles. And, for beers where they aren't as prevalent, such as stouts and porters, hops are still a critical part of the brewing process and a necessity for brewers to deliver a high-quality finished product.In Session 32 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, host Jason Cercone and Brian Tennis, Owner of the Michigan Hop Alliance, take an in-depth look at the world of hops and discuss many important aspects you may not know about this wonderfully diverse flower.Hops are the flowers of the hop plant Humulus Lupulus. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavoring, and stability agent in beer, to which, in addition to bitterness, they impart floral, fruity, or citrus flavors and aromas. Hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine.In this episode, Brian drops plenty of knowledge about hops - including how many varieties are currently in commercial use, how breweries obtain these vital ingredients and how difficult some of them can be to get your hands on, how his business works with customers nationwide to deliver high-quality hops, best hop harvesting practices, how single hop beers can give you a true indication of the flavors and aromas each featured hop delivers, and much more.If you are looking for a source of hops, Michigan Hop Alliance can help you out. You can learn more about the Michigan Hop Alliance by catching up with Brian and his crew online:Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterMUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.comSEASON II SPONSOR: Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast is brought to you by Drunk Swag Source. You can get all your merch needs covered by visiting www.drunkswagsource.com. Use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more!

SESSION SUMMARY: Untappd is a smartphone application that allows beer enthusiasts to "check-in" beers they consume, as well as apply their own rating of 1-5 stars. Untappd has 3-million+ users and is responsible for connecting beer drinkers from around the world. In addition, they have a business membership that bars, restaurants, and breweries can join that gives these destinations access to digital beer menus, as well as lets them update their available beers and notify users of what's on tap.While all this does have its positives for the beer community, it is not without its negatives. And in the premiere of second season of the Breaking Brew Podcast, we look at some of the mistakes that Untappd is making and share ways they can improve the platform.Host Jason Cercone is joined by Keana McMahon, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Eleventh Hour Brewing Company in Lawrenceville, PA - just outside the city of Pittsburgh - for over an hour of back and forth conversation about one of the beer industry's most polarizing topics. Is Untappd helping or hurting the growth of craft beer? Are consumers delivering accurate scores for the AMOUNT of beer they consume (checking in a beer and giving it a 1-star score after only tasting an ounce or two at a festival is not a true sample of that beer's quality and characteristics)? Do consumers realize their negative scores hurt the overall business operations of breweries? And is Untappd prepared to make changes to their platform to keep consumers AND the breweries and bars that support them happy?In addition to this episode, you can check out these referenced resources on Breaking Brews:How Untappd Culture is Negatively Impacting Craft BeerHow To Effectively Use UntappdYou can connect with Keana and Eleventh Hour Brewing below:Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterMUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.com

SESSION SUMMARY: When it comes to the social media triumvirate (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), Twitter has fallen to #3 on most people's priority lists these days. That's not a blanket statement, of course, but many people and brands prefer Facebook and Instagram over Twitter. That's OK...build your brand the way you like. That said, there's still a lot of value in Twitter and today we are going to dive into how you can get the most from this platform.In Session 40 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, host Jason Cercone goes one on one with you in an effort to bring Twitter back to prominence. While it may not be as popular as Facebook and Instagram or have as many users, there are still enough people on the network to make it valuable. Like all social media, the best returns come when you develop a strategy that helps you attack with excellence. This session of the podcast provides some tips and strategies to help you do just that.Throughout this session, Jason covers:How many daily users are on TwitterHow Twitter has evolved over the yearsCommon mistakes brands make with TwitterShould you tag multiple accounts on your posts?How to not use hashtags obnoxiouslyThe biggest Twitter no-no you should adhere to alwaysWhere does the power lay in Twitter?And moreYou can connect with Breaking Brews on Twitter @breakingbrewsco and with Jason directly @jasoncercone.PAID TWITTER RESOURCESHow to Use Twitter Ads: A Complete Guide For MarketersTwitter Ads Campaigns: A Simple Setup GuideMUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.comSEASON II SPONSOR: Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast is brought to you by Drunk Swag Source. You can get all your merch needs covered by visiting www.drunkswagsource.com. Use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more!

SESSION SUMMARY: Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms on the planet. Owned by Facebook, this photo-sharing network contains much of the functionality that Facebook has and presents a tremendous opportunity for brands to showcase their wares and connect with consumers by sharing dynamic imagery and videos.Much like any social media network, a strategy is necessary to maximize your time spent on Instagram. And in Session 35 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, we are diving deep into the various aspects and approaches you should utilize as you use Instagram to build your brand.Returning to the podcast is Aaron Williams, Marketing Manager of Monday Night Brewing. In Season I, Jason and Aaron recorded a similar episode dissecting the many areas of Facebook that are crucial for brands looking to advertise on that space. This session takes similar principles and applies them to Instagram. If you'd like to learn more about utilizing paid Facebook initiatives, you can jump back in the archives to Session 26 and consume what's been called one of the most actionable podcasts in the Breaking Brews portfolio.In this session, Jason and Aaron discuss good content to post on Instagram, how to best utilize hashtags to your advantage, how to implement Instagram Stories, some common mistakes brands make on Instagram, the one thing you should NEVER do on Instagram, and much, much more. You can catch up with Aaron and the Monday Night Brewing brand by clicking the links below:Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterRESOURCE: I mentioned a video from Sunny Lenarduzzi demonstrating why you shouldn't purchase IG followers and likes. Here's the link to said video: https://youtu.be/EaLh8mbpsPIMUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.comSEASON II SPONSOR: Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast is brought to you by Drunk Swag Source. You can get all your merch needs covered by visiting www.drunkswagsource.com. Use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more!

SESSION SUMMARY: When is the right time to grow your brand? Can ego get in the way of smart decision-making when it comes to expanding your operations? When is the right time to take your brand "on a world tour?"All this and MUCH more unfold in the Season II finale of the Breaking Brews Podcast.Session 45 features some very candid conversation between host Jason Cercone and Erik Budrakey, a beer industry veteran whose years of experience have helped him establish True Brew Magazine, a publication with readership across the globe. Erik has helped many brands increase their distribution footprint by wisely focusing on all aspects that will impact their plans. He has also helped breweries project adequate sales forecasts and execute those plans to precision. True Brew Magazine is a beer lifestyle publication that covers a wide variety of topics in the beer universe. You can click here to check it out for yourself!Erik's passion for the beer industry spills into the conversation that unfolds in this podcast. His years of experience will help you get a better grasp on what you need to focus on within your business: growing your distribution footprint methodically and not overextending yourself, emphasizing quality product at every juncture, accurately planning and forecasting sales and not settling for "almost" getting there, the importance of self-awareness and getting help when needed, and much more. As we wind down Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast, THANK YOU for listening to the show! Please let me know what you think of the podcast by dropping a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice. I'll see you for some smaller episodes in the upcoming weeks and stay tuned for news and updates about Season III of the Breaking Brews Podcast coming soon.MUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.comSEASON II SPONSOR: Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast is brought to you by Drunk Swag Source. You can get all your merch needs covered by visiting www.drunkswagsource.com. Use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more!

SESSION SUMMARY: We live in a world where the beer supply is seemingly endless. Over 8,000 breweries in the United States alone are producing good beer for us to enjoy...with plenty more in planning who will be joining the fray soon. This abundance of beer selection has made many people ask if beer has reached a saturation point. Is the bubble going to burst? Is there too much beer out there?The answer is no. And on this session, we are going to discuss why.On Session 44 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, host Jason Cercone is joined by David Sheets, partner at Sixty Four West Brewery Consultants. David has years of experience in the beer industry and has built AND sold five different successful operations. Through Sixty Four West, he and his partners help breweries plan smarter, execute their plans, and operate a more efficient, profitable business.David's expertise regarding the beer bubble goes well beneath the surface of what many feel is too much liquid in the market. There is a lot to consider: How tightly are you running your operation? Are you producing quality product? What sort of experience are you delivering consumers? Is education a major part of your operations? How do you market your product? Have you exhausted your outside sales efforts?This is just the tip of the iceberg. Throughout this session, David will be dropping a series of knowledge bombs that all brewery personnel, from ownership to servers to brewers to sales staff, need to hear. If you'd like to learn more about how David and his company can help your brand, you can connect with him here:Website | Facebook | EmailMUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.comSEASON II SPONSOR: Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast is brought to you by Drunk Swag Source. You can get all your merch needs covered by visiting www.drunkswagsource.com. Use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more!

SESSION SUMMARY: Building a craft beer destination has many facets. Clearly, good beer is at the top of the list. But not just good beer...a wide selection of good beer to ensure there's something for everyone. What's the food strategy? Statistics have shown that people who order food tend to order 1-2 more drinks, thus increasing their length of stay and driving their tab higher. So giving some options for grub is always a good play.What kind of experience is your staff delivering? Are they friendly and knowledgeable? Are they making consumers feel welcome? Are they offering every guest beer to go in the form of a crowler, growler, 4-pack, and/or 6-pack? They should be...because customers are more prone to take something to go when prompted.Across the world, many people have built craft beer destinations. All have their own unique dynamics, all seek to deliver a great experience. For this session of the Breaking Brews Podcast, we are going to the birthplace of Breaking Brews to take a deep dive into what it takes to build a kick-ass craft beer bar!In Session 43 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, host Jason Cercone is joined by Mike Sukitch and Cassie Cormack of Mike's Beer Bar in the North Shore of Pittsburgh. Mike's is located right across the street from PNC Park and is in the heart of the highly-visited area of town that features sports (PNC and Heinz Field), concerts (Stage AE), hotels, dining, and more. Mike purchased the bar formerly known as Beerhead...and formerly known as The Beer Market before that...at the close of 2018 and has transformed the bar from a hot pre-event destination to a 7-days-a-week destination that everyone needs to check out.Mike's upped their tap count from 50 to 80. Those beers + what's in the cooler = over 500 beers in the house at any given time! They've added pre-mixed cocktails to their menu. Local ciders and meads are also available. They recently installed a kitchen (up until September of 2019, they did not serve food) that allows them to provide grub for their patrons. They have live music on the weekends. In brief, they've taken major strides to create a killer destination that emphasizes great beer, great people, and great times.Throughout this session, you'll learn how Mike and Cassie train their staff to deliver exceptional experiences, how they manage the large volume of beer under their roof, how they've established great relationships with local breweries and brewery representatives, and much, much more.Check out Mike's online and, of course, in person whenever a trip to the North Shore is in your plans.Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram MUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.comSEASON II SPONSOR: Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast is brought to you by Drunk Swag Source. You can get all your merch needs covered by visiting www.drunkswagsource.com. Use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more!

SESSION SUMMARY: Cask ale or cask-conditioned beer is unfiltered and unpasteurized beer which is conditioned and served from a cask without additional nitrogen or carbon dioxide pressure. In the United States, it is most commonly seen sitting on a bar top in a gravity rack with brewers adding additional ingredients to a base beer to give it some extra flavor. Some bars and breweries have hand pump engines that pour cask ale the way it was meant to be served, just like they do in the English-style pubs you'd encounter on the other side of the pond.Sadly, cask ale (also known as real ale) is labeled as "warm" and "flat" by many beer consumers. However, it's important to understand that a beer's true flavors and aromas can stand out even more prevalent fashion in a well-done cask beer. In this session, we are going to put to rest many of the misconceptions surrounding cask ales in today's beer world.In Session 42 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, host Jason Cercone is joined by Josh and Stephanie Lepke, Founders of The Leaning Cask Brewing Company in Springdale, PA - about 15 minutes outside of the city of Pittsburgh. Josh and Stephanie bring all of the nuances of an English pub to their destination and brew beer with plenty of old world inspiration. Josh has also dialed in his skill set for modern brews, delivering strong in the American IPA category and beyond. Their taproom features a hand pump engine that allows customers to experience cask ale the way God intended. At the same time, Josh, Stephanie, and their staff provide as much information and education as they can to help consumers understand why cask ales deliver a different drinking experience and help enthusiasts gain a new appreciation for the liquid in their glass.This session features some great conversation about what inspired Josh and Stephanie to take the direction they have with their brand, how they've grown The Leaning Cask throughout the Pittsburgh market, some ins and outs of cask ale and cask conditioning you may not be aware of, where they see cask ales going as the beer world continues to evolve, and much more.You can catch up with The Leaning Cask Brewing Company on your favorite World Wide Web destination of choice:Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram MUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.comSEASON II SPONSOR: Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast is brought to you by Drunk Swag Source. You can get all your merch needs covered by visiting www.drunkswagsource.com. Use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more!

SESSION SUMMARY: On many sessions of the Breaking Brews Podcast, we've discussed creating the ultimate customer experience - something that's going to make someone's visit memorable, noteworthy, and have them leaving wanting to shout from the rooftops how much they can't wait to come back and bring 10 friends with them.This is where the power lays these days. Great beer and food are simply table stakes because people have so many options to choose from. In order to captivate consumers, you need to build a destination. A locale that offers so much, people will travel great distances to experience what you're offering without thinking twice. In Session 41, host Jason Cercone is joined by Jim Stutzman, Co-Founder of Lazy Horse Brewery and Winery in Ohiowa, Nebraska. Lazy Horse is a destination that is 45 minutes removed from the nearest restaurant...and neighboring town, for that matter. People travel 2-3 hours to experience Lazy Horse because they've built themselves into the type of place that not only serve quality beer, great wine, and wood-fired oven pizzas, but also has friendly, knowledgeable staff, an ambiance that makes customers feel welcome, and an overall positive vibe throughout the entire venue, inside and out.Your brewery, restaurant, bar, etc. doesn't need to sit by itself 45 minutes away from your nearest competitor to be a destination. Chances are, there's about 100 yards between you and a consumers' alternative choice. What are you going to do to ensure they choose you first? Your mindset needs to be thinking customer experience and treating your venue like a true destination at all times.This session covers how you can make your staff feel valued so they continue to produce the best experiences possible, how everyone on your team can learn from their own experiences, simple ways to market your brand throughout you region that will help you stand out, and much more.Here are the best ways to connect with Lazy Horse Brewing:Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter MUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.comSEASON II SPONSOR: Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast is brought to you by Drunk Swag Source. You can get all your merch needs covered by visiting www.drunkswagsource.com. Use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more!

SESSION SUMMARY: Beer and cheese. On their own, they're both awesome. Paired together? They're even more awesome. Cheese has gained worldwide acceptance as one of the best items to pair with adult beverages. Beer, wine, whiskey...it all works and it's all spectacular.And because of that fact, it made perfect sense to keep the beer and food pairing sessions of the Breaking Brews Podcast rolling with a deep dive into the world of beer and cheese pairings!If you listened to Season I, you most likely stumbled across Session 9 where Jason Cercone and Master Cicerone Brian Reed provided a broad commentary on food and beer pairings. Brian shared some exceptional insight on how beer enhances certain flavor profiles (and vice versa), why contrasts in flavor between the beer and food items makes for a better experience than having two flavor profiles that matchup, and much more. You can jump back in the archives and take in Session 9 at your leisure.In Session 39, Jason and Brian are joined by Anais Saint-Andre Loughran, Co-Founder of Chantal's Cheese Shop in Pittsburgh's Bloomfield neighborhood. Anais is a cheese monger extraordinaire and knows cheese front to back, top to bottom, inside and out. She and Brian put their heads together to pair seven beer styles with seven cheese styles and all were consumed and discussed in great detail on this wildly informative, incredibly fun podcast that originated from Chantal's. For all of our Pittsburgh listeners, Chantal's gets a 16/10, 102% on Rotten Tomatoes, would highly recommend score from the Breaking Brews Podcast. If your occasion calls for specialty cheeses, check out Chantal's. And, pro tip: DO NOT leave without some of the Saint Angel cheese. It's covered on the show. You can thank me later. Here is how you can connect with Brian and Anais on the World Wide Web:BRIAN: Instagram | TwitterCHANTAL'S CHEESE SHOP: Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterMUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.comSEASON II SPONSOR: Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast is brought to you by Drunk Swag Source. You can get all your merch needs covered by visiting www.drunkswagsource.com. Use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more!

SESSION SUMMARY: Education is something that's been instilled in us from the earliest of ages. From elementary school right up through high school and beyond, the importance of education in one's particular field, or fields, of interest is never something to take lightly. It's what gives us a more well-rounded perspective, helps us create and participate in meaningful conversations on various topics, and drives home the appreciate we have for the things we love.When it comes to craft beer, education is critical to the growth and evolution of our culture. Why? You're about to find out on Session 38 of the Breaking Brews Podcast.Host Jason Cercone is joined by Certified Cicerone David Nilsen to discuss beer education from top to bottom. David is a cicerone, beer writer, and presenter and brings a wealth of knowledge to the podcast. Jason and David dive into David's favorite beer presentation, why education often times gets labeled as snobbery, why it is up to industry professionals to continue driving education forward, and much more.Also, Jason and David talk about one of his favorite published features. You can click here to check out that feature for yourself. David is very active on social media and you are encouraged to follow him and join him in his beer-fueled plight. A link to his website where all his published works, as well as his social media platforms, can be found below:Website | Facebook | Twitter | InstagramMUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.comSEASON II SPONSOR: Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast is brought to you by Drunk Swag Source. You can get all your merch needs covered by visiting www.drunkswagsource.com. Use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more!

SESSION SUMMARY: While beer traveling all over the world isn't always a possibility, t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, and other pieces of merch adorning your logo certainly is. Many times, I've seen someone on vacation halfway around the world from home proudly donning the t-shirt of their favorite brewery, thus taking their brand recognition from their own little corner of the world to parts never thought imagined.Solid merchandise can be a big coup for your brand and having the right items with a quality aesthetic appeal will make fans of your company happy to wear them when they're out and about, giving you a piece of advertising that costs little and speaks volumes. In Session 37 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, host Jason Cercone is joined by Leslie Tate, Co-Founder of Drunk Swag Source - a company she and her husband Stephen, the Head Brewer at Crosstown Brewing Company, run to help all businesses in the libations industry get set up with proper swag for their customers.In this session, Leslie shares why having a sound merchandise strategy is so important to your brand. In addition, she talks about effective logo design and ensuring the logo you land on (or secondary logo in some cases) looks good when shrunken down for print on a piece of merchandise. Leslie also shares why it's beneficial to have giveaways with your logo at events and festivals.If you've listened to any of the other sessions in Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast, you've learned that Drunk Swag Source is this season's sponsor. In this episode, Leslie tells you how she can help you and your company get set up with anything you need from a merchandise perspective - hats, t-shirts, scarves, socks, keg rings, tents - pretty much anything you can think of! Everything can be found at www.drunkswagsource.com. AND, use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more! If you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to Leslie and Stephen at info@drunkswagsource.com.MUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.com

SESSION SUMMARY: No matter how the size of your taproom, managing it effectively can make or break you when it comes to delivering a quality customer experience designed to bring people back for repeat visits. There are several factors to consider - cleanliness, ambiance, ancillary offerings such as board games or TVs, food, friendly staff - plus a lot more that many owners and managers overlook.In Session 36 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, host Jason Cercone is joined by Jackie Carlson, co-founder of Natural 20 Brewing in Spokane Valley, Washington via Skype to discuss how Jackie has maximized her taproom space to ensure customers are walking away feeling like part of the family. Jackie and her husband are going through a rebrand at their brewery coupled with construction. But through all of the craziness and unpredictability a rebrand can bring, they've pressed on and still focus on delivering a quality experience each and every visit.A major theme at Natural 20 is gaming and guests are invited to partake in a large variety of board games while they enjoy their favorite beers. This is not uncommon at breweries across the country, but Natural 20 takes things to another level and you'll hear all about it on this podcast. Plus, Jackie shares some insight on Natural 20's rebrand, how they manage to get beer in select outside accounts to increase the visibility of their product, why it's important for breweries to distribute to beer destinations that take care of their lines so product remains consistent and well-represented, and much more.If you'd like to catch up with Natural 20 online and see what they're all about, the links are below. PLUS, rumor has it Natural 20 has a killer beer cheese and Jackie is willing to share the recipe with you! Stay tuned til the end to hear how you can connect.Website | Facebook | InstagramMUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.comSEASON II SPONSOR: Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast is brought to you by Drunk Swag Source. You can get all your merch needs covered by visiting www.drunkswagsource.com. Use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more!

SESSION SUMMARY: Is it better for your brand to grab on to an existing trend and ride the wave or set out to blaze trails and start a new trend? Or, is it a combination of the two? There's no right or wrong answer here, but it's important to understand how you want to loop trends in the industry into you everyday initiatives.In Session 34 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, host Jason Cercone is joined by beer industry professional Katrina Matthews to discuss various trends in the beer industry. How can a brewery stand out if they choose to not partake in an existing trend...such as, brewing New England IPAs? Additionally, how can breweries continue to grow their brand presence in a world dominated by Untappd check-ins, influencers, and A LOT of noise in front of consumers each and every day?Katrina joins the show all the way from Dublin, Ireland where she is studying for her Masters Degree in Marketing. She plans to put her education to good use in the beer industry once she graduates and returns to the United States. In the meantime, she is able to give us some insight into the beer scene in Ireland and how much room there is for potential in that corner of the world.MUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.comSEASON II SPONSOR: Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast is brought to you by Drunk Swag Source. You can get all your merch needs covered by visiting www.drunkswagsource.com. Use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more!

SESSION SUMMARY: Home delivery is all the rage. Thanks to Amazon, pretty much anything you can imagine can land on your doorstep in 1-2 days of pressing a button. Grocery stores and major convenience stores have also entered the home delivery realm, giving customers an opportunity to place their orders via the World Wide Web and get everything brought right to the house, no questions asked. Food services and subscription boxes like First Sip Brew Box bring everything to your front porch, too.In other words, you don't even need to put on your bathrobe to get everything you need anymore. But...you know...we wish you would.With seemingly everything now available via delivery, the question must be asked: What about beer? Can I get my favorite beers brought right to the house without having to visit my local bottle shop or distributor?The answer is yes.In Session 33 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, host Jason Cercone is joined by Michelle Arnoni, Founder of Beverages2U, a new service that delivers beer to your home for all residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Michelle is 4th generation in the beer business and has applied her years of experience to this new venture which is set up to be a groundbreaking platform in the world of home beverage delivery.While beer delivery can only be utilized within the borders of Pennsylvania (for now), beer enthusiasts nationwide can get their hands on the new beer swag that Michelle is offering through Beverages2U. And, as a special bonus to the loyal listeners of the Breaking Brews Podcast, you can use the promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 5% on your order of beer and/or swag!With home delivery solidifying itself as the most convenient way for consumers to shop, will delivery of beer be something that takes off nationwide? Michelle discusses this, as well as how delivering beer direct to consumers is bringing back a personal touch to the sales process that hasn't been seen for decades. All this and much more in Session 33 of the Breaking Brews Podcast!You can catch up with Michelle online at Beverages2U AND her other business, Brewed2Burn Candles. All the links can be found below.BEVERAGES2U: Website | Facebook | InstagramBREWED 2 BURN CANDLES: Website | Facebook | InstagramMUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.comSEASON II SPONSOR: Season II of the Breaking Brews Podcast is brought to you by Drunk Swag Source. You can get all your merch needs covered by visiting www.drunkswagsource.com. Use promo code BREAKINGBREWS at checkout and save 10% on any order of $200 or more!

The Breaking Brews Podcast is BACK! Season II is ready to bring you the best in beer business talk, education, and commentary with 15 fresh sessions all dropping on Monday, November 25th. The entire season will be available in true Netflix fashion. Binge away, friends!To get the ball rolling, here is a mashup featuring minute clips from each of the 15 sessions comprising the second season of the podcast. The list of sessions are as follows:SESSION 31: How Untappd is Negatively Impacting the Beer Industry w/ Keana McMahon of Eleventh Hour BrewingSESSION 32: The Wonderful World of Hops w/ Brian Tennis of Michigan Hop AllianceSESSION 33: Is Home Beer Delivery The Next Big Thing? w/ Michelle Arnoni of Beverages2USESSION 34: Tackling Trends in the Beer Industry w/ beer professional Katrina MatthewsSESSION 35: How to Use Instagram to Build Your Brand w/ Aaron Williams, Marketing Manager at Monday Night BrewingSESSION 36: How to Effectively Manage Your Taproom Space w/ Jackie Carlson, co-owner of Natural 20 BrewingSESSION 37: How Quality Merchandise Can Enhance Your Brand w/ Leslie Tate of Drunk Swag SourceSESSION 38: Why is Education Vital to the Beer Industry? w/ Certified Cicerone David NilsenSESSION 39: Beer and Cheese Pairings Exposed w/ Master Cicerone Brian Reed and Anais Saint-Andre Loughran, owner of Chantal's Cheese ShopSESSION 40: Twitter Marketing Best Practices w/ Jason Cercone, Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Breaking BrewsSESSION 41: How to Build a Destination Brewery w/ Jim Stutzman of Lazy Horse Brewing and WinerySESSION 42: Debunking the Myths and Misconceptions of Cask Ale w/ Josh and Stephanie Lepke of The Leaning Cask Brewing CompanySESSION 43: How to Build a Kick-Ass Craft Beer Bar w/ Mike Sukitch and Cassie Cormack of Mike's Beer BarSESSION 44: Has Beer Reached a Saturation Point? w/ David Sheets of Sixty Four West Brewery ConsultantsSESSION 45: Beer Industry Uncensored w/ Erik Budrakey of True Brew MagazineMUSIC CREDIT: Theme music and music clips for the Breaking Brews Podcast - Hellfire by Adam Drake and Tom Jenkins, licensed via www.audionetwork.com

SESSION SUMMARY: If you've been a loyal listener of the first 29 sessions of the Breaking Brews Podcast, you've stumbled upon rants and discussions about the importance of clean glassware and the utter grossness of dirty beer glassware on more than one occasion. This epidemic rears its ugly head at pubs, taverns, and tasting rooms far too often - with servers and bartenders presenting beer to customers in glasses with bubbles all over the glass (known as nucleation points), lipstick on the rim, greasiness, even old food particles. Furthermore, some brands have posted photos featuring dirty glassware when showcasing beers in their portfolio. This is no good. No good at all. It's gotten to the point that a hashtag category has been created for the purpose of sharing snaps of dirty glasses: #dgm (or Dirty Glass Mafia if you're not into the whole brevity thing). In the season finale of the Breaking Brews Podcast (Session 30), Jason Cercone is joined by Advanced Cicerone Dev Adams to discuss the dirty glassware epidemic and how all of us, as craft beer professionals and enthusiasts, can do our part to put said epidemic to rest. The conversation starts with Dev's journey through the first three levels of the Cicerone Certification Program ©. She shares the different components of the testing, why each level is important, and various aspects you should be cognizant of if you're preparing to take any level of the certification.Dev and Jason also discuss low service standards plaguing the beer industry today. From servers rolling their eyes at customers to a complete disregard for beer knowledge, many people do not realize how poorly this reflects on a brand's reputation and, subsequently, how much less money they're making because they're not engaging their customers and providing baseline information that will enhance a consumer's experience. Dev drops some tips to help servers and bartenders improve in this area as well.From there, it's all about dirty glassware. Why is it important to utilize beer clean glassware? How does dirty glassware impact the overall beer experience? Why is this epidemic so overlooked? Why are some brands going the extra mile in regards to distribution to ensure their beer will be enjoyed the same way at a bar that it is in their taproom? Why do so many people feel it's "no big deal" to drink from a dirty glass? You wouldn't want to eat your dinner off of an unwashed plate, so why would you want to consume your beer that isn't cleaned properly, right?Dev produced a great video that walks you through the proper steps of cleaning glassware from A to Z. Her method ensures the glassware will be as clean as possible, producing proper head retention, appealing lacing on the side of the glass as the beer is consumed, and a complete lack of nucleation points throughout the body of the glass. This creates a photogenic beer and, most importantly, a beer you can thoroughly enjoy from first sip to last.As brands, your mindset has to be that every beer you pass across your bar is going to end up photographed and on the Internet. Be sure your brand is always represented accordingly with the cleanest glassware around.You can check out Dev's video on her Facebook Page, Miss Lupulin. Also, you can find the video embedded on the show notes on Breaking Brews - breakingbrews.com/podsession30YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:How to Know Your Glassware is Beer Clean on Breaking BrewsMUSIC CREDIT: All music heard on this session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com.

SESSION SUMMARY: Sessions 25 and 26 were dedicated to Facebook Marketing - how to get the most from your efforts on an organic and paid front, as well as why it's important to establish your presence on the world's most popular and trafficked social media platform. Today, the conversation once again returns to the paid aspects of Facebook. Jason Cercone is joined by Jim Mitchell, a digital marketer who has worked with various breweries, bottle shops, and businesses of all shapes and sizes over the past decade+ to assist in establishing digital brand identity, setting up and executing strong Facebook campaigns, and, ultimately, helping brands get the most from their investments in building online visibility. Facebook, as well as other platforms like Instagram, are establishing algorithms and criteria that force you to invest money in order to gain traction. Like any other popular medium of its time, it's not uncommon, nor unethical, for said medium to demand compensation in return for providing reach to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people in your niche. The good thing about paying Facebook are the analytics and data tied to your campaigns. All give you a clear, concise snapshot of the effectiveness of your ad and help you stay the course or make improvements for your next campaign.Continuing the initiatives laid out in Session 25 by Kayleigh Lohse of Presidential Brewing and Session 26 by Aaron Williams of Monday Night Brewing, Jason and Jim dive into various aspects of Facebook, including but not limited to: How to get the most from Facebook and InstagramWhy having a dynamic paid and organic strategy will pay dividends in the endHow to create engaging content for your campaigns How do relevancy scores impact your content and overall page engagement?Why using hashtags on Facebook is deadUtilizing user-generated organic content effectivelyWhy it's important to provide clean glassware to consumers for their photos (you know, because we always talk about that)When is the best time to spend money on Facebook, Instagram, or a combination of the two?Facebook Live and Instagram Live - why people are failing with it and how you can make it work for youCritical points to always consider when constructing an ad campaignIf you'd like to learn more from Jim, email him here.MUSIC CREDIT: All music heard in today's session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com.

SESSION SUMMARY: There's no denying the synergy and cohesiveness that exists in craft beer circles throughout the world. Brewers are constantly looking out for one another - helping solve technical issues whenever possible, providing guidance to new breweries as they get started, even lending ingredients on a brew day when a fellow brewer finds themselves short of what they need. It's a dynamic not seen in many other industries. If you go back to Session 13 of the podcast, Poured in PA's Nate Kresge commented, "If a pizza shop runs out of dough, they don't call the shop up the street to see if they can borrow some to get them by." That shop owner would laugh and hang up the phone before they even finish asking. It's quite the opposite in the beer industry. Everyone is in it together. Some may say it's a battle against big beer. Others look at it more internally - they had a passion, they understood what it took to start a business, they brew good beer, they ran with it. Whatever the case may be, the beer industry is still growing and more people are gravitating to artisanal beer options as the supply continues its uptick. In Session 28 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Jason Cercone is joined by Dominic Cincotta, one half of Co-Star Brewing in Pittsburgh, to discuss synergy in the beer industry. This subject and the subsequent conversation that unfolds on today's show contains several layers and takes many different directions - all leading back to one universal truth: breweries working together within a region can create a nationwide destination in which people want to visit, thus spiking tourism at multiple junctures, including art, culinary, and, of course, beer itself.A few years back, Dom earned his doctoral degree from Robert Morris University. For his dissertation, he chose to focus his research and attention on beer brands in the Pittsburgh region and how they classified themselves within the community. The scene was drastically smaller as Dom's research came together, but it's interesting to see how brands established themselves prior to the enormous rise of social media we see today, as well as how many new brands have fit into the criteria Dom used to compile his thesis - even if they weren't trying to do so on purpose.With continued camaraderie and synergy in the Pittsburgh region, we've seen our area become a destination recognized by beer enthusiasts across the country. Allegheny County alone holds more brewery within its borders than any other county in Pennsylvania...and that doesn't include the wealth of incredible breweries outside of those borders, but still a critical part of the Pittsburgh region's beer appeal. The Pittsburgh Brewers Guild has worked together to create the Pittsburgh Brewery Guide, a roadmap that helps enthusiasts experience each brewery and helps them earn rewards for visiting them all. This is not unlike the rise and growth of destinations like Asheville, San Diego, Denver, and Portland...just to name a few.All in all, today's conversation provides positive reinforcement that brands working together in their communities can help establish wins for everyone. Working individually and not helping your fellow brewery can lead to unnecessary rifts throughout the region and, subsequently, less progress made towards establishing a destination that attracts beer enthusiasts near and far. MUSIC CREDIT: All music heard on today's session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com.RESOURCES MENTIONED: The Deeper Meaning of the Independent Craft Seal

SESSION SUMMARY: While it may not be a subject that gets a ton of press, Information Technology, or IT, is the backbone of any business and vital to your day-to-day operations. Think about how frustrating things get when your WiFi connection goes down or your Point of Sale system stops working in the middle of a busy Saturday night. Setting yourself up for success in this area can save you tons of headaches in the long run and help your business run much more smoothly.On today's session of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Jason Cercone welcomes Trey Bowden, an IT professional who formerly worked for Dogfish Head for over a decade and now runs his own IT company known as Goodbetterbest Technologies where he helps businesses build a solid back-end infrastructure. Trey brings a wealth of knowledge to the show and puts it all on the table to help ensure you're doing things right with your IT initiatives. Trey also shares stories from his time with Dogfish Head, what ultimately led him to working for the company, getting to participate in collaboration beers with his colleagues, his contributions to Dogfish's famous Steampunk Treehouse, and why he decided to branch out on his own and found Goodbetterbest Technologies.This episode breaks down several areas of IT that you should focus on, including:What is IT and why is it so important to your business?When you should begin focusing your attention on ITSome common mistakes that business owners make with ITWhy it's important to involve your staff in your IT directionBest practices for improving your IT infrastructureWhy it's important to have a trusted resource that can point you in the right directionIf you'd like to connect with Trey, you can do so here:Website | Facebook | Email TreyMUSIC CREDIT: All music heard on today's session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com.

SESSION SUMMARY: In Session 25 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, host Jason Cercone and Kayleigh Lohse, Co-Founder and Social Media Manager at Presidential Brewing in Portage, MI, spoke in length about the importance of a strong, consistent, organic approach to Facebook. The session detailed how frequently you should post, what type of content you should share, tips and strategies for engaging your audience, and much, much more. In Session 26, the conversation about Facebook marketing continues as Jason is joined on the podcast by Aaron Williams, head of marketing at Monday Night Brewing in Atlanta (do NOT call it Hot-Lanta lest ye be scolded like Jason was in the first 10 seconds of the discussion), to cover the paid side of Facebook and how to get the most from paid ad campaigns on the world's most popular social network. More and more, Facebook, as well as other platforms like Instagram, are establishing algorithms and criteria that force you to invest money in order to gain traction. Like any other popular medium of its time, it's not uncommon, nor unethical, for said medium to demand compensation in return for providing reach to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people in your niche. The good thing about paying Facebook are the analytics and data tied to your campaigns. All give you a clear, concise snapshot of the effectiveness of your ad and help you stay the course or make improvements for your next campaign.At Monday Night Brewing, Aaron utilizes paid advertising on Facebook 24/7. Whether it's brand awareness campaigns designed to increase visibility of the Monday Night name in the three states they distribute beer to, driving traffic to an event, or helping people discover what's happening in their Atlanta taproom, Aaron has developed a great paid strategy, combined with an organic approach, that allows Monday Night Brewing to leverage Facebook at multiple junctures - all of which help bolster the brand's visibility throughout the beer community.On this session of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Aaron and Jason discuss: Combining organic and paid approaches to accomplish significant gains on FacebookWhen is the right time to begin running paid ad campaigns on Facebook?Should you include Instagram in your paid campaigns?Should you use images, photos, both, or none in your campaigns?The difference between boosted posts and paid adsWhat is split-testing, or A/B testing?How do you construct an ad campaign on Facebook?How do you track results and, when necessary, make adjustments to your campaigns?The one piece of advice you need to hear before running your first adGet to know the Monday Night Brewing brand at the following outlets:Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter MUSIC CREDIT: All music heard in today's episode of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.comEVENT ALERT: Grab your tickets to Hot Glass, Cold Beer, Pink Boots

SESSION SUMMARY: Without question, Facebook has revolutionized the way the world communicates. Its platform offers the ability to learn, share, connect, educate, and inform. Billions of people flock to its corner of the web daily and use it for all the aforementioned reasons and then some. Through its constant algorithm shifts and appearance changes, the powers that be at Facebook strive to present a user experience that keeps people on their network as much as possible, as well as bring them back later today, tomorrow, the next day, and so on.It's working.With so many people on Facebook, your business needs to be there, too. Period. If a website is the number one necessity a brand needs to showcase its digital presence, a Facebook Page is 1a. Many argue a Facebook Page outranks a website in regards to importance these days. No matter what you believe, it's impossible to deny how many communicative advantages Facebook delivers.In today's session of the Breaking Brews Podcast, host Jason Cercone and Kayleigh Lohse, Co-Founder and Social Media Manager of Presidential Brewing Company in Portage, Michigan, connect via Skype to share tips and strategies on how brands can get the most from the organic side of Facebook marketing. Organic posting consists of the content shared on Facebook that has no money behind it (i.e. Boosted Posts and Paid Ad Campaigns). More and more, Facebook is becoming a "pay-to-play" platform. That said, it's still important to implement an organic strategy that helps you communicate with customers, as well as share information your followers want to see.Before leaping into the Facebook pool, Kayleigh shares the story of Presidential Brewing and how it came to be. Within this story was the birth of their Facebook page, an early maneuver that found them with over 1,000 followers before they even started construction on their brewery. It allowed them to communicate with their fans through the process of finding a building right up to the pouring of their first beer.Kayleigh and Jason discuss many of the important factors of a successful organic Facebook initiative, including: Why is an organic Facebook strategy important?How frequently should you post?What are key factors to focus on when posting?How do you gauge success with organic posts?When should you boost a post (invest money into a post so more people see it)? What are the three most important words to consider when building your Facebook presence?How should you get started with building your page, following, etc? Kayleigh and Jason also touch on the point of "creating pause," or "stopping the scroll." With so much content filling the pipes of our news feeds, it's easy to fall into the trap of mindless scrolling - not fully absorbing the content in front of you. But, when something grabs your attention, be it a captivating image or interesting video, it stops your scrolling in its tracks. When you can force this action to happen, you know you're sharing content people want to see.To connect with Presidential Brewing, check out their:Website | Facebook | InstagramMUSIC CREDIT: All music heard on this session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of www.purple-planet.comEVENT ALERT: Grab your tickets to Hot Glass, Cold Beer, Pink Boots

SESSION SUMMARY: We've made some tremendous steps forward in our world. And, at the same time, there are still areas where we fall short. Unfortunately, we still live in a society where racism, sexism, and other epidemics plague our day to day lives and real humans battle through this hate in search of a more peaceful existence.Without question, the beer industry is a world that has seen a true lack of diversity as the popularity of this adult beverage, and culture, has boomed. Primarily, the beer industry consists of white males in the roles of sales, ownership, and production.But as time has gone on, women have joined the beer industry and made a tremendous impact on the growth and evolution and beer. Likewise, minorities have also become part of the revolution, forever proving the beer industry does not need to be dominated by one sex or one race to be relevant.In Pittsburgh, Mike Potter of Black Brew Culture - an online magazine covering diversity in the beer industry - Day Bracey, and Ed Bailey - comedians and co-hosts of the Drinking Partners Podcast - joined forces to celebrate diversity and bring a "fresh" perspective to the industry with the inaugural Fresh Fest Beer Fest in August of 2018. The event struck a chord not only with beer industry professionals, but enthusiasts, media, and other minority-owned businesses as well - making it a wild success that had everyone anticipating what this trio would bring together next.In August of 2019, Fresh Fest is back for Round 2 and Day and Mike took some time out of their busy schedule to rap about this year's event on the Breaking Brews Podcast. In this episode, we learn about Day and Mike's journey through the craft beer landscape, how they, along with Ed, came up with Fresh Fest, and what they say to the person who calls Fresh Fest a "racist beer fest." In addition, Day, Mike, and Jason talk about existing oppression in today's society. The trio's vision for Fresh Fest was to combat those stigmas as much as possible, all while delivering an immersive experience that brings businesses from all walks of life together to celebrate the camaraderie the beer industry inspires.You can learn more about Fresh Fest, connect with social media platforms, and secure your tickets to what promises to be one of the best events of the year at freshfestbeerfest.com.To catch up on the Drinking Partners Podcast, click:Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterCheck out Black Brew Culture:Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter MUSIC CREDIT: All music in this episode of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.comEVENT ALERT: Grab your tickets to Hot Glass, Cold Beer, Pink Boots

SESSION SUMMARY: When Prohibition came to an end, the federal government left it up to each individual state to decide how they would handle the sale and distribution of beer and other adult beverages. What this led to was a tapestry of laws that saw each state operating very, very differently from one another. To this day, many laws that made next to no sense when they were put into effect back in the 1930s still exist...making even less sense as the beer world and alcohol culture as a whole has evolved.In Session 23 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Jason Cercone is joined by Lauren Baker, current General Manager of The Harmony Inn and former Production Manager at North Country Brewing, to discuss some beer laws across the country that help the growth of beer in some states, but hinder others. In addition, Jason and Lauren talk about beer distribution and how that model has changed over the years.One topic of discussion on today's show is a new law that was going to be passed in Pennsylvania in July of 2019. This law called for the addition of a 6% sales tax on every pint sold across the bar at brewery taprooms throughout the Commonwealth. But, thanks to the efforts of the Brewers of Pennsylvania, brewery owners, and beer enthusiasts, a compromise was reached that will make this new tax much more manageable for small breweries who stood to lose upwards of $100,000 a year in revenue if they absorbed the tax and did not pass it on to their customers. Click here to read about the tax and the compromise that was reached on the Brewers of PA website.Another big topic covered on this episode is beer distribution. When does it make sense for a beer brand to sign a wholesaler agreement? Why are these agreements so iron-clad in that they do not allow a brewery to transition out, even if a wholesaler is not living up to their end of the agreement? There is a lot to be considered for brands of all sizes in this area and, as mentioned before, laws and regulations are different in each state and dictate how a brewery can grow their distribution footprint. Lauren has worked for breweries in Texas, Colorado, and Pennsylvania and brings knowledge about how a brand can be successful when it comes to expanding their footprint. She and Jason cover when and why a brewery may want to venture down that path and, when weighing the options, doing it so all parties involved can win.Connect with North Country Brewing:Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterAnd The Harmony Inn:Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterMUSIC CREDIT: All music heard on today’s session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com

SESSION SUMMARY: Sometimes, we take for granted all the hard work that gets poured into the beer we love to enjoy. The number of people whose efforts help make that beer possible often gets overlooked as well. From brewers to hop growers to malt house operators to quality controllers to packagers to sales reps to delivery personnel to servers, your beer is literally touched by dozens of hands before it ever reaches your pint glass.Today, we are going to take a look at a critical process that helps beer come to life and learn about the men and women who make it so.In Session 22 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Jason Cercone is joined by Brendan Carroll of CNC Malting Company in Fenelton, PA. Brendan purchased a former elementary school and repurposed it as a malt house, carrying out the process of prepping various grains for use in the production of beer and whiskey. CNC has supplied numerous breweries and distilleries with one of the most important ingredients needed to produce their final product. Malted barley is the source of the sugars (principally maltose) which are fermented into beer. The malting process allows the grain to partially germinate, making the seed's resources available to the brewer. This, of course, leads to the production of beer when combined with water, hops, and yeast.Brendan shares his story of how he got into the malting business and why he decided to take this path instead of opening a brewery. He shares what he and his team do at CNC on a daily basis and gives us some inside perspectives on the malting process. Brendan also breaks down the process of malting, as well as how different grains produce different beer styles. This session is the first in a mini-series on the Breaking Brews Podcast that will feature each critical ingredient found in beer. Stay tuned for future episodes detailing water, yeast, and hops. If you'd like to connect with Brendan and CNC Malting Company, click the links below:Website | Facebook | Instagram MUSIC CREDIT: Music from today's show is brought to you by purple-planet.comJoin the new Breaking Brews Podcast Central Facebook Group Today!

SESSION SUMMARY: October 14th is the anniversary of the day that homebrewing beer without federal taxation was made possible in the United States, thanks to President Jimmy Carter, in 1978. The law officially became effective in 1979. Homebrewing had been banned when Prohibition began in 1920, but—shockingly—homebrewing surged past its pre-Prohibition popularity. The ingredients were easy to come by, and it wasn’t as dangerous to produce as liquor. However, many states, counties, and even cities have passed their own laws. --- Info courtesy of beerandbrewing.comSince then, thousands upon thousands of men and women have entered into the world of homebrewing. Some practice homebrewing as a hobby while others aspire to learn the skills of the trade and take their talents to the professional level. Many brewers currently producing beer on a commercial scale got their start making their first batches in their kitchens and garages. Homebrewing has helped open up a diverse, dynamic, innovative platform and, ultimately, helps shape the beer world forever more. In Session 21 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, I am once again joined by Zack Morrow of Noble Stein Brewing Company in Indiana, PA. Zack was featured in Session 1 of the show and you can jump back in the archives to hear his advice on some do's and dont's you should know before opening a brewery. Today, Zack talks about what it takes to scale up from homebrewing to pro brewing.Zack tells the story of how he and his friends gathered to make their first batch of beer in his college apartment and how it sparked a passion for brewing. He also shares the experience of having bottles of conditioning beer explode in his closet, forcing him to wash his wardrobe before going back to work.From there, Zack shares his experience scaling up to commercial brewing equipment when Noble Stein opened its doors in 2016. What were some of the challenges he faced? Are the skills obtained at the homebrew level applicable to commercial brewing? Did he carry over any recipes from his homebrewing portfolio to the Noble Stein lineup? All this and more will be tackled throughout this interview. Connect with Noble Stein Brewing online:Website | Twitter | Instagram | FacebookMUSIC CREDIT: All music heard during this session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com.

SESSION SUMMARY: In today's noisy online environment, it's important for breweries to create multiple avenues and channels through which consumers can discover their brand. A strong social media presence is a tremendous first step and imperative for all breweries to have. But outside of what they do through their own networks are the external forces that help elevate the beer scene. Blogs, websites, podcasts, video series, newspapers, influencer accounts...there are a plethora of viable platforms that have woven themselves into the tapestry of the craft beer industry and breweries who join forces with these entities open up additional channels for their brands to flourish.In this session of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Jason Cercone is joined by Russ Krause, Co-Founder of PA Brew Review. This website keeps tabs on the 300+ and counting breweries across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by showcasing daily events and giving users an opportunity to not only see ratings from consumers who have visited these destinations, but provide ratings of their own. The PA Brew Review website is a useful resource for beer drinkers within the borders of Pennsylvania, as well as for those who may be visiting the Commonwealth. It brings info about PA's thriving beer scene to one easy-to-access online location.Jason and Russ discuss the importance of external marketing strategies for breweries and explain why they help cultivate the craft beer industry. With so many breweries on the scene, not to mention bars and restaurants doing a fantastic job featuring craft beer in their rotations, providing additional avenues for consumers to find you only helps in getting them to your front door to patronize your taproom. The overarching theme in this conversation was the importance of breweries creating an experience for their consumers - a subject that's come up on past episodes of the show. As little as 10 years ago, a "brewery experience" consisted of an open garage door behind a production space that maybe had 3-4 beers you could try. Now, taprooms feature a wide variety of options + food prepared in-house or served via food truck, live music, special events, and much more. The game has changed...and delivering a complete experience for consumers all but guarantees they'll file you under the "must visit again" breweries in their personal Rolodex.Jason and Russ also tap into the subject of influencer marketing. Can it help breweries thrive? Will influencers continue to play a critical role in the world of craft beer? This is a topic that will be covered in more detail on the podcast in the future, but today's session features some influencer chatter to get the engine revved. Catch up with PA Brew Review on the World Wide Web:Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter MUSIC CREDIT: All music heard in today's session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com

SESSION SUMMARY: With the beer industry thriving, many events have surfaced that help celebrate the scene and its dynamic culture. Craft beer is all about community and those responsible for producing the liquid that makes it all possible are always at the core of events designed to raise money for charity, bring awareness to specific causes, and provide a tremendous alternative to beer tents with $1 drafts of domestic light lager...all while helping elevate the profile of craft beer and introducing new enthusiasts to diverse, innovative products.The generosity of the beer industry has led to the creation of many events. Most of them are planned well and support a great cause. Others, unfortunately, fall short. The object of today's show is to pinpoint some of the aspects of good events and bad events and help anyone who is planning out a beer festival get started on the right foot.In Session 19 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Jason Cercone is joined by Meg Evans and Lauren Baker. Lauren made her first appearance on the show back in Session 3 while this is Meg's Breaking Brews debut. If you listened to Session 3, Lauren talked about her role as Production Manager at North Country Brewing Company. Since then, she has transitioned to General Manager of The Harmony Inn (a bar and restaurant also owned and operated by North Country Brewing) and Meg has picked up where Lauren has left off, vacating her role as Head Brewer at Rock Bottom to make the jump to North Country as Production Manager. If you are thinking about putting a beer event or beer festival together, what should you consider? This episode goes into great detail about many aspects, including but not limited to:What is the purpose of your event?Have you scouted out the location of your event?How big of an event do you want to host?Do you have enough bathrooms for your guests?How do you plan on taking care of your vendors?What are some of the common mistakes event planners make when executing their event?Do your vendors have everything they need (instructions on when and where to unload, ice, dump buckets, water for glass rinses, etc.)? How do you ensure the best experience for vendors? For guests? For sponsors?How do you acquire sponsors?Does your event have a charitable aspect to it?How do you properly stipend a brewery to have their beer poured at your event?How will you ensure safe, responsible drinking at your event?What do you do when months of planning go haywire day of your event and you need to think on your feet to make it all work out?What steps can you take to ensure your event will return for a 2nd year and beyond?If you'd like to read more on the subject, check out 7 Points to Consider When Planning a Beer Festival on Breaking Brews.Connect with North Country Brewing:Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterAnd The Harmony Inn:Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterMUSIC CREDIT: All music heard on today’s session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com

SESSION SUMMARY: The craft beer industry is comprised of many brave men and women who weren't afraid to throw caution to the wind and take a gigantic leap into the unknown when they decided they wanted to open a brewery. It's this type of dedication to one's vision that has helped this industry grow, survive, and thrive. With the launch of 7,400+ breweries and counting in the United States are the many ancillary businesses that not only promote the craft beer scene, but help entrepreneurs with all manner of wild ideas start successful enterprises as well. Platforms such as blogs, books, websites, podcasts, documentaries, and educational services...as well as companies offering products like bottle openers, can coozies, t-shirts, hats, and huge varieties of beer swag all have a chance to play a factor in the evolution of craft beer culture.One company doing just that and more is First Sip Brew Box. First Sip is a monthly subscription service where beer-related goods are delivered right to your door. Each box contains anything from t-shirts, glassware, chapstick, BBQ sauces made with beer, and much more. Today on the podcast, Jason Cercone sits down with one half of the First Sip power team, Dennis Guy.Dennis shares how he and his wife Samantha came up with the idea for First Sip Brew Box and how it came after a journey down the path of opening a brewery. When they realized it wasn't going to be financially feasible to bring a new brewery to the market, they pivoted and created a service that allows them to partner with breweries and promote all the good they're bringing to the scene. Dennis is one of the most positive people you'll ever encounter and the conversation throughout this interview dives deep into entrepreneurial mindset, what it takes to keep that positivity when negative energy beats down your door seemingly every day, and why it's important to embrace every step of the process it takes to build a successful small business. A great deal of Dennis's motivation comes from the values his mother instilled in him throughout his life. You'll hear the story of how he and his wife received a small business loan, an accomplishment that took place just days before his mother passed away. It's truly an inspirational story that all of us can relate to in some way, shape, or form. Dennis is a veteran of the US Army and recently participated in a Pennsylvania Commonwealth-wide collaboration beer that saw 20 veteran-owned breweries come together as one. The beer went live on Memorial Day Weekend 2019 at each of the participating breweries. The US Army also filmed a short video about Dennis, the values he gained from his mom's strong will, and the growth of First Sip Brew Box. You can check out that video here: https://youtu.be/Ar5IUbGw1ggIf you are looking to start a project of any size, whether it be a bar, a brewery, a podcast, a blog, or anything else that requires entrepreneurial mindset, this is a podcast you don't want to miss.If you'd like to learn more about First Sip Brew Box, here are the links:Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterMUSIC CREDIT: All music heard on today's session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com

SESSION SUMMARY: With new breweries opening seemingly every day, the number of destinations consumers have to choose from when looking to enjoy a high quality beer is abundant. Combine this with the number of other activities looking to capture entertainment dollars and you may find yourself looking for new ideas that will help you stand out and keep patrons flowing through your doors. One of the best ways to ensure you built loyalty in today's competitive, crowded marketplace is by delivering an experience that truly resonates with your guests. An experience that makes them feel welcome, makes them happy they decided to visit, makes them feel a 'WOW' factor that leads them to tell everyone they know about you, and ensures they'll be back to frequent your establishment again in the future. In today's session of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Jason Cercone is joined by Andrew Coplon, Co-Founder of Secret Hopper. Based in Virginia, Secret Hopper is a service created by Andrew and his wife that sends mystery shoppers into brewery taprooms to evaluate a thorough, diverse list of criteria. Their findings help brewery management and ownership evaluate their staff, pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, and discover areas where they can generate more revenue for their business. Throughout the show, you'll hear how Secret Hopper has helped breweries across the United States take positive strides towards cultivating a better customer experience. Data the secret hoppers collect can aid in developing and implementing new strategies for keeping customers, staff, management, and ownership happy. Win-win for all! This information is powerful for an established brewery looking to take their experience to new levels as well as for a brand new brewery who has yet to open their doors and wants to start off on the right foot. Loyalty is a different animal in today's business world. With options galore, consumers will naturally frequent all sorts of establishments in search of a memorable experience. Deliver that memorable experience and chances are excellent they'll be back in the future. But deliver a bad experience and the likelihood of these customers returning is extremely low. It's easy to write you off when there's another brewery just down the street ready to serve their needs. Andrew shares strategies he's helped his client base utilize, including the power of a server introducing themselves by name to their customers to how much additional revenue can be generated when a server asks their guests "Would you like to take a growler, 4-pack, or t-shirt home with you?" There are many ways to cultivate a tremendous customer experience. And today, we're going to begin exploring some of those directives on the Breaking Brews Podcast.If you are interested in learning more about Secret Hopper or joining forces with Andrew to build on the experiences unfolding in your taproom, here's where you can connect:Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterMUSIC CREDIT: All music in today's session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com

SESSION SUMMARY: Podcasts have become one of the most popular and consumed methods of media in today's on-the-go world. Many folks have replaced radio shows and music with podcasts covering a plethora of subjects while listening in the car, at the gym, or sitting at their desks at home and/or work. It's a tremendous way to learn, grow, and be entertained. No matter what subject matter you're most passionate about, chances are excellent you'll find a podcast dedicated to it if you search hard enough.Doug Derda has been doing a beer podcast since...well, pretty much since the beginning. His show, Should I Drink That?, first hit the podcast waves on Cinco de Mayo in 2006...a time when podcasting was in its infancy. Today on the Breaking Brews Podcast, Doug joins host Jason Cercone to talk about the evolution of podcasting, the many directions his show has taken, Doug's take on the beer industry today, and much more.The show starts with a look back at early podcasting technology and what it took to get Should I Drink That? spread around the Internet. You'll also hear the legendary story of how a YouTube video (also a new platform when SIDT first started) of Doug chugging a beer helped put their show on the map and how it's remained popular to this day. Doug also shares his opinions on 'beerholes.' Throughout the session, Doug and Jason dive into what it takes to put together a good podcast and how much it's changed since 2006 when Doug first cut his teeth in the medium. They discuss how much is involved with the entire process - from recording to editing to adding music to publishing to marketing and everything in between. They also share some tips and pointers you can utilize if you've been considering starting a podcast, whether it be about beer or any other topic you're passionate about.They also discuss how much can be learned by listening to other podcasts and absorbing how other hosts deliver their content. In addition, Doug and Jason share realistic expectations you should have when getting a podcast off the ground. You can check out what Doug is up to with Should I Drink That by clicking the links below:Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterMUSIC CREDIT: All music heard in the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com.

SESSION SUMMARY: As has become the routine on the Breaking Brews Podcast, we aim to deliver content that can help in all aspects of beer marketing. From social media to email marketing to event management to everything in between, the goal of each session is to provide some tips, strategies, and knowledge you can implement into your own practices - no matter where you're listening to this podcast from. In today's session, host Jason Cercone is joined by Bailey Allegretti, Marketing Manager for Grist House Craft Brewery in Pittsburgh, PA. Bailey has been working with the brewery in this position for over a year as of the release of this podcast and has helped implement several strategies and initiatives that have helped solidify Grist House as one of the most popular breweries in the Steel City. Bailey shares some background about her experience in the beer industry, starting off with obtaining some well-rounded experience in organization, social media, and brewing in her role at Copper Kettle Brewing Company, an on-premise brewing facility that once functioned in Pittsburgh that allowed individuals to schedule appointments to make their own small batches of beer, then package and take home their finished liquid upon completion. After a brief stint outside the beer world, Bailey knew she wanted to be in the industry and the role she earned at Grist House helped her do just that. Since taking over the role of Marketing Manager, Bailey has helped streamline Grist House's online approach and has added consistency to all initiatives. She has utilized each network to communicate with the thirsty beer community in Pittsburgh and also shares relevant content about the brand, including their expansion project that will see the brewery renovate and move their beer production to a former Nike missile control center in Collier Township in the near future. Bailey and Jason discuss many facets of beer marketing throughout this session, including: Ways to build an effective newsletter that people will want to read The power of Facebook's event management platform and how a well-managed event entry can not only lead to a successful event, but help your brand visibility overallThe importance of appealing aesthetics in can artWhy clean glassware is important (yes, this topic came up again)Things to do and things not to do with your social media accountsOther areas where you can effectively build your brand presence besides the popular social media networksIf you'd like to check out Bailey's work via the Grist House digital presence, the links to do just that are right here:Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterMUSIC CREDIT: All music in today's session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com.

SESSION SUMMARY: Depending on where you live or where you've traveled in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, you've undoubtedly stumbled upon two stores that have completely changed the way we look at gas stations: Sheetz or Wawa. On the eastern side of the state, Wawa has a strong presence. On the west side...it's Sheetz. And loyalists to one brand or the other have incredibly loyal allegiances to their store of choice. INCREDIBLY. LOYAL.With Philadelphia on the east side and Pittsburgh on the west, rivalries from one side of the turnpike to the other abound. Who has the better beer scene? Who has the better hockey team? Do you prefer a cheese steak or a Primanti's? What convenience store is better: Sheetz or Wawa? These questions may be tough to pin a definitive answer on, but that's not stopping Matthew Fridg as he attempts to discover which is better...Sheetz...or Wawa. And today, he joins host Jason Cercone via Skype on the Breaking Brews Podcast to discuss his project.Matthew worked on Neat: The Story of Bourbon documentary that released in 2018. You can check out this film on Hulu if you're a subscriber or, if you're a fan of bourbon and want this great film documenting the history of bourbon as well as some of the great stories that have come from this liquid in your personal movie collection, click here.You can also screen Neat through Amazon Prime.Today, Matthew's focus is on Sheetz vs. Wawa and, in this session, you'll learn what inspired the project, what Matthew has discovered in putting the film together, and how this rivalry has truly woven itself into the fabric that makes up the Commonwealth of PA.Matthew and Jason discuss how Sheetz and Wawa have revolutionized the basic "gas station" concept and taken things to an elevated level. Convenience stores throughout the country have looked at this model and have done everything they can to mirror these approaches in order to deliver the best, most streamlined customer experience when customers visit these stores.With law changes going into effect in PA over the past decade, stores like Sheetz and Wawa, as well as other grocery stores and convenience stores, have gotten in the adult beverage game. Sheetz installed "Soda Caves" when new stores were built and these caves were easily able to transition to Beer Caves when new laws were rolled out. Wawa did a collaboration beer with Aston, PA's 2SP Brewing in 2018, a coffee stout whose popularity saw people lined up around the building to obtain. Matthew and Jason discuss these phenomenons and speculate how both Sheetz and Wawa will continue to play a role in the beer and wine game throughout PA. Matthew is currently raising funds via Kickstarter for the film. Please visit sheetzvswawa.com/kickstarter and check out the perks available to you when you help support the making of the film. You can also learn more about the project and check out the short promo video at the top of the page.The Kickstarter is set to end on May 6th, 2019, so don't delay! MUSIC CREDIT: All music heard in today's session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com.

SESSION SUMMARY: As of the release of the 13th session of the podcast, Pennsylvania produces more beer annually than any other state in the country and is home to 350+ breweries and counting. It's a state that's seen tremendous growth and evolution regarding the liquid we love, with innovation being at an all-time high and breweries from across the country looking to break into successful PA markets by making their wares available to thirsty citizens throughout the Commonwealth. In this installment of the show, host Jason Cercone is joined by Nate Kresge, Owner & Co-Founder of GK Visual in Harrisburg, PA. Nate and his crew produced the documentary known as Poured In Pennsylvania, an up close and personal look at PA's longstanding history with beer. Poured In PA features interviews with 50 breweries and tells the story of America's oldest brewery (Yuengling) to homebrewers on the cusp of breaking into this thriving, growing industry. Nate shares what GK Visual does outside of the beer world and how all of his company's work helped inspire the creation of Poured In PA. We get to hear about how a small YouTube video about breweries in Harrisburg created by Nate and his crew not only got pirated, but managed to find its way into bars in Hawaii and beyond. This, plus the GK Visual team's love of beer made Poured In PA a passion project that took them on a statewide journey to discover great liquid and the men and women who work daily to bring it to life. Nate and Jason also share their best Yuengling stories and reminisce about how those historic beers serve as treasure to the beer drinkers who don't regularly have them at their disposal. They also talk about where the beer industry is headed, what sort of projects Nate and his crew plan to tackle next, and small documentaries he and his team are doing just for fun at GK Visual.Most importantly, Nate shares two very big pieces of news about Poured In PA:1) You can now watch the documentary on Amazon Prime Video2) Poured In PA will become a series in the upcoming monthsIf you are a Prime member, Poured In PA is now available for you to screen. Go check it out!Catch up with Poured In PA online: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram MUSIC CREDIT: All music in today's show is courtesy of purple-planet.com.

SESSION SUMMARY: You've probably noticed that seasons in your corner of the world have become more and more unpredictable with each passing year. For example, winters in Pittsburgh, while not exactly what one would call "pleasant," have arguably been much milder recently than in years past. There is change happening in global climate, the likes of which could have a serious impact on, among many things, the liquid we all love known as beer. In Session 12 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Jason Cercone is joined by Samantha Joule Fow, a professional writer and environmental advocate who published a very well-researched, very revealing article on BrewStuds in March of 2019 spotlighting Anheuser-Busch InBev's excessive use of rice in the production of their beer. The use of this key ingredient in many of the beers in AB InBev's portfolio makes them a leader in greenhouse gas emissions and, if more sustainable options are not implemented in the near future, the long-term ramifications could spell the end to many things we take for granted - including beer as we know it.Throughout this session, Samantha shares information she's gathered about AB InBev's practices, as well as provides insight on the ad campaign that brought this matter to a brighter light: their attack on MillerCoors for using corn syrup in the production of their beers. This string of ads ran during Super Bowl LIII and gave Bud Light a lot of attention...the majority of it most likely unwelcome. Samantha also shares information she gained at the 2019 Craft Brewers Conference in Denver and shows how the Brewers Association and other beer industry leaders are making strides towards sustainability in the production of craft beer and making resources available to brewers in a much larger capacity. The question will always be scrutinized whether AB InBev will change their approaches to beer production. As you'll learn, it starts with changes in their supply chain. Will ABI demand more sustainable rice to produce their product going forward? Unless we want to live in a world where we pay DOUBLE for a pint of beer what we pay now, efforts need to be taken so the answer to that question is a resounding 'YES.'Click on the link to check out Samantha's feature on BrewStuds entitled "Investigation Ricegate: Bud Light's War On Corn Exposes Its Own Inconvenient Brewing Ingredient"Catch up with Samantha and Axiom Communications online:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | BlogMUSIC CREDIT: All music heard in Session 12 of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com.

SESSION SUMMARY: In Session 11 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Jason Cercone is joined by Jaye Beattie, Co-Founder and Vice President of Four Mile Brewing in Olean, New York. Four Mile opened its doors in 2015 and is the first brewery to produce beer in Olean since the end of Prohibition. Jaye shares his expertise on opening a brewery in a smaller community where craft beer was not a large commodity and how their business helped add to the revitalization efforts of Olean from day one.America has many small towns where breweries have set up shop where most businesses would avoid like the plague. Once established, these breweries helped breathe new life into the community, bringing people back and, thusly, bringing additional businesses to the area and making operations successful for everyone. Jaye and his partners started as homebrewers and saw a genuine opportunity to start a viable business in the Olean community. They hit the ground running and never looked back. Jaye shares his background in the beer world, starting as a bartender at Olean's Breadstick Cafe and also homebrewing on Four Mile Road with his fellow co-founders. Jaye helped bring craft beer to the taps at his bar and his passion for quality beer made taking the leap to opening Olean's first post-Prohibition brewery that much more natural.One element Jaye elaborates on is the importance of community involvement. If you are in the same boat as Jaye and his partners and are looking to open a brewery in a small town, it's imperative to be active in your community, source local materials and ingredients, and collaborate with other businesses whenever possible. Another aspect Jaye takes pride in his how Four Mile helped educate customers and broaden their horizons when it came to craft beer. Many of the first visitors to the brewery weren't quite sure what an IPA was. But, thanks to solid liquid + a commitment to helping customers advance their palates, the crew at Four Mile got their patrons hooked on high-quality, great tasting beer!Four Mile Brewing has become a staple of the Olean community and beyond. Located only an hour from Buffalo, they're part of the growing, evolving scene unfolding throughout the Buffalo region.If you'd like to connect with Four Mile Brewing online:Website | Facebook | Twitter | InstagramMUSIC CREDIT: Music from the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com.

SESSION SUMMARY: Megan Pritts of Noble Stein Brewing Company joins Jason Cercone on Session 10 of the show to discuss search engine optimization, or SEO if you're into the whole brevity thing, as well as various aspects of social media practices that Megan uses to manage marketing for Indiana, PA's Noble Stein Brewing Company. Megan is a marketer by trade and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the podcast.The show kicks off with Megan talking about how she entered the marketing world and how her company tasked her with handling SEO responsibilities. The conversation then steers towards how SEO has changed over the years as the internet has evolved and how you can best harness those changes to help your business. Megan also shares the importance of keeping an updated website and how it helps with search engine rank. Next, we learn how Megan has established a voice for Noble Stein through networks like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and how she's able to utilize each platform to get the most from her efforts. As of the release of this podcast, Noble Stein has been able to find levels of success through Facebook without investing in ads. Megan admits this may not last forever, but she enjoys the challenge of getting the most from organic content and communicating with fans of the Noble Stein page as frequently as she can. She's also an advocate of "playing by Facebook's rules," which you'll hear more about as the show unfolds.Megan and Jason also discuss the power of conversation on Twitter and the visual appeal of Instagram, why it's best to not push content from one platform to another, and why it's important to establish consistency with your social media practices. And, as is tradition on the Breaking Brews Podcast, we share a brief rant about clean glassware and why it's important at your establishment and in ALL of your promotional efforts. You can catch up Noble Stein Brewing online at:Website | Facebook | Twitter | InstagramMUSIC CREDIT: All music on the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com

SESSION SUMMARY: In this session of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Jason Cercone welcomes back Master Cicerone Brian Reed for a wide open discussion on beer and food pairings. Brian specializes in this area through the Cicerone Certification Program and helps bars, restaurants, and retail locations expertly pair the right beers with food offerings on their menus.We kick things off talking about various aspects of food and beer pairing and Brian tells the story of how he discovered how well beer and food work together. Brian goes on to talk about the "C-C-C" philosophy and how it can help you successfully pair the right beers with any food offering on your menu.Our discussion continues as we talk about how too much of one thing can be bad. EXAMPLE: Pairing a blueberry beer with a blueberry dessert or a smoked beer with smoked BBQ or a pepper beer with a hot dish - while this may seem logical in some cases, it's actually overkill. This session will tell you why.As we get ready to wrap up, Jason fires some basic food items that we all know and love at Brian and he shares the best beer pairing for each item. If you love tacos, pizza, hot wings, and cheeseburgers, you'll want to stick around 'til the end of this session so you do things right with your beer choices going forward.Beer and food pairings is being considered as a rotating series for the Breaking Brews Podcast. If you dig this show and want to hear more about the subject, reach out and let me know!For all of our Pittsburgh listeners, Brian is teaching an Off-Flavor Course on Saturday April 6th and a Beer Savvy Boot Camp on Sunday, April 7th at Eleventh Hour Brewing in Lawrenceville! If you'd like to attend, please click the links below to reserve your seat. Tickets are going fast!Saturday, April 6th: Off-Flavor CourseSunday, April 7th: Beer Savvy Boot CampTo catch up with Brian on the World Wide Web...Twitter | InstagramTo learn more about the Cicerone Certification Program, click here.MUSIC CREDIT: All music in this session of the podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com

SESSION SUMMARY: Session 8 of the Breaking Brews Podcast delves into creating a tremendous taproom experience for customers. With so many tremendous venues to visit these days, attention for a consumer's entertainment buck is being fought over every day. And the venues that create a memorable visit will be the ones who earn a customer's business time and time again. While 100% undying loyalty to just one brand may be a thing of the past, a consumer will always come back AND tell others to check you out when you give them a reason to do so. This session is going to tell the story of a brand that's done just that.Today, we hear from Luke, Jay, Tony, and Dave - four of the team members behind Levity Brewing Company in Indiana, Pennsylvania. Levity has been going strong since 2016 and has grown their brand visibility throughout Western PA and beyond. Their taproom sits a little over a mile away from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has become a premier destination in town for great beer, exceptional food, and live events. They've gone the extra mile to deliver their community a locale that satiates many desires and it's helped them become a pillar of Indiana for people of all ages. We start the show learning about how Levity came to be, with Jay and Luke sharing their entrepreneurial aspirations and how it dawned on them that a brewery was the way to chase their passion. We talk about their building, taproom space, brewing capacity, and what their focus is for a beer portfolio. From there, we learn how the Levity crew slowly incorporated food into their operations and grew their menu over time, thus giving visitors a reason to stay longer and never leave hungry. As Jay points out, they could see the drop-off in business after the happy hour times ended to later in the evening until they went full bore with food. Adding food to their initiatives also helped attract additional clientele and we'll learn how Tony and Dave have cultivated a menu packed with delicious choices for consumers to tear into.Finally, the guys discuss how they host live events at their space and share some tips and pointers one should consider when starting a brewery or looking to interject food and live events into their practices. Again, with so many options at a consumer's disposal today, providing multiple reasons to make someone feel at home is critical to repeat business.Connect with Levity Brewing on the World Wide Web:Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterMUSIC CREDIT: All music in today's show is courtesy of our friends at purple-planet.com

SESSION SUMMARY: In Session 7 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Jason Cercone goes one on one with Nick Bogacz, the Founder of Caliente Pizza & Draft House, in Pittsburgh. Nick, his wife Angie, and their entire crew have grown the Caliente brand from one successful location to five in less than seven years. Today, we are going to tap into some of the elements that have helped make Caliente a recognizable brand in Pittsburgh and beyond.We kick off the show talking about Nick's background and discover he was working FIVE jobs prior to his decision to go into business for himself. We learn about his unquestionable work ethic, his patience to wait for the right opportunity, and how he knew the time was right to take the entrepreneurial path that's led to his success today. Nick goes on to discuss how he purchased the former 'Caliente Pizza & Bar' in Bloomfield, changed 'Bar' to 'Draft House,' and began incorporating craft beer into his operations almost immediately. Craft beer paired with a unique, custom-made pizza containing fresh ingredients not only made for the perfect marriage, it showcased the strengths Nick saw in craft breweries and how he could succeed practicing the same principles. We also talk about Caliente hitting the mainstream by capturing World Championships at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas on three separate occasions, how Nick was able to open second, third, fourth, and fifth locations, and his new book, The Pizza Equation. You can learn more about the book and pick up a copy on Amazon right now!Connect with Caliente on the interwebs:Website | Facebook | Twitter | InstagramTo wrap up this installment of the podcast, I announce the winner of the Release Week Beer Money Giveaway. Find out who's getting $100 in beer cash courtesy of the Breaking Brews Podcast! MUSIC CREDIT: All music on this installment of the podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com.

SESSION SUMMARY: In Session 6 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, host Jason Cercone is joined by Dennis Hock, Founder of Strange Roots Experimental Ales, and Bert Mooney, Director of Operations at Strange Roots, to discuss the ins and outs of rebranding. In 2017 and stemming into 2018, the Strange Roots brand underwent a complete company rebrand from their original name, Draai Laag Brewing. In this Session, Dennis and Bert share some what it took to execute the rebrand effectively.Before breaking into rebranding, Jason, Dennis, and Bert discuss the evolution of Draai Laag/Strange Roots, their foundation as a traditional farmhouse brewery utilizing only wild yeast to produce their beers, and how they've grown an incredibly loyal fan base by staying true to their original motives and continuing to push boundaries with their wild, sour offerings. If you are considering initiating a rebrand, you'll want to listen to this session of the podcast to determine if A) it's the right move for your company and, if it is B) what areas you'll need to focus on to execute your rebrand.Hook up with Strange Roots on your favorite corner of the web:Website | Twitter | Instagram | FacebookMUSIC CREDIT: All music on this session of the Breaking Brews Podcast is courtesy of purple-planet.com

SESSION SUMMARY: In Session 5 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Jason Cercone covers some basic social media tips and strategies that all beer brands of any size can implement immediately. The three networks covered in this session are Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. There's not a lot of technical detail shared about these platforms (that will be covered in future episodes of the show with emphasis on one network per show), but some basic principles are discussed and can be utilized if you're looking to bolster your social media presence. Jason's two biggest principles with social media are as follows:No matter what your posting strategy is, do it consistently.Social media should be fun. So...have fun!This episode covers some basics of each network, why a consistent approach will help your brand visibility in the grand scheme, how you can compartmentalize each network to get the most return on your time and money, some trends of social media that will never change and will help your practices as you adhere to them, and much more.Connect with Breaking Brews online:Website | Twitter | Facebook | InstagramMUSIC CREDIT: All music in this session is courtesy of purple-planet.com

SESSION SUMMARY: In Session 4 of the Breaking Brews Podcast, Jason Cercone is joined by Ian Staab, Co-Owner and Brewer at Yellow Bridge Brewing Company in Delmont, PA, to discuss one of the biggest phenomenons in the craft beer industry today: cans. Without question, cans have helped put many breweries on the map with sleek label art, increased accessibility, ability to be transported, and, of course, because of the great liquid inside. There are numerous advantages to cans and many breweries are factoring in cans to their initial business plans today. We start off the show hearing about Ian's background, then learn about how Yellow Bridge came to life in 2016. From there, Ian shares how he and his crew started canning beer around their one-year anniversary and haven't looked back. They've tried many methods of canning and have invested in a canning line that helps them get 20+ cases of beer ready for consumers to grab on-the-go. We talk about how this has helped generate additional revenue in their taproom and has resulted in increased brand exposure for Yellow Bridge as their beer has landed in various parts of the country it normally wouldn't thanks to the trade market. If your brewery is considering canning or looking to improve current practices, this is the podcast for you. Catch up with Ian and Yellow Bridge online:Website | Twitter | Instagram | FacebookMUSIC CREDIT: Music in this session is courtesy of purple-planet.com

SESSION SUMMARY: Session 3 of the Breaking Brews Podcast takes a look at brewery production management! Host Jason Cercone is joined by Lauren Baker, Production Manager at North Country Brewing Company in Slippery Rock, PA, to discuss the many roles she plays to keep her brewery running efficiently. The great thing about this interview is that it's not limited to production management. Lauren and Jason discuss a wide variety of topics in the beer industry throughout the show. We start off hearing about Lauren's background and how she broke into the craft beer world while living in Texas. Her experience took her from bartending to brand rep to sales management before landing in her present role at North Country. Jason and Lauren also discussed the importance of drinking responsibly while working in the beer industry and the role craft beer professionals play in educating consumers each and every day.North Country Brewing is located in a college town and Lauren believes their business plays a big role in helping introduce college kids to better beer options. While they still may frequent bars with $1 PBR nights, they also have an opportunity to familiarize themselves with artisanal beers right in their backyard. In addition to that, Jason and Lauren discuss how North Country has evolved in the Slippery Rock community, from their humble beginnings at their brewpub to their expansion to a 30-bbl production brewery and additional pub space at the Harmony Inn. Connect with North Country on the webs: Website | Twitter | Instagram | FacebookConnect with Lauren on Instagram and Twitter: Instagram | TwitterMUSIC CREDIT: All music on this session courtesy of purple-planet.com

SESSION SUMMARY: Session 2 of the Breaking Brews Podcast is all about the Cicerone! Host Jason Cercone is joined by Brian Reed, one of only 18 Master Cicerones in the world, to discuss many aspects of the program, including Brian's plight to obtain his Master level certification, how the Cicerone program is helping men and women understand beer on a higher level, and how they can pass along that knowledge to consumers at bars, restaurants, and taprooms. FROM THE CICERONE WEBSITE: The Cicerone Certification Program certifies and educates beer professionals in order to elevate the beer experience for consumers. The program has four levels:LEVEL 1: Certified Beer Server - First-level certification for those who work with beerLEVEL 2: Certified Cicerone - Certification for professionals dedicated to beerLEVEL 3: Advanced Cicerone - A designation of distinctive expertise and tasting skillLEVEL 4: Master Cicerone - The ultimate test of beer expertiseIf you've been considering taking the Cicerone and would like to learn more about the program, visit www.cicerone.org. The first level is highly recommended for beer servers to gain a better understanding of the liquid they're presenting to customers. Connect with Brian online!Twitter | Instagram MUSIC CREDIT: All music in today's session is courtesy of purple-planet.com.

SESSION SUMMARY: It's the world premiere of the Breaking Brews Podcast! This show is focused on the business side of the craft beer industry. Each session will bring you scenarios, experiences, and banter from industry professionals that will help you improve upon your day-to-day practices. Or, if you're a beer enthusiast, you'll gain a better understanding of the subject at hand to build upon your appreciation for the thriving landscape of beer. To kick things off, host Jason Cercone sat down with Zack Morrow, co-owner and head brewer at Noble Stein Brewing Company in Indiana, PA. Noble Stein has been going strong for 2+ years and Zack took some time to share some of the tips and strategies he and his partners practiced when getting their brewery off the ground. We start the show hearing about Zack's background and discovery of craft beer. From there, we delve into how the idea of Noble Stein Brewing came about and how Zack and crew brought things to life, including discussion on picking a location, managing start-up capital, gaining community acceptance, and adjusting to commercial equipment. We round out the session with Zack covering some of his top Do's and Dont's that you should consider if you're thinking of starting your own brewery.Connect with Noble Stein Brewing on the World Wide Webs:Website | Twitter | Instagram | FacebookMUSIC CREDIT: All music heard in today's session comes courtesy of purple-planet.com

SESSION SUMMARY: The Breaking Brews Podcast makes its debut (ish) with a special sneak preview of the first five sessions, all of which will go live the week of March 4th. In this introductory episode, you will get a feel for what the show is all about: a strong focus on the business side of beer with stories, experiences, and real-world scenarios discussed by industry professionals. Beer industry professionals and beer enthusiasts alike will be able to walk away from each session having learned something to help them in their day to day relationships with the world's greatest adult beverage.The introductory session has clips from Sessions 1-5, featuring the following:Session 1 - Zack Morrow from Noble Stein Brewing discusses some do's and dont's you'll want to consider when opening a brewery. Full session debuts Monday, March 4th.Session 2 - Master Cicerone Brian Reed gives us an in-depth look at the Cicerone Certification Program. Full session debuts Tuesday, March 5th.Session 3 - Lauren Baker, Production Manager at North Country Brewing, talks about her role in helping the brewery grow, both internally and externally. Full session debuts Wednesday, March 6th.Session 4 - Ian Staab, Co-Founder of Yellow Bridge Brewing, talks about how canning their beer has helped increase their exposure and strengthen the bottom line. Full session debuts Thursday, March 7th.Session 5 - Jason Cercone, Founder & CEO of Breaking Brews and host of the Breaking Brews Podcast, shares some easy-to-implement social media marketing tips and strategies. Full session debuts Thursday, March 8th. MUSIC CREDIT: "Hot Rod" and "Big Vision" courtesy of purple-planet.com