The True Craft Podcast

When we started the true craft podcast, our goal was to continue our sharing of expert insight and knowledge of the craft industry, but in an audio format.Over one year, four seasons, and fifty episodes later, we feel like we've accomplished that goal. In light of this realization, and with our focus shifting to other initiatives, we've decided this was the final season of The True Craft Podcast.A big thank you goes out to our amazing co-host and guests. Of course, we want to thank YOU for coming along for the ride.We have some links below to connect and continue the conversation.Once again, we are incredibly grateful for your taking the time to listen to our podcast. We would like for this to act as an archive of audio knowledge, and we hope you will find it valuable.Links:Subscribe for more insightProducer Josh's LinkedInProducer Josh's email: joshlbarnhart@gmail.com

We're at the end of season 4 and we can't thank you enough for another great season. We thought it would be fitting to cap things off with a friend of the show…Today's guest is Jason Sleeman, a National Craft Beverage Lender from United Community Bank out of Atlanta, Georgia.Chris and Jason both give their perspective on current start-ups and expansions, the practicality of having no food program, and the potential future opportunity for contract brewers.Enjoy!Links:United Community BankJason's LinkedIn

Today's guest is the founder of a brewery with a built-in distribution company, helping other Iowa breweries distribute their beer throughout the entire state.We're talking with John Martin from Confluence Brewing Company out of Des Moines, Iowa.John explains the distribution company Confluence has built over the years, their early days of packaging and how that's changed, along with their “Dad beers” and the unique event that accompanies them.Enjoy!Links:Confluence Brewing Company

Today's guest is a familiar voice in the podcast world and a leader in the brewery space in general.We're welcoming Augie Carton from Carton Brewing Company and Steal This Beer out of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey.We take a look at Carton Brewing's direct-to-consumer delivery system, we have a discussion on the public view of agriculture versus manufacturing and some of the repercussions these perspectives have on the brewing industry, along with a look at the nuance of the flavor and function of beer.Enjoy!Links:Carton Brewing CompanySteal This BeerBeer is cuisine: Augie Carton at TEDxNavesink

Today's guest is an innovator in the hazy beer space, and an innovator in the brewery space in general, with their efforts of sustainability, inclusivity, and community.We're talking with Jen Kimmich from The Alchemist out of Stowe, VermontWe talk about how they became a Certified B Corp in 2017, the details and effort behind their 2020 Action Plan, along with a trip back to the early innovation days of their hazy beer, The Heady Topper.Enjoy!Links:The Alchemist2020 Action Plan

Today's guest is the CEO and Founder of an urban farmhouse brewery that sources their ingredients from local farmers in their area.We're talking with Josh Patton from Wooden Robot Urban Farmhouse Brewery out of Charlotte, North Carolina.We talk about their self-distribution efforts throughout their entire state, how they are investing in the longevity of the brewery team along with nailing down the proper scale of the operation, and, of course, we talk about what it means to be an urban farmhouse brewery.Enjoy!Links:Wooden Robot

Today's guest co-founded a brewery specializing in German-style lager, who says they put the I back in “bier”.Of course we're speaking with none other than Steve Holle from Kansas City Bier Company, out of Kansas City, MissouriSteve tells us about the background behind their authentic German-style beers, some insight into supply-chain issues going into 2022, along with a look into the effects, benefits, and challenges of a niche portfolio.Enjoy!Links:Kansas City Bier Co

With skateboarders, mountain bikers, rock climbers, etc. all finding their place in breweries across the country, the parallels between craft brewing and extreme sports are everywhere.From the dedication it takes to learn a new trick, to the ingenuity to build and maintain your equipment, to the supportive and collaborative community that surrounds action sports, there's so much common ground.And that's why we're thrilled to bring you our guest for today, Zac Caramonta from Gnarly Barley Brewing Company out of Hammond, Louisiana. We talk about Zac's love for biking and his recent bike trips, how he's successfully blended his passion for skateboarding with the brewery, along with some practical tips on preventative maintenance, and much more.Enjoy!Links:Gnarly Barley Brewing Company

As you can probably tell from the title, today's guest is a real innovator in the app space.Our guest for this episode is Paul Reiter from Great Notion Brewing out of Portland, OregonWe learn how they got an early foot in the DTC door, their story and impact behind the Great Notion app, along with their collaboration with the Portland Trail Blazers.And much more.Enjoy!Links:Great NotionGreat Notion App - Apple App StoreGreat Notion App - Google Play Store

Craft brewing and local communities go hand-in-hand, but it's much more complicated than simply hosting a few events here and there.To explore this topic further, we're happy to welcome today's guest—Adam Benner from Land-Grant Brewing Company out of Columbus, Ohio.Chris and Adam talk about the meaning behind the name Land-Grant, the brewery's experience with award-winning food trucks, along with some background on their partnership with the Columbus Crew and their collaboration with the Ohio State Buckeyes.Check out Adam's podcast: The Beer With The Brewers Podcast!Enjoy!Links:Land-Grant Brewing CompanyThe Beer With The Brewers PodcastColumbus Crew Partners

Welcome back to The True Craft Podcast!We're kicking off Season 4 with two main changes:First, this season will be about the conversation. In other words, no main topics for each episode. Instead, we let the natural flow of the conversation happen, and we really think you'll like the result.The second change is there's no co-host for this season, so just Chris and a guest brewery owner.Our first guest brewery owner of the season may seem familiar…We're starting off Season 4 with a bang and welcoming back Joel McClosky from Four Saints Brewing Company.We start the episode off by taking a look at the unique event Four Saints held in their taproom last year, an interesting discussion on cryptocurrency, NFTs, and AR in the brewing industry, along with their plan to incorporate cocktails into the Four Saints portfolio.Enjoy!Links:Four Saints Brewing CompanyRhinoleap ProductionsSwigr

Today we're ending 2021 with a bang, and welcoming Maria Pearman for an edition of Friends of SBSMaria is the author of Small Brewery Finance, along with being a CPA, and overall, a total craft beverage expert.In this episode we talk about some of the changes she's seen throughout her time in  the brewing industry, how her book Small Brewery Finance came to be, some future writing plans, along with a look into the state and growth of craft spirits.Links:Small Brewery Finance

We've got two more episodes for you before the end of the year, and today is this season's edition of Office Hours, a segment we created to highlight the expertise of the team members at Small Batch Standard. We're talking with Brewery Accountant and Tax Specialist, Julia Grubbs.She tells us how she earned her CPA title while working on a cruise ship, her journey to working with breweries, along with the value and benefit of quality tax handing.Enjoy!P.S. If you still need some listening material, Chris appeared on an episode of the Craft Brewery Financial Training Podcast with Kary Shumway. You can click this link to check it out or save for later!

In this edition of Friends of SBS, we're talking with a true community leader for all professionals in the craft beer industry.Today's guest is Andrew Coplon from Secret Hopper and Craft Beer Professionals.We talk about Andrew's journey to where he is now, what it's like working with Secret Hopper, and all the great things happening with the Craft Beer Professionals group.Enjoy!Links:SecretHopper.comCraftBeerProfessionals.orgCraft Beer Professionals Facebook Group

We're back with another edition of our Friends of SBS series. Today's industry expert specializes in brewery branding, sales, distribution management, and much more.Our guest is Julie Rhodes the founder of Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions out of Broomfield,  Colorado.In this episode, Chris and Julie dive deep into the topics of distribution, content marketing, and outside sales.Enjoy!Links:Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions

Today we're taking a look back at all our topics and guests from the Season 3 of The True Craft Podcast.Thanks to our guests, our amazing co-host Adam Robbings, and of course our listeners!In this episode, Chris and Adam talk main takeaways from Season 3, along with an overview of hops contracts.Enjoy!Links:Reuben's BrewsReuben's Sightglass

Craft brewing is getting competitive... and crowded.Nowadays, if you're a new or an existing brewery, you have to ask yourself this question:What makes my brewery different from every other brewery out there?For this episode, we sat down with a TRVE expert on the topic, Nick Nunns from TRVE Brewing Company out of Denver, Colorado.We talk about how TRVE overcame the early obstacle of being underfunded, the reason Nick chose the heavy metal branding style, and what they do to stand out in the crowded, competitive Denver market.Enjoy!Links:TRVE Brewing CompanyReuben's BrewsReuben's Sightglass

For the past 3 seasons we've covered the topic of distribution.Today we want to get a little more specific, and talk about pricing within distribution.The guest for this episode is Mark Bjornstad from Drekker Brewing out of Fargo, North Dakota.We talk about different scope of distribution philosophies, the concept of premium pricing, and Mark tells us why Drekker doesn't see the process as selling beer to distributors.Enjoy!Links:Drekker BrewingReuben's BrewsReuben's Sightglass 

If you've listened to the podcast up to this point, you may have noticed how much we bring up EOS.For those who are unfamiliar, EOS stands for entrepreneurial operating system, and is the brainchild of entrepreneur and author Gino Wickman.In our second episode of this season, we spoke with Michael Memsic from Sanitas Brewing Company, who we found is also obsessed with EOS and utilizing it every single day.So, in today's episode we welcome Michael back for an in-depth conversation on everything EOS and how it can be integrated into your brewery.We talk about the importance of finding a rockstar at the integrator role, key factors when it comes to filling multiple seats within the accountability chart, and an example and breakdown of a scorecard.Enjoy!Links:EOSWhat the Heck Is EOS? by Gino WickmanSanitas Brewing CompanyReuben's BrewsReuben's Sightglass

Today we're discussing the ever relevant topic of distribution.Adam talks about the high demand in the early days of Reuben's, what the process of transitioning from bottles to cans was like, and an overall perspective on cultivating a relationship with distributors.Then we talk to Susan Michalek and Jeff Manol from Muddy York Brewing Co out of Toronto, Ontario.They tell us how they've transitioned previous career skills into running a brewery, they give us the main differences in the distribution network of Canada versus U.S., and how they've handled sales with so many distribution obstacles.Enjoy!Links:Muddy York Brewing CoReuben's BrewsReuben's Sightglass

Today we're talking about sharing the vision and leading the brewery team.The guest for this episode is Harris Stewart from TrimTab Brewing Co out of Birmingham, Alabama.We hear from Adam about the different cultural leadership styles he has experience with, Harris tells us how he transitioned away from micromanagement, and how he views company decision making.We had an absolutely stellar discussion with Harris, so we're skipping straight to the guest portion for this one.Enjoy!Links:TrimTab Brewing CoReuben's Brews

Today we're talking operations. In other words, how to keep sh*t from hitting the fan.Adam tells us about his current search for a Director of Operations role, the methods used when introducing a new brewer, and the hiring/interview process at Reuben's Brew. Then we bring in our guest, Aaren Simoncini from Beer'd Brewing Company out of Stonington, Connecticut. He tells us about the process of running different teams at separate locations, keeping everyone on the same page without face-to-face communication, and an insider perspective on the process of introducing SOP's into the employee's workflow.Enjoy!Links:Beer'd Brewing CompanyReuben's BrewsReuben's Sightglass

Marketing? Advertising? Branding? PR? Call it what you like… the bottom line is customers need to know you exist. In this episode we start off with Adam giving us the background behind the clean look of the Reuben's Brews logo, he tells us about the 10 by 10 test and how it helps with shelving choices, along with an overview of some early branding decisions.Then we bring our guest, Bret Hamilton, co-founder of Stone Corral Brewing out of Richmond, Vermont. Bret tells us the story behind the name Stone Corral, he talks about the effect of being around some of the big Vermont beer behemoths, and how marketing ties into the vision and environment in the brewery.Enjoy!Links:Stone CorralReuben's Brews

For the first two seasons we've reserved the second episode to discuss what we called atypical times, but things have changed since then. Depending on where you are, things may be returning to “normal.”So today we're talking about this post-COVID world we live in.Adam tells us what he considers one of the most important factors from lockdown times, how distributors reacted to closing down, and the chaos of adopting a COVID-puppy.Then we bring our guest, Michael Memsic, co-founder and CEO of Sanitas Brewing Company out of Boulder, Colorado.Michael tells us some of the creative ideas they utilized to adapt to the shutdowns (including an adult ice cream truck), about the new territory of working with way more liquor and grocery stores, and a bonus EOS geek-out session.Enjoy!Links:Sanitas Brewing CompanyReuben's SightglassEOS

Welcome back to another season of The True Craft Podcast!We're thrilled to introduce our co-host for Season 3, Adam Robbings from Reuben's Brews out of Seattle, Washington. Adam is an incredible wealth of knowledge as well as a podcasting pro as the co-host of the podcast Reuben's Sightglass.We start the season off with Adam telling us why he says he was “pulled” into opening a brewery rather than pushed, what the emotions were like in the early years, and what it feels like to experience an opening night.Then we bring the inaugural guest for Season 3, Steve Lieberman, founder of Surfridge Brewing Co out of El Segundo, CaliforniaWe talk about what Steve saw in San Francisco that made him consider opening a brewery, how the Surfridge team has developed taste alongside the craft industry, and why they're expanding from the LA area to the east coast.Enjoy!Links:Reuben's BrewsReuben's SightglassSurfridge Brewing Co.

We're back with one final Friends of SBS episode before Season 3 releases next week.In this episode, we're joined by the Chief Economist of the Brewers Association, Bart Watson.We talk about breweries charging their worth, how direct-to-consumer is coming into play, and Bart gives us his thoughts on the current state of the industry along with some future trends to keep your eye on.Enjoy!

We've brought up this name quite a bit on the podcast... We believe Ekos is the quintessential software for craft beverage businesses. That's why we are super excited to welcome the guest for this week's edition of Friends of SBS.Today we're talking with CEO of Ekos, Josh Mckinney.Josh tells us how Ekos found and filled a void in the industry, the biggest challenges of working in multiple countries, and he gives a piece of advice to breweries who may be struggling. Enjoy!

We're back with one last edition of Office Hours before we drop some guest content in anticipation of Season 3.Breweries are no strangers to the concepts of generalization versus specialization. So today's episode is all about niche firms and specialization.We're talking with another superstar here at SBS, Michelle Ryan, a Brewery Accountant and Tax Specialist. Having worked at a generalist firm and now with us as a specialist, she has an excellent perspective on the implications of niching down.She tells us about this past year and the moving target we call taxes, some of the major differences between general firms and niche firms, and the importance of sharing and fine-tuning an organization's collective knowledge.Enjoy!

As you may or may not know, both Small Batch Standard and The True Craft Podcast operate entirely remotely. And of course, due to recent events, working remotely has never been more relevant and practical.  Today's episode of Office Hours is all about remote work. We're joined by one of our many stellar Brewery Accountants, Allie Donovan.We talk about what the pandemic has shown us about working remotely, establishing communication channels from a distance, and being deliverable driven versus time driven.Enjoy!

We want to continue to peel back the curtains here with another look into some of our internal processes, and another edition of Office Hours.Office Hours' primary goal is to share the value and insight of the many extraordinary people who keep the gears turning here at Small Batch Standard.And this time around, we're talking to our Onboarding Manager, Derek Smith.Derek gives us an introduction into his role working with breweries, he tells us why he loves putting out metaphorical dumpster fires, and we take a behind the scenes look at the process of onboarding a brewery.Enjoy!

We're still recording and putting on some finishing touches on Season 3, so in the meantime here's another episode of Office Hours with our COO Tom Miller.In Episode 7 of Season 2, Chris and Jen spoke with Matt Katase about the true definition of the term culture, and all of the things that come with cultivating a healthy brewery environment. And today, we're diving even deeper into the concept of culture.Chris and Tom talk about vulnerability and what happens when you fail to be vulnerable, what it's like building a team that's aligned with a similar vision, along with a quick practical step for questions that you may not have the answers to.Enjoy!Links:The Culture Code by Daniel CoyleThe Power Of Vulnerability by Brene Brown

Season 2 has officially come to a close! We couldn't be more thankful to our guests, listeners, and of course Jen Febre, our amazing Season 2 co-host.In the final episode of our second season, Chris and Jen take a look at what we learned throughout the past nine episodes. They talk about Doug from Societe and barrel aging, Buckstin Brewing and their small town success, Four Saints and their techniques for empowering employees, and much more.Give it a listen, and of course, stay tuned for Season 3 coming up soon!Links:MacLeod Ale

This episode is all about family-run breweries.Jen starts us off by discussing what led her to opening a family-run brewery, what her family was up to before MacLeod opened, and how she's avoided nepotism.Then we bring in our guest for this episode, Brian Avery from Brävery Brewing Company out of Lancaster, California.Brian tells us what motivated him and his family to start a brewery, what forming a business plan with his father was like, and the process of adding a food kitchen.Enjoy!Links Mentioned:Brävery Brewing CompanyMacLeod Ale

Today's episode is all about the rebirth of draught.Jen sits this one out as MacLeod is currently focused on taproom sales, so Chris starts this episode off with a talk about decision making.Then we bring in our guest for the episode, Chris Smith, co-founder of The Virginia Beer Company out of Williamsburg, Virginia.We talk about Virginia Beer Co's packing split pre and post covid, cooperage arrangements, and the comeback of draught and distributor orders.Enjoy!Links:The Virginia Beer CompanyMacLeod Ale

Today we're exploring the concept of brewery culture.We start with a quick overview of Jen's bagpiping skills, how to see eye to eye with your founders, and we take a look at what we're really talking about when we use the word culture. Then we bring our guest for this episode, Matt Katase from Brew Gentlemen out of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Matt explains the dynamic culture of a brewery experiencing expansion and growth, we talk mission statement versus mantra, and Matt tells us how music fits into the mix.Enjoy!Links:Brew GentlemenMacLeod Ale

Today we have something a little different for you.Chris starts the episode off by diving into the topic of case equivalents (CE's). He covers what CE's even are, the number of CE's your sales rep should aim for, and how that changes if you're self-distributing or going through a distributor.Then we bring in Matthew Wallace from Oliphant Brewery out of Somerset, Wisconsin.We discuss the use of a distributor versus self-distribution, Matthew walks us through a typical delivery day, and tells us the biggest hurdle to overcome as a self-distributor. Enjoy!Links:Oliphant BreweryMacLeod Ale

Jen starts the episode off by telling us her top leadership priorities, what happens when lines are crossed or too many drinks are had, and we take a deep look at accountability in the brewery.Then we bring in our special guest for the episode, Karlos Knott, owner of Bayou Teche Brewery out of Arnaudville, Louisiana.We talk about when to hit the switch and assign a shot caller, Karlos talks about leading other leaders with his position in the Louisiana Craft Brewers Guild, and the unavoidable fear that comes with running a passion project.Enjoy!Links:The Prof G Show with Scott GallowayLeaders Eat LastBayou Teche BreweryMacLeod Ale Brewing Co

Today's episode we're diving into the deep topic of operations.Jen starts us off by telling us why she considers her number one job to be the “team-picker”, plus a short history of MacLeod's portfolio.Then, we bring in our guest for the episode, Joel McClosky, CEO and Founder of Four Saints Brewing Company out of Asheboro, North CarolinaHe tells us his biggest challenge when it comes to operations, how he gives his team the tools to manage customers and excessive drinking, and the five questions Four Saint's employees ask themselves to make confident, independent decisions without the need to consult with Joel beforehand.Enjoy!Links:Four Saints Brewing CompanyMacLeod Ale Brewing CompanyHow to Stop Worrying and Start Living By Dale CarnegieRich Powell IllustrationBilly Steele

Coming from an advertising background, our Season 2 co-host Jen is a true expert when it comes to marketing a brewery.And that's exactly the topic covered in this week's episode.Chris and Jen start things off by discussing what makes a successful logo, Jen tells us about MacLeod's early direct mail marketing campaigns, and why it's so important to start posting on social media long before opening day.Then we bring in our guests, Gabrielle Blanco and Justin Buchanan-Lopez, owners of Buckstin Brewing Company in Nederland, Texas.They give us the history behind their name and logo, how they built brand recognition in the small town of Nederland, and their 2021 marketing efforts.Enjoy!Links:Buckstin Brewing CompanyMacLeod Ale

Today's guest is an industry expert specializing in brewery and craft beverage insurance. Having worked with over 150 breweries throughout his career, it's easy to see why he's a fountain of craft insurance knowledge.  In this episode, we're talking with Certified Insurance Counselor Kyle C. Rheiner from CraftBrewingInsurance.com and The Beer Mighty Things Podcast.He gives us an inside look at brewery insurance, common misconceptions with insurance and insurance agencies, and tells us when should insurance be top of mind for brewery owners.This episode is full of eye-opening insight from Kyle that we hope can set a solid foundation for any brewery owner looking to learn more about insurance, and when to bring your agent into the conversation.Enjoy!Links:CraftBrewingInsurance.comThe Beer Mighty Things Podcast

It's now been over a year since COVID-19 shook up the world.In this episode, we're taking a retrospective look at the pivoting and ingenuity of the brewing industry, as we believe we'll be able to learn from this for years to come.Our season 2 co-host Jen Febre from MacLeod Ale starts off by giving the perspective of an LA brewery, how they navigated the early shut down, and how they've coped with the current uncertainty of shut-downs in Los Angeles County.Then we bring in our guest, Sten Sellier, founder and president of Beltway Brewing Company in Sterling, Virginia.He talks about his initial reaction to last year's COVID news, and Beltway's early plans for pivoting, protecting customers, and transitioning to branded sanitizer.Enjoy!Links:Beltway Brewing CompanyMacLeod Ale

After much anticipation… Season 2 is here!We're super excited to finally share our new season with you, and to announce our Season 2 co-host, Jen Febre, Owner and CEO of MacLeod Ale out of Los Angeles, California.Chris starts us off with an epic monologue, then Jen takes us through the early years of the brewery, including what led her to the industry, how she leveraged the name MacLeod, and the nitty-gritty of what it really takes to start a brewery.Then we bring the inaugural guest for Season 2, Doug Constantiner, Co-Founder and CEO of Societe Brewing Company in San Diego, California. Doug gives us an overview of the history of Societe Brewing, their early self-distribution, and what led to their decision to open a 3000 square foot tasting room.Enjoy!Links:MacLeod Ale Brewing CompanySociete Brewing CompanyScout DistributionStone Distributing Company

Before we drop season 2 we have one more Friends of SBS segment. This one features Kary Shumway, the mastermind behind Craft Brewery Financial Training.Chris and Kary talk brewery management software, when to take the plunge and start using it, and metrics that should be top of mind for all brewery owners.Kary also shares his background, how he started financial training in the craft industry, and his thinking behind his course.Season 2 next week.Enjoy!Links:Craft Brewery Financial TrainingKary's Financial TrainingEkos

We've got one more segment we'd like to share with you before we drop season 2. We're calling it: Friends of SBS. The purpose of this segment is to showcase the expertise and knowledge of our peers and colleagues in the craft industry. In our first edition of FOSBS, we welcome someone who's constantly spreading the word on why good beer matters, Jeremy Storton from Good Beer Matters. Chris and Jeremy dive into what it means to be a cicerone, the various achievements, and the process of becoming a master cicerone.They also talk about favorite food and beer pairings, so just a heads up, you may want to grab a snack before listening.Enjoy!Links:Good Beer MattersBreweryDBCicerone Certification ProgramTasting Beer by Randy MosherThe Brewmaster's Table by Garrett OliverBeer Pairing by Gwen Conley and Julia HerzCheese Beer Wine Cider by Steve Jones and Adam LindsleyDeschutes BreweryRogueJester KingUrban Roots BrewingOla Brew

Today, we have another killer edition of Office Hours for you. We brought out the brains behind the operation, our COO Tom Miller, to talk about the processes that keep the gears turning. Chris and Tom discuss methodology for establishing a vision and translating it into language that can be easily understood. They also explore tactical issues such as setting goals, tracking progress, and creating benchmarks.This is a topic for all business owners, not just breweries. And this episode has some major takeaways that businesses can implement ASAP.Links:Car Dashboard AnalogyThe Intelligent Action Series

We have something special for you while we put the finishing touches on Season 2... Introducing: Office Hours, a new segment featuring Chris and the Small Batch Standard team, giving you a peek under the hood at the internal conversations we have within the (remote) walls of our firm.The purpose of Office Hours is to give you a peek under the hood of SBS, and to record some of the conversations we are having every single day. In the first edition, Chris talks with our Director of Accounting Operations, Phil Schwab. They walk us through how the SBS team conducts margin analyses for our clients' beverage portfolios, discuss the importance of discipline when it comes to wholesale margins, and give us some perspective on what breweries should expect profit-wise in wholesale.  If you're a numbers geek, this one will be right up your alley.

One whole season down! We couldn't be more thankful to our guests, listeners, and of course our co-host, Brandon Skall.In the final episode of the first season of The True Craft Podcast, we take a casual look at some of the things we've learned over the past nine episodes.We talk about Kings County Distillery pivoting to hand sanitizer, Hyperion's inclusion marketing, leveraging technology with Liability Brewing Company, and much more.Enjoy! And stay tuned for season two!Links:DC BrauFour City Brewing CompanyKings County DistilleryHyperion Brewing CompanyCypress & Grove Brewing CompanyReuben's SightglassReuben's BrewsSailfish Brewing CompanyLiability Brewing CompanyKarben4Fernson Brewing Company

If there's one thing constantly on every brewery owner's mind, it's profit. Craft and community go hand-in-hand, but community can't survive without cash. And in this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we discuss profit in the brewery.Brandon and Chris start off by comparing profit margins in taproom and distribution models, navigating price increases, and Brandon's philosophy on utilizing debt.Then we bring in our guests for this episode, Blake Thompson and Derek Fernholz from Fernson Brewing Company in Sioux Falls, South DakotaThey give us insight on their sales split and profit in the early days of production, storage issues due to the increase in canning and distribution, and the status of Fernson's recent expansion.Enjoy!Links:Fernson Brewing CompanyDC Brau

We've watched in amazement this past year as brewery after brewery have pivoted out of draft and into cans. But this transition is far from a “set it and forget it” situation.An increase in packaged offerings has created an increase in aluminum demand, and in this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we discuss the potential aluminum shortage faced by craft breweries.Brandon shares how DC Brau has navigated the aluminum crisis in the past, what they've done to counteract the recent shortage, along with predictions for what the future of draft looks like.Then we bring in the guest for this episode, Zak Koga from Karben4 Brewing in Madison, Wisconsin. Zak is a great resource on this topic, especially since Karben4 has both an active canning line AND bottling line. He explains some of the advantages and disadvantages faced with offering both package types.Enjoy!Links:Woodman's MarketKarben4 BrewingDC Brau

Humans have been brewing beer for thousands of years. Needless to say, the industry has seen it's fair share of technological improvements, which seem to jump further and further ahead each year, all in an attempt to make life in the brewery a little bit easier.That's why this episode of The True Craft Podcast is all about technology.Brandon gives us the perspective of an automated brewhouse, the journey it took to get to that point, and an overview of some of the back office software we recommend the most.Then we bring in our guest, a wizard when it comes to technology, Terry Horner from Liability Brewing Company in Greenville, South Carolina.  Terry is a software engineer who used his knowledge to optimize everything they do in the brewery, and he also gives some great insight on artificial intelligence in the industry.Enjoy!Links:Vermont Information ProcessingEkosQuickbooksBill.comBiermiLiability Brewing CompanyDC Brau

When the big production volume talks start, most brewery owners' eyes light up. But with great distribution volume comes great responsibility… and some key make-or-break decisions for the brewery's future. And that's exactly what we cover in this episode of The True Craft Podcast.Chris and Brandon explore the pro's and con's of choosing either an independent distributor or a larger distributor, how to become a leading local brand, and how the scope of distribution changes as the brewery grows.In the interview portion of the episode, we talk to Dave BuShea from Sailfish Brewing Company in Fort Pierce, Florida.Dave talks about his distribution journey, the changes they made when they moved up to a bigger brew system, and the thinking behind Sailfish's product portfolio.Enjoy!Links:Premium Distributors of Washington, D.C.Southern Eagle DistributingDC BrauSailfish Brewing Company