WINTER 2018 | NOV 27+28 | SANTA MONICA
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PITCH SLAM: YOUR BREWERY IN THE INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Brewbound Live Pitch Slam: presented by Craft Brew Alliance
is a showcase for entrepreneurs looking to expand beyond the tap room.


BREWBOUND LIVE

Meet the Industry, Then Pitch 'Em!

It is all about the journey. Fifteen semi-finalists begin the competition with a half-day of education and one-on-one conversations with respected beer industry veterans. The half-day session culminates in an opening round of tight, concise pitches. Five brewers will advance to the finals on Day 2, where they will take the main stage and be challenged to make a lasting impression in four minutes. Judges will also have three minutes to ask additional questions, while sampling two chosen brews

BREWBOUND LIVE

Compete Against the Next Breakout Brands

We have expanded our competition to include new products across the brewing industry. The reimagined Startup Brewery Challenge welcomes adult beverage types that do not necessarily fit into the beer category, such as cider, hard water and alcoholic kombucha. Respected industry veterans -- including brewers, distributors, retailers, investors, marketers, and consultants -- will judge.

BREWBOUND LIVE

Get Industry Exposure

Exposure begins when participants are announced as semi-finalists on Brewbound.com. It continues during the event when engaged attendees and thousands of live stream viewers watch the pitches with anticipation.

During the competition, participants will receive actionable advice from an expert panel of judges, experience pitching in a high-stakes environment, and gain two days of valuable industry exposure. In addition to a paid trip for two to Craft Brew Alliance for strategy sessions, and a free registration for Brewbound Live Winter 2019, the Pitch Slam winner will also receive additional exposure via a free Brewbound industry awareness advertising package valued at $10,000.

PRESENTED BY

Build Industry Awareness, Knowledge, Connections


Education to Kickstart the Challenge

The day before the main event, 15 semi-finalists will take part in a half-day educational session that is designed to help early-stage companies overcome the challenges and pitfalls that many startup brewing companies encounter. In addition to meeting one-on-one with experts and judges, the session will also feature an opening round of concise pitches that will determine the 5 finalists.



Finals on the Main Stage

Five finalists will be selected by a panel of expert judges to present on the Brewbound Live main stage on Day 2 of the conference. Participants will each have just four minutes to deliver their pitches, followed by three-minute Q&A sessions with the judges. Participants will provide two different brews, one to be tasted prior to the competition and one during, that the judges will evaluate. The winner will receive the title of Brewbound Pitch Slam Champion and the grand prize.

 


The Grand Prize

The champion will win an all-inclusive trip for two to Portland, Oregon, for a multi-day strategy and education experience with Craft Brew Alliance executives and brewers. In addition, the winner will receive an industry awareness advertising package with Brewbound and free registration to Brewbound Live Winter 2019.

Prioritize Attending, This is a Commitment

The Pitch Slam challenge offers a unique opportunity to pitch your brand and make a mark on the brewing industry. Please consider that this competition requires considerable time and effort, and should be taken as a serious endeavor. Applicants must be dedicated to crafting their best pitch. While there are no costs associated with applying, participants must be registered attendees of the conference.

Pitching creates opportunities to have conversations with experts who can help answer your questions and partners who can help grow your business, but you can also find these opportunities through savvy networking at Brewbound Live. The conference content is focused on trends, challenges, and “what’s next” for the brewing industry.

Outside of the competition, there is ample time to network with industry players and discuss your business. Our editorial and marketing teams will also meet with as many breweries as possible at the event. We want to share your stories with our audience and the Pitch Slam is just one of the many ways to get involved.

If you commit to pitching, we ask you to make a short, smart-phone quality video to show us who you are. There are presentation guidelines and deadlines. You will need to prepare ahead of the challenge and be open to receiving instant feedback -- both positive and critical -- from the judges and the audience. Many of the judges will be available for feedback after the competition and are happy to maintain relationships with participants.
 
Pitching might mean you miss some valuable on-stage insights or a great conversation. There are trade-offs that will make the experience different than attending without pitching. It is worth the time and effort, but a lot of work goes into crafting the winning pitch.

 

REGISTER TO ATTEND BREWBOUND LIVE

Past Champions












Winning Pitches



Respected Industry Members Judge the Competition

  • Amy Gutierrez, Category Manager – Beer, BevMo! - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Amy Gutierrez

    Category Manager – Beer, BevMo!

    Amy Gutierrez, Category Manager – Beer, BevMo! - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Amy Gutierrez

    Category Manager – Beer, BevMo!

    Amy Gutierrez, a native Northern Californian, started her beverage career, with Southern Wine & Spirits. The last two years there, she was the BevMo! Category Captain, where she helped open 19 stores. She joined BevMo! in 1997, in the same roll and then transitioned to Assistant Buyer for Food and Hardlines. Amy has always had a passion for beer, and in 2003 was promoted to the Assistant Buyer for beer. Then four years later, was promoted to her current position as Category Manager for Beer. She is responsible for all beer buying in 163 stores, in three states.

  • Daniel Lust, Co-Founder, Pints LLC - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Daniel Lust

    Co-Founder, Pints LLC

    Daniel Lust, Co-Founder, Pints LLC - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Daniel Lust

    Co-Founder, Pints LLC

    Daniel Lust, the former Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc., a family-owned beverage wholesaler based in Tucson, AZ, is an independent consultant with PINTS LLC supporting the beverage industry in strategic planning, data analysis, marketing and branding, territory expansion, and wholesaler management. During his tenure at GED he was focused on developing internal process improvements, profitable pricing initiatives, business intelligence tools and portfolio development. His sales leadership was recognized by supplier partners, including national recognition by Anheuser-Busch for developing innovative solutions to measure sales performance and execution. He is also an avid mountain biker, road cyclist, golf nut, home brewer and active member of various charitable organizations in the local community.

  • Kit Wanty-Lambert, VP of Marketing, O&W Inc. - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Kit Wanty-Lambert

    VP of Marketing, O&W Inc.

  • Adam Lambert, COO, Storied Craft Breweries - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Adam Lambert

    COO, Storied Craft Breweries

    Adam Lambert, COO, Storied Craft Breweries - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Adam Lambert

    COO, Storied Craft Breweries

    Adam has spent 20 years in the beverage industry. Prior to Storied Craft Breweries, he worked with three prominent craft brewers, serving as the VP of Sales New Holland Brewery and Distillery for two years and as VP of Sales for Dogfish Head Craft Brewery for seven years. He also spent six years as National Sales and Marketing Manager for Rogue Ales. His past experiences include owning a wine distribution company and beverage brokerage, and he is a long serving member of the Brewers Association. While at Rogue, Adam grew sales of the brand from 28,000 barrels to 78,000 barrels. During his time, the brand expanded distribution to all 50 states and 20 international markets. Rogue's distribution footprint consisted of 125 distributors across 50 states. Adam also helped grow Dogfish Head from 78,000 barrels to 230,000 barrels. During his time, Dogfish expanded to 30 states with a distributor network of 135 wholesalers.

  • Jonny Stringer, Manager of Beer Operations, Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Jonny Stringer

    Manager of Beer Operations, Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries

    Jonny Stringer, Manager of Beer Operations, Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Jonny Stringer

    Manager of Beer Operations, Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries

    With 18 years of experience in beverage and restaurant operations, Jonny is an avid craft beer expert and Certified Cicerone®. Focused within Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries on the Old Chicago brand, Jonny executes and develops the beer strategy, manages 85-plus versions of the beer list, is Old Chicago’s beer content expert, and oversees 13 regional beer specialists across the country. Jonny seeks out up-and-coming as well as proven brewers to make collaborations and exclusive beer promotions for the brand. Old Chicago has over 4000 draft lines, at 108 restaurants, in 24 states and is focused on selling a blend of local, regional and national craft beer offerings.

  • Karmen Olson, Director of Emerging Business Partnerships, Craft Brew Alliance - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Karmen Olson

    Director of Emerging Business Partnerships, Craft Brew Alliance

    Karmen Olson, Director of Emerging Business Partnerships, Craft Brew Alliance - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Karmen Olson

    Director of Emerging Business Partnerships, Craft Brew Alliance

    Karmen Olson is the Director of Emerging Business Partnerships for Craft Brew Alliance, where she discovers and integrates strategic partners that leverage CBA's brewing and distribution expertise. Karmen previously served as the Redhook Brand Manager for CBA where she initiated a partnership strategy with national Retail and Media outlets that led the brand from negative to double digit growth. Karmen has more than 15 years' experience in the Food and Beverage industry, specializing in brand strategy and strategic partnerships. Ms. Olson holds an MBA from George Fox University, a Bachelor of Science from Portland State University, and serves on the Board of Directors for Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls in Portland, OR.

  • Tomme Arthur, Founder, The Lost Abbey - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Tomme Arthur

    Founder, The Lost Abbey

  • Darren Rovell, Sports Business Reporter, ESPN - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Darren Rovell

    Sports Business Reporter, ESPN

    Darren Rovell, Sports Business Reporter, ESPN - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Darren Rovell

    Sports Business Reporter, ESPN

    Darren Rovell is the sports business reporter for ESPN, where he has covered the beat for the network for 11 years. In this capacity, he writes for ESPN's website and appears on all its shows including "SportsCenter" and "Outside The Lines." He has a vast social media following, most notably his 1.8 million followers on Twitter. Rovell, who won an Emmy Award for his work on NBC's 2008 Election coverage during his six-year stint with business channel CNBC, has been involved with the food and beverage world for more than a decade. He wrote a book on Gatorade called "First In Thirst" and is a partner in Tastemaster Capital, which invests in early stage food and beverage companies.

  • Martin Favela, Co-Founder, Border X Brewing - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Martin Favela

    Co-Founder, Border X Brewing

  • Tom Bleigh, Innovation Brewmaster, Craft Brew Alliance - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Tom Bleigh

    Innovation Brewmaster, Craft Brew Alliance

    Tom Bleigh, Innovation Brewmaster, Craft Brew Alliance - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Tom Bleigh

    Innovation Brewmaster, Craft Brew Alliance

    Thomas Bleigh is the Innovation Brewmaster for Craft Brew Alliance where he leads a team of Innovation brewers to create new products, explore new ingredients and engage in brewing Research & Development. Tom was born in Augsburg, Germany and is a graduate of UC Davis with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and the University of Wisconsin with an Master of Fine Arts. A 16 year Craft Beer industry veteran, Tom’s interests are in meats, cheese and kimchi in addition to “Pursuit of the Perfect Pint!”

  • Matt Bardill, Senior Manager, Beer, Total Wine & More - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Matt Bardill

    Senior Manager, Beer, Total Wine & More

    Matt Bardill, Senior Manager, Beer, Total Wine & More - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Matt Bardill

    Senior Manager, Beer, Total Wine & More

    Matt Bardill joined the Total Wine & More team in 2010 as a member of the Import Wine team. While on the wine business, he held various role and drove double digit growth for the import wine category.  In 2014, Matt joined the beer team which accounts for over $400M in annual sales He is now the Senior Manager of the Beer Buying Team, overseeing the Beer Business at Total Wine & More across 21 states and over 170 store locations.  Matt received his undergraduate degree from UNC – Chapel Hill and his MBA from the University of Maryland – College Park

  • Stephen Bossu, Co-Founder, Hopewell Brewing Company - Brewbound Live Winter 2018

    Stephen Bossu

    Co-Founder, Hopewell Brewing Company

The Pitch Slam 10 Application is CLOSED. Apply for the Next Competition.

The application is now available for Pitch Slam 11 at Brewbound Live Winter 2019 on November 27th and 28th in Santa Monica, California. If you are interested in applying, please send us a short note below. A member of the Brewbound team will respond promptly with answers to your questions and/or access to the application.

This form is from an event that has already taken place and is no longer accepting submissions.