Texas — It’s never been more important to support local, independent businesses. That’s why, this weekend April 23-26, the Texas Craft Brewers Guild is inviting Texans to join us in making the #GreatTexasBeerRun to restock home fridges across the state with Beer-To-Go from local craft breweries offering takeaway, drive-thru, and curbside pickup.
“Craft breweries have always been focused on their communities by being a place to gather with friends and family,” Texas Craft Brewers Guild Executive Director Charles Vallhonrat said. “Brewers are passionate about making the best beer possible, while also helping build local culture and supporting neighbors. During this crisis, while we may not be able to gather together, it has still been incredibly uplifting to see the bond between communities and their breweries grow even stronger. The Great Texas Beer Run builds on that connection and gives breweries and their fans an opportunity to come together – at a distance – with a little fun while practicing important social distancing measures to support each other.”
Small and independent brewers have been hit particularly hard by the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis because of a heavy reliance on on-site taproom sales and draft beer sales to local restaurants and bars. Now more than a month into Stay-at-Home orders, Texas Craft Brewers Guild members are experiencing, on average, a 71 percent revenue decline. To create awareness around the ways Texans can still support their favorite local breweries while practicing social distancing, the Texas Craft Brewers Guild teamed up with Guerrilla Suit, an Austin-based creative agency that works with several craft brewery clients.
“We were watching firsthand the devastating impact that COVID-19 was having on their businesses,” Guerrilla Suit Account Executive Hannah Young said. “Unlike many other industries such as bars and restaurants that were able to begin delivering food and alcoholic beverages under new regulations, these breweries had so few opportunities to adapt and make up for lost on-premise revenue. As part of a larger initiative to use our creative services to help local businesses in our community, we came up with the idea of a social campaign to encourage Texans to go on a beer run to directly support their local breweries. We brought it to the Texas Craft Brewers Guild and with their help, that idea turned into The Great Texas Beer Run campaign.”
Texans making the Great Texas Beer Run are encouraged to check out local breweries’ websites/social media for information on call-in or online ordering and contactless pick-up procedures including takeaway, drive-thru, and curbside pickup. Adequate safety precautions, including frequent hand-washing, maintaining six feet of social distance, and wearing a face-covering/mask are highly encouraged nationwide by CDC guidelines and required by many Texas municipalities.
Texans who want to support local craft brewers from home are still invited to participate by making a “virtual beer run” to pick up some merchandise or a gift card from their favorite local brewery’s online store.
Participants are encouraged to share their beer hauls (or virtual beer hauls) on social media using #GreatTexasBeerRun.
ABOUT THE TEXAS CRAFT BREWERS GUILD
The Texas Craft Brewers Guild is an association of brewers advancing the Texas craft beer industry through advocacy & education. The Guild exists for the purpose of promoting Texas craft beer, educating the public about the qualities and attributes of craft beer and advancing the common interest of Texas craft brewers. The Guild’s Board of Directors hail from craft breweries in all the major metropolitan regions of the state, as well as different brewery types and sizes to represent the Guild’s over 300 brewery members, including operating breweries, as well as those that are in the advanced planning stages. The Guild also welcomes allied trade and retail members who support the craft brewing industry. To learn more about the Texas Craft Brewers Guild visit texascraftbrewersguild.org.