In this Brewbound Podcast interview, host Jess Infante sits down with Sarah Bryan, Executive Director of the Maine Brewers Guild, to preview the 10th Annual New England Craft Brew Summit, taking place Friday, March 6 in Portland, Maine. The one-day conference, New England’s largest B2B gathering for the craft brewing industry, brings together brewers, brewery owners, suppliers, and industry partners for a jam-packed day of education, collaboration, and connection. Bryan describes the summit as a distinctly New England event: independent, no-nonsense, and intentionally designed to deliver maximum value in a short amount of time for busy operators.
Bryan highlights what’s new for the milestone year, including an expanded and modernized trade floor, longer educational sessions, and a keynote address from Natalie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing Company. Anchored by the theme “The Brewer’s Compass: Finding Focus, Crafting with Purpose,” the program reflects an increasingly mature craft beer landscape, with advanced sessions covering topics like AI in the brewing workplace, modern PR and earned media, supplier innovation, employee wellness, and navigating today’s complex market conditions. Beyond the conference floor, the summit also features a full slate of networking events, brewery collaborations, and celebrations throughout Portland, reinforcing the event’s reputation as both a business-critical conference and a cornerstone gathering for the New England beer community. For more information and registration details, visit the New England Craft Brew Summit website.