Anyone looking for an answer to when craft’s current era of compounding hurdles and declines will come to an end received a reality check Wednesday during Brewers Association (BA) president and CEO Bart Watson’s state of the industry address, held at the start of Day 2 of the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Indianapolis.
Around 10,000 industry members are expected to make the trip to Indianapolis for the 2025 Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America (April 28 to May 1). The gathering takes place against a backdrop of growing headwinds for craft breweries and an overhaul of CBC’s host organization, the Brewers Association.
The Brewers Association (BA) has named Bart Watson as the trade group’s next president and CEO. Watson will succeed Bob Pease, who is retiring from the organization, effective January 3. Watson’s first day in the new role will be January 6.
When her husband told her he wanted to start a brewery, Trillium co-founder Esther Tetreault had a pair of questions for him. “Do you want to be a brewer, which is cool, or do you want to start a business in craft beer?” she asked JC Tetreault.
The Brewers Association’s Craft Brewers Conference has taken over Indianapolis, and the Brewbound team gives a vibe check on the first day of the largest meeting of craft brewers in the U.S. Justin, Jess and Zoe recap early presentations from BA board chair Leah Cheston, president and CEO Bart Watson and Trillium founders JC and Esther Tetreault and the overarching theme of resilience in the face of adversity.
First time visiting Indianapolis? Same here. To craft my Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) extracurricular gameplan, I consulted some beer-loving locals and ex-pats for their favorite spots both beer-related and not in Indy/Circle City/Naptown (OK, I also consulted Wikipedia for the city’s nicknames).
Audra Gaiziunas is the CFO and co-owner of Asheville’s DSSOLVR, the treasurer of the Brewers Association’s (BA) board of directors and the founder of Brewed for Her Ledger management consulting firm. Since opening the firm, Audra has worked with more than 300 brewery partners to organize and optimize their finances.
With craft brewers facing an overwhelming amount of uncertainty, the 2025 Craft Brewers Conference comes at a good time for those interested in tapping into winning strategies. While I encourage you to be in the room for Brewers Association (BA) CEO Bart Watson’s state of the industry speech at 9 a.m. ET on Wednesday, April 30, there are several other seminars (and parties) worth your time.
Racing fans, we are headed to Indianapolis! It’s my first time in Indy, and I might be sneaking away for some fast car-related excursions while in town (Motor Speedway Museum, anyone?). But I’m just as excited about what’s on tap at this year’s Craft Brewers Conference (CBC).
Something that’s stuck with me from classes taken en route to a master’s degree in integrated marketing communication is that your brand isn’t what you say it is – it’s what your consumers say it is. I’ve identified a few seminars that will help you differentiate yourself in a crowded market by becoming consumer-centric in your portfolio strategy and finding ways to tell your story in your own authentic voice.
Audra Gaiziunas wears so many hats she could open a Lids. She is the CFO and co-owner of Asheville’s DSSOLVR, founder of Brewed for Her Ledger management consulting firm and treasurer of the Brewers Association’s (BA) board of directors. There is almost no one better to feature in our pre-Craft Brewers Conference edition of A Round With …, the Brewbound Insider-exclusive Q&A with industry leaders.
When Brewers Association (BA) staff economist Matt Gacioch is asked whether craft brewers are optimistic or pessimistic, his response is “brewers are realistic.” “They are understanding that this is a new environment that they are operating in,” Gacioch said during the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast.
Headed to Indianapolis for the 2025 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) and looking for some light reading? We got you. Ahead of the Brewers Association’s (BA) big event, we’ve put together a list of some of the trade group’s biggest stories from the past few months that will help you prepare for the week.
The U.S. market was somewhat prepared for President Donald Trump to enact tariffs during his presidency, as promised during his campaign. But it wasn’t prepared for how “aggressive” those tariffs would be, including the speed and extent of their implementation, Rabobank global strategist, beverages, Stephen Rannekleiv said Thursday during a webinar hosted by the Brewers Association (BA).
As some suppliers and wholesalers warm to intoxicating hemp beverages, bev-alc trade group leaders are looking for regulatory parity between their members’ products and the burgeoning segment.
The Brewers Association (BA) announced the recipients of the trade group’s annual Industry Awards today, recognizing “individuals and groups that have made a significant impact on the craft beer community.”
Brewers Association-defined craft beer recorded a -4% decline in packaged volume in 2024, BA staff economist Matt Gacioch reported this week in the trade group’s annual packaging report.
