We welcome back our friend Chris Farmand, founder of Small Batch Standard, a craft beverage financial agency in Florida with 10+ years experience.

We're talking margins, wholesale and co-packing, OH MY!

In this episode, Chris and I dive into a detailed analysis of brewing strategies, particularly the pros and cons of contract brewing. Chris explained the financial implications of in-house production versus contracting, emphasizing the need for breweries to regularly analyze their costs and pricing. We discussed the challenges of maintaining brand identity and quality while navigating the complexities of contract brewing.

Chris and I stress the necessity for breweries to understand their financial metrics and strategize effectively to ensure profitability, especially in light of current economic challenges.

Give Chris a shout a chris@sbstandard.com

https://sbstandard.com/

Enjoy!

#beermightythings #smallbatchstandard #contractmanufacturing #copacking

Here's a quick and powerful episode all about how to deliver delicious suds from the tap to your patron's glass.

We're sitting down with CEO & Co-Founder of BarTrack, Brett Danielson to discover his top tips for delivering a quality draft experience and reducing draft waste.

Brett and I dive into their non-intrusive beverage sensing technology designed to monitor beer quality without disrupting the flow, providing real-time updates and insights for bar owners.

Brett stressed the significance of effective communication and staff training in maintaining high standards for draft beer dispensing, addressing common operational inefficiencies that can lead to poor product quality. If you love draft beer and draft cocktails - lend 22 minutes of your life to this episode! Enjoy!

#beermightythings #bartrack #draftbeer

After 15 years as a Physical Therapist, Josh Evans had a moment where he realized he needed a change. In 2023, Josh chose to open Afterglow Brewing in Norfolk VA and has already captured medals for his beers and the hearts of the community.

Tune in and hear his story! Enjoy.

#beermightythings #afterglowbrewing #vabeer

At the recent Virginia Brewers Conference, I met the met the Queen of Quality Control and founder of Charlottesville-based Imbibe Solutions, Audrey Skinner. She's a food scientist, a beer & whiskey judge and is here to make sure your beverages remain delicious.

She was kind enough to join us and school us on the topic of Quality Control in the wine, beer and cider industries.

She walks us through the best time to harvest, how to collect your sample grapes, store them, ship them, and what you can expect when working with Imbibe Solutions.

Be sure to check out their website for great blog posts and case studies.

www.imbibe-solutions.com and follow on IG @imbibesolutions

Enjoy this episode! Cheers!

#beermightythings #wine #winequalitycontrol #fermentation #imbibesolutions #vawine

We're welcoming in Michael Tonsmeire, author, mad fermentationist, and co-founder of Sapwood Cellars in Maryland.

We're diving into the operational complexities of managing beer releases and brewing up bubbly gems. Michael's background lends him the skills of breaking down every detail and documenting them for constant improvement across all facets of the brewery.

Sapwood's commitment to empowering its team and fostering a culture of experimentation is paramount.

We hit on the brewery's diverse beer options, the use of local ingredients, and the unique appeal of their beers to the local community.

We also discussed the challenges and benefits of outsourcing canning, as well as the significance of the barrel program in filling production gaps and maintaining a premium product.

Michael emphasized the importance of specialization, particularly in the context of the Tasting Room's focus. He discussed the brewery's meticulous approach to preventing oxygen exposure and ensuring healthy fermentation, as well as the impact of minor recipe tweaks on beer quality. Additionally, he emphasized the value of sensory collaborations and the dynamic nature of learning through collaborative brewing.

Dive in and enjoy!

Visit Michael & crew at sapwoodcellars.com/ and on IG: @sapwoodcellars

#beermightythings #sapwoodcellars

Jen and Mike Onofray, owners of Two Frays Brewery in Pittsburgh PA pop by to brighten up Yinz day with their focus on community and their exciting"Mod Monday" innovations within the NA Craft Beer scene.

They've created Mod Mondays to create a safe space for those who thought they'd never step foot in a brewery again - and they're crushing it!

Tune in, follow them (@twofraysbrewery) and see how they're daring mighty things!

#beermightythings #nabeer #twofraysbrewery #modmonday #nearbeer

With the amount of online stores on the web and growing litigation, we need to make sure we're compliant in running our shops and making them accessible to all.

Kris Rivenburgh of Accessible.org sits down with us to emphasize the need for thorough audits to identify accessibility issues and the potential risks associated with non-compliance, particularly in the context of litigation.

We discussed the role of providers in conducting audits and remediation, highlighting the importance of code expertise and the cost considerations involved.

Link up with Kris@accessible.org and check out the ADA Boook and his Youtube Channel

#beermightythings #adacompliance #adabook

Co-packing is becoming more and more popular and also, necessary.

Emily McClendon of Wildpack Beverage joins us to help you navigate the best possible way to work with your co-packer to ensure a smooth relationship.

We're diving into the questions the ask, the ins and outs, the do's and dont's.

We cover the considerations for selecting a co-packer and ensuring a successful production run, specific ingredients and processes, popular flavors of 2024, pricing and logistics.

You just might learn something! Enjoy!

#beermightythings #wildpackbeverage #copacking