Gemma Young’s Post

"Hands full, spirits high! Introducing our unique Beer Belt – the ultimate companion for your festivities. Keep your favourite drinks close and your party spirit closer. With four slide-able beer bottle pouches, it's the perfect accessory for any celebration. Make a statement with convenience and fun. 🍻🎉 #BeerBelt #PartyEssentials #HandsFreeDrinks"

Excited to be presenting at next week's Craft Beer Professional's Fall Virtual Conference on a timely topic: What's Next After Beer Festivals [Go Extinct]? With Oktoberfest in Munich seeing a 1.5 million attendee increase WITH FEWER BEER CONSUMED AND 50% MORE NON-ALC BEVERAGES SERVED, plus fewer exhibitors and attendees at both The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) and National Beer Wholesales Association (NBWA) Annual Conference and Tradeshow, one could ask what the singular extinction event could have been for craft beer festivals. We discuss 4 major trends happening with festivals; how to evaluate event sponsorship; and the components of a killer event you create from scratch. Take your events to the next level and learn more about winning strategies for craft beer by attending the Virtual Fall Conference October 16-18: https://lnkd.in/gwPwPST9. Cheers!

Woah, I hear the reactions to Homebrewcon being put on "Hiatus". My own take? Love the move. Put aside the financial realities, declining attendance, and simple need and consider where the GABF came from; the AHA and homebrewing. "The Great American Beer Festival got its start in 1982 as just a part of the American Homebrewers Association‘s fourth annual conference. If the name is any indication, however, founder Charlie Papazian had grander ambitions for this remarkable event." The roots of beer as we know it today, can be directly drawn back to the AHA, the early days of GABF, Charlie P., and so many other pioneers like him. Beer was beer, however it came about. That symbiotic approach paid dividends. So I applaud the Brewers Association on this decision. I understand how it may feel to many, but right now, we need to bring everyone under the same tent; from homebrewers to pro-brewers, from 5-gallon batches to larger industrial production, from homebrew to macro. Power in numbers, strength in solidarity. Beer is changing in front of our eyes, and we all need to adapt to find a new foundation and perhaps tap back into the mindsets of those folks in the late 70's and early 80's. We can figure this out together. Relax, don't worry, have a homebrew. https://lnkd.in/g_TbpG4R

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What once was a celebrated platform for introducing new products is now struggling to attract participation. Tickets that previously sold out in minutes are still available the week of the event. Sponsor dollars are harder to come by. And being awarded in a competition no longer carries much weight at retail. It’s enough to make a brewer wonder if beer festivals are dying a slow death. What’s needed is a shift in mindset before signing up for your next beer festival. We look at the troubling trends in attendance; reduced brewery support; and growing consumer concerns around overconsumption as prompts for a new festival model. One that meets the [new] drinker where they are, with greater balance and overall engagement, focusing less on “getting your money’s worth” and more on the overall experience. We believe festivals of the near future will focus in three (3) key areas: -Creating a theme that helps shape a unique experience -Inviting relevant non-beer partners and local businesses to contribute -Highlighting the personality and story of participating brands Next-level beer festivals still need to showcase innovations; present different use-cases like food pairings and cocktails; and support a charity or community organization. But drinkers are demanding more for their entry fee. Our goal is for brewery owners and managers to have a complete set of tools to evaluate participation in future beer festivals or to create an engaging event from scratch. Presentation attendees have access to our “Beyond Beer [Festivals]” Guide, with techniques to keep fans engaged and the proven techniques to build momentum and capture new sales for your brand. Market Your Craft is a virtual team of experts in storytelling your craft beer brand. We've worked with some of the most iconic brands in the beverage industry, including Sierra Nevada, BJ's Brewhouse, Jim Beam, Maker's Mark and others. Led by Scott Kolbe, industry veteran of 20 years, our goal is to help you become more discoverable in today's crowded market. We measure success by how quickly we provide your internal team with the tools needed to drive traffic, build engagement and capture sales. To learn more or to schedule an hour free of charge with one of our storytelling experts, visit marketyourcraft.com. Huge thanks to Encompass Technologies, Boelter, & Gorman Smith Beverage Equipment for all your support on our Fall Virtual Conference. Join us in-person for CBP Connects | Half workshop, half networking Charleston, SC | December 4-6, 2023 Grab your spot now at https://lnkd.in/gYgjTFWV

Wiesn Season! "Wiesn" is coming to a close in Munich with ~5.6 million litres of Oktoberfest beer being consumed over the 18 days (this year). I thought I would share my perspective as a British brewer and beer lover living in Bavaria. As you would expect the “big six” Munich breweries produce consistent, high-quality beer & these specially brewed Festbiers have an impressive drinkability despite the hefty ABV (~6%). It seems a strange combination the 1 litre “Mass Krug” serving plus the higher strength beer, but it combines well for the celebratory atmosphere. As a brewer and beer geek, I may obsess about the beers, but the event is much more. I have listed the fundamentals which I feel contribute to the success of this amazing event: ·       Community- This is a “Volksfest” after all and what is a folk festival without people coming together. The different tents all have a different feel, and community & the table service structure leads to different group interactions especially with some beer as social lubrication. ·       Tradition- Old school cool and nostalgia are an obvious part of the Wiesn Appeal. ·       Live Music & Entertainment- Classic sing-along hits in an array of languages are integral to the fun along with the rides and games. ·       Organisation- The slick structure and organisation must not be an easy task, but few places compare. More Spider Murphy Gang than Murphy & Son Ltd but great fun, Prost 🍻 #Beer #Brewing #Event #Octoberfest

𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭…. Face it, that’s why you are here with us, reading about the best beverage in human history. Though any of the 365 days in the year are a great time for a finely crafted brew, there are beer holidays that are scattered throughout the year that highlight specific styles or other additional factors related to beer. While we don’t really need an excuse to bust open the top of a well-made beer, these are three of the biggest beer holidays: 1) Oktoberfest, the world’s largest beer festival, runs through mid-September to the first weekend in October. While the original party is happening in Munich, Germany, multiple Oktoberfest celebrations in honor of the original are happening all over the world. 2) St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th, the origins of this holiday mostly relate to the good work done by the real St Patrick, and many people honor the holiday for religious and cultural appreciation. People all over the world also enjoy St. Patrick’s Day with a traditional Irish beer and gatherings with friends and family. If you’ve ever wanted to brew a green beer, St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect opportunity to give it a shot! 3) National Beer Day, April 7th, marks the day that President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act, which allowed the legalization of beer sales in the U.S. with an alcohol content of 3.2 percent, ending Prohibition. Which lead to many Americans taking to the streets and celebrating with, you guessed it, a beer! #celebrate #beertime #drinkresponsibly #GoodTimes #goodfriends

Bartenders aren’t there to make you happy. 😮 They can, at best, support the conditions of your happiness. Provide a good environment, give good service, make a delicious drink. As bartenders, we do have certain tools in our toolkit. Alcohol is one of them. Alcohol makes us feel a certain way. It relaxes us initially, perhaps making us feel more sociable. There are other things that can do that, too. Caffeine, cannabis, certain herbs. Those are called functional ingredients and many have been used for thousands of years. They’ve become part of non-alcoholic beverages. Think of them as more tools. But get this: if the point is to feel good, then the only thing capable of doing that is you. Happiness is a long term commitment. It isn’t an ingredient or a drink. As Maria Bastasch said this morning when we were discussing, there are entire religions dedicated to happiness and they still don’t always get people there. The point is: bartenders can create the conditions of happiness and we should have more than one tool. But, ultimately, happiness is each person’s responsibility. Today I get to speak about this and more at the United States Bartenders' Guild Diamond Jubilee with two of my favorite people, Maria Bastasch and Lynnette Marrero. Sponsored by the yummy Aplós. If you’re in town, check it out. A Better Buzz: How to Make Great Non-alcoholic Cocktails with Functional Ingredients presented by Derek Brown, Maria Bastasch, and Lynnette Marrero (Sponsored by Aplos) https://lnkd.in/ge7ybTkb #mindfuldrinking #alcoholfree #nonalcoholic #boozefree #alcoholfreelife #mocktails #nonalcoholicdrink #noalcohol #zeroproof #mindfulness #wellness #functionalingredients #usbg

Strong writing can entice people to shrug at low production value.

Do you have a favorite festival or event food? What is a unique regional eat at your local state fair or agricultural event? I'm a foodie in general, but there is something special about the strange concoctions that people create for their regional festivals and events. One of my favorite things is the New Foods announcement for the State Fair of Texas. The Dim Sum burritos and Burnt Ends Pizza are certainly on my list this year. The best part about these intriguing eats is the buzz it generates. There is always a ton of media attention from the initial announcement and even more social chatter from people as they eat. (Tons of UGC!) Events can maximize the value by encouraging UGC creation by adding hashtags and social handles to signage, especially near new and popular food vendors. Capture and use that content on event channels to drive attendee traffic to more remote parts of the event. #texas #texasevents #statefair #festivals #tfea