independent brewers association

150+ Fan Engagement Ideas For Craft Breweries: Solutions To Entertain And Educate, Drive Revenue And Connect Beer Fans And Local Communities During COVID19

106 days into 2020 and what an unimaginable and absolutely crazy year it has been within the Australian craft beer industry this year.

First the devastation of the summer bush fires and now the way the world has been flipped on its head by COVID19. It’s been an incredibly tough time for many Australian’s and small businesses out there but as I work within this industry I’ve also seen first hand how stressful, challenging and frustrating it has been for independent craft breweries (and all the associated people along the supply chain) throughout Australia.

However if it’s one thing that this industry and community of good beer fans do well, it’s pulling together and working together to support each other. From the relentless back-breaking work that organizations like the IBA, Oz Brews News, Froth Mag and Crafty Pint do for this industry to all the craft beer fans out there who have all gone to great lengths over the past few months to buy local and get behind their community craft breweries, well it’s just so bloody lovely to see. What an outstanding community of people! It just makes you feel so damn proud of how Australian’s come together to support each other in times of crisis.

Anyway, seeing as I have lost work like many others within the industry and because I now have some extra time on my hands and just can’t sit still, I have put together another handy infographic of fan engagement ideas that will come in useful to a host of businesses, breweries, and venues within our industry.

Featured below is a new fan engagement infographic that has been created from collating ideas and initiatives from what over 300 Australian craft breweries have been doing to engage their fans and local communities. I have also included all of the ideas within a bullet point list with images added below as well as including some of my own ideas. If an idea does not make sense then please feel free to reach out and I will assist.

Earlier this week I also released an infographic for the sports business titled ‘200+ Fan Engagement Ideas to Entertain, Educate and Connect Sports Fans during COVID19‘ which aims to help local grassroots and community clubs throughout the globe with ideas to engage their communities at this time. Previously I have created these resources below as well. These have been useful for the sports business but many of the ideas are interchangeable, cost-effective and simple and have also helped small businesses with the ideas presented here being quite adaptable to many businesses.

I have also previously created this resource ‘100+ Fan Engagement Ideas For Craft Breweries’ which has been a simple and effective guide for craft breweries across Australia and may come in handy down the track for other breweries to acquire new fans and drive further revenue opportunities.

If IBA members also have access to the new IBA forum and website sections then my fan engagement presentation and panel from last year’s BREWCON conference might also be a beneficial watch.

All in all this has just been something to do to stay active during this time so I hope that it comes in handy for anyone within the independent craft beer industry.

My final piece of advice is to get out there and support your local indie brewery and buy local from local indie bottle shops and venues doing take aways where you can as this will help these businesses at a time when they all need it the most.

Thanks for reading.

150+ FAN ENGAGEMENT IDEAS FOR CRAFT BREWERIES: SOLUTIONS TO ENTERTAIN AND EDUCATE, DRIVE REVENUE AND CONNECT BEER FANS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES DURING COVID19

150+ Fan Engagement Ideas For Craft Breweries: Solutions To Entertain And Educate, Drive Revenue And Connect Beer Fans And Local Communities During COVID19

Bottle shop/venue and staff shout outs to promote local indie stockists
Trivia
Merch incentives/giveaways (even just free stickers) with minimum spend beer orders
Online happy hour
Art series featuring and promoting breweries local community/artists
Supporters send in your pictures with the brewery beers
Competitions- win a years supply etc
Promote beer finder maps/stockists
BrewChats online shows
Healthcare worker discounts
Posting takeaway food menus
Isolation beer festival/tastings
Creative sample boxes (core range cartons to mixed cubes)
Hand sanitser for sale
Live stream bands at home
Mega variety packs
ISO Games
Pop quizzes for discounts/deals
Virtual masterclasses
Beer cocktail recipes
Craft beer baking efforts
Midweek madness sales
Pics/shout outs/promote/thank the brew crew
Letter/email of the day
Drive Thru Specials
Access to exclusive content
Buy a case, get a free….crowler/incentive etc
At Home menu’s- bring the taproom to your house
Local area bar/venue Monopoly board game shout out
Beer/food delivery order apps
Promote take away meal/beer packs
Brewery supporter quotes
Donate a carton/4pack/beer to a health care worker
Promote your merch especially female range of gear
Win the first case off the canning line
Food and beer variety packs
Local craft beer collaboration packs featuring various breweries beers
Creative specials and daily deals on takeaway food and beers
Creative colourful drive thru set ups and instructions
Check in on elderly brewery supporters
Word searches
Caption This
Bingo cards
Spot the tinnie/beer
Colourjng in sheets/Tattoo design sheets
Drawing challenges
Throw back pictures/moments/memories
Nominate a brewery supporter
Challenges
Zoom wallpapers of the brewery/SKUs
Podcasts
Hand washing techniques/instructions
Deliver care packages to supporters
YouTube/Video shows/recaps and rewinds
Hero of the brewery (emergency services fan shout outs)
Feel good moments/pics/videos
Art competitions
Countdowns and votes and polls
Connect 4 brewery challenges
Photo of the day
Supporter Nominations
Q&A’s with the brewer
On This Day
Fitness/work out/training tips
Craft beer YOGA
GIF challenges
Share your brewery supporter story- fan sourced
Utilising fan generated content
Instagram/FB Live with brewer/team member
Beat the clock online jigsaw puzzle challenges
Emergency/Health services branded merch
#FromTheArchives
Choose your ultimate brewery team lineups
Mental Health Messages and Tips
What Self-Iso Personality Are You?
Quizzes
Polls
Brewery Spotify music playlists
What are the breweries up to updates
CEO messages/emails to supporters
Brewery video messages to supporters
Twitter/FB/Insty take overs
Send letters to the brewery
Dogs of the brewery and fans pets etc
RSA/ABAC appropriate kids activity worksheets on agriculture/sustainability/hops etc
Memes
Pixelated pick the beer
My ‘brewery Story
Random Acts of Kindness
Virtual brewery tour
60 seconds Qs with the brewery team
Brewery/supporter/bottle shop people profiles
TikToks
Tattoo profiles of the brewery staff
Live Q&A
Fun and quirky facts
Merch offers and incentives
Merchandise daily deals
Virtual Meet Ups
Online Quizzes Ex. Kahootz
Free access to exclusive content
Cooking and recipe shows and plans
Educational virtual video sessions
Virtual tastings
Mini documentaries
Exclusive special one off merch lines
Good News Stories
Stay Home Messages
Send us your crazy graphic design requests
Guess the brewery from the emoji’s
Bracket challenges
Merch giveaways
Your brewery memory
Personalised brewery wallpapers
CRIBS- brewery home lockdown version
#OpenDoorChallenge
Fan Art Fridays
#GetYourKitOn- shout outs with supporters in their craft beer tees
Donate a beer or gift card
Gift cards!
Stat attacks
Stories behind the moments
Surprise fans with calls/videos
Name The beer
Show and Tell (Show Us Your beer cave/memorabilia)
Arts & Crafts
Community hero of the week
Fan discounts for brewery sponsors- support local businesses
Thank You Messages to supporters
Your Birth Month and First Letter of your name = Your Career/Name etc.
Word Challenges: Brewery scattergories
Spot The Difference
Share favourite beer merch items
Mental Health/Fitness webinars
Fan video messages of support for the brewery
Brewery profiles
Fan of the week
Animated GIFs
Cartoons
This Week: Run a schedule of what’s on for supporters
Inspirational quotes
Virtual Happy Hour’s knock off beers/drinks with team/fans
Build the ultimate beer meal
Thank you shout outs to health care workers
Maze challenges
Fans/Brewery nominate a local business that deserves recognition
What’s in the brewers/fans fridge?
Beer baking challenges
Sudoku worksheets
One on one video chat with the brewer
‘I Stay Home For….’ Cards
Community Support Roster- show who the brewery supports
Brewery printable cut outs
Virtual Vacations frames for fans
Where’s the brewery/beer (where’s wally etc.)
Fan/Supporter hall of fame
Find the BEER
Fan call from the CEO
Printable posters/assets
Supporter/beer caricatures
Brewery DJ doing a set live on social
Fans merch lucky dip live
Memory games
Fan wall at the brewery
Promote fans loyalty i.e. 1, 5, 10 years memberships
Harness, use and showcase fan generated content
Fan appreciation day/week

My Year In Beer: Beers, Ideas, Lessons and Visit Tips From 51 Brewery Experiences in 2019

My year in beer for 2019 has come and gone and while I’ve had a very enjoyable year working in beer (have a read of this article here on my experience working in the craft beer industry) I’ve also had a very satisfying time getting out and about to check out as many craft breweries as I can on my travels.

It’s been rewarding to meet the hard-working people behind the breweries and to try and learn as much as I can about the industry as well as just sample their tasty brews as well as try and get more people and my mates into drinking better quality beer and supporting these local Aussie indie brewers and businesses.

The industry has so much positivity and enthusiasm from the talented insiders and passionate fans alike who like me love elements such as the tinnie art, talking to the people at the breweries, traveling for beer tourism and beer road trips, collecting too much beer gear merch, learning about the sustainability and environmental approaches as well as experimenting with all the different and diverse flavours and aromas of the brews while at the same time supporting local Aussie businesses. Honestly, how good does it make you feel!

I quickly thought I’d put a bit of a blog post together that both wraps up my year in beer travels as well as provides some insights, ideas, lessons and also some tips for anyone planning on visiting some of these specific breweries listed below. Please feel free to touch base if you’re after any travel tips for these breweries as I’d be happy to help. Thanks for reading. Enjoy this with a cold brew and bring on 2020.

Key Facts:

51 breweries
49 independent craft breweries
4 states and 1 territory
Queensland 10
Victoria 20
Tasmania 7
Western Australia 7
New South Wales 6
1 Beervana Festival
1 New Zealand brewery
Beers consumed: Lost count.
Best beers: 3 Ravens Pine Lime Creamsicle and T-Bone Brewing Peanut Butter Stout. Too many to list.
Best experiences: Felons for the view, Moon Dog World for the crazy set up, Stomping Ground for the beer notes and unique kids play area and Two Bays for giving me a job! Again, too many to list.

Lessons, Ideas and Insights:

Merch. Some really unique, on-trend and new stuff this year from socks to cord caps, canimals to well-designed growlers and enamel pins to beer vouchers. I wrote this blog a few months back about beer merch too that’s worth a look.
Merch stands. Having a colorful, vibrant, creative merch stand with well-designed merch entices more people to take a souvenir away from the brewery.
Contact details. Ensuring correct times/addresses/key details are always up to date on social pages/websites and use of bots to streamline punter Q’s on social.
Fridges. Vibrant take away fridges with special deals, mixed packs or added incentives for punters.
Glassware. I think Range wins this one for the nicest glassware. Love the glasses there. Goes a long way to have a nice clean glass to enjoy with your brews.
Tasting paddles. Townsville Brewery represented the best value for volume. Also like Fixation, having a funky paddle design to put them in goes a long way too for the social posts.
Venue architecture. Kids spaces, outdoor seating, plants and garden beds, creative taps (Burleigh’s skate deck ones win this) and you can also never go wrong with astroturf- that’s actually one of the tenents I live by in life too. Love the stuff! Stomping Ground’s kids area is a marvelous example of providing a positive experience for families and kids.
Food. The abundance of vegan and GF menu’s in taprooms showcases the inclusive industry this is and draws in more people at the same time. Having the availability of GF beers, spiced ciders, mulled wines, spritz’s, organic or local soft drinks, kombuchas, etc all are smart options to cater to everyone not just beer drinkers.
Tasting notes. Stomping Ground seems the most detailed and I do love seeing extensive notes about the beers I’m drinking.
Signage. Neon signs look amazing at night or on wet days, signs out the front or simple wayfinding and well-lit spaces to attract.
Fan engagement. Live local music, trivia nights, beer memberships/clubs (Inner North’s 100-pint beer club/Range’s run club/ Otherside’s ‘buy a bit of the brewery’), ‘Dogs of Grifter’ also a cute idea to engage the local community. There are so many things these breweries and more are doing and I’ve put this list together and these articles a while back that details more on craft beer fan engagement ideas.
Stickers/Email EDM’s. Burnley’s free stickers for an email sign up. Beer geeks love slapping a sticker on their car or fridge. Just ask me, I’ve got about 50 on the back of my LandCruiser.
Brewery tours. Some good ones around from free quick tours of the tanks to $25 tours which included a paddle. These really are one and the same and honestly what more can these be at any brewery anywhere in the world, but the best ones were where I got to talk to the actual people behind the brewery about pain points, local issues and their successes and lessons learned. Obviously that’s me and other folks just want to hear how beer is made. Just talk to the staff about day to day life in beer and find out what that brewery is doing in the local community.
Freebies/Deals. 3 Ravens have a box of past beer decals and stickers that you can pick up a memento for a buck. Even just having beer coasters goes a long way as I know many mates who take one as a memento.
Sustainability. Loads of sustainability initiatives around the breweries like solar power to bio cups but I like how some offer a free pot or just a beer for bringing back your biopak holders.
Little touches. The hydration water station at Black Hops looks impressive and more than just jugs of water.
Beer tourism. Smart ideas like the Brisbane and Marickville ‘Beermuda Triangles’.
Space. Ample spaces for functions and events with different seating options. Industrial fans when it’s stinking hot or burners when it’s chilly.
Beer lists. Clear and concise signage and layouts for cost, beer style, ABV, small note on taste/flavour makes these pop when the person is standing in line to order and easier for the punter to choose which speeds up the service.
Accessibility/Transport. Moon Dog World’s massive bike rack area that encourages people to ride in was impressive to see.

QUEENSLAND (10)

Range Brewing Co, Newstead, Queensland

Fascinating brewery
Incredible beers
Simple open and airy aesthetic
Knowledgeable and friendly staff
A must visit

Townsville Brewery, Townsville, Queensland

Great value for money for tasting paddle
Lovely old Queensland building to marvel at
Huge range of beers
Lots of art to admire
Great staff who were keen for a chat.

Burleigh Brewing Co, Burleigh, Queensland

The taps are some of the best in Oz. What a creative idea.
Lots of space for all
Live music and movie nights
Surfboard set up is sweet

Black Hops II, Biggera Waters, Queensland

Very nifty ideas here
Hydration station
Biopack return point
Effective signage
Funky tap set up
Great merch area

Semi Pro Brewing Co, Wolloongabba, Queensland

Delicious beers
Cool spot at the Gabba- go here before a Lions or cricket game.
Lots of seating
Kids/family inclusive with good spaces for all
TV’s for the cricket etc
Lovely staff members

Fortitude Brewing Co, Tamborine Mountain, Queensland

Secluded and tranquil brewery
Lots of parking and other attractions nearby like cheese and local produce.
Live music stage set up is cool
Very friendly and passionate staff

Balter Brewing Co, Currumbin, Queensland

Nice wall art
I loved my BEER cap until I lost it!
Coasters and beers all enjoyable.
Friendly staff.

Lost Palms Brewing Co, Miami, Queensland

Love the design and aesthetic of this brewery
Bonus points for giving us some stickers for the car and fridge to promote them
I love their art too.

Felons Brewing Co, Brisbane, Queensland

Location, location, location is the best bit here.
Get a spot overlooking the Brisbane River and grab one of their tasty brews.

Black Hops, Burleigh Heads, Queensland

The OG!
Love their merch range especially the beer socks.

NEW SOUTH WALES (6)

Stone and Wood Brewing Co, Byron Bay, New South Wales

Creative merch area- stands out.
Heaps of space for punters inside and out.

Devil’s Elbow Brewing Co, Dubbo, New South Wales

Brand new brewery
What a win for locals out here
Extensive beer list and tasting notes
Lots of parking and places to sit

Grifter Brewing Co, Marrickville, Sydney, New South Wales

Dogs of Grifter was a highlight as were the beers

Stockade Brewery, Marrickville, Sydney, New South Wales

Sours were mint

Batch Brewing Co, Marrickville, Sydney, New South Wales

Nice glassware
Bonus points for lush hanging trees and nice setting

Sauce Brewing Co, Marrickville, Sydney, New South Wales

Cool setting out the back
Delicious beers here. I was very surprised.

TASMANIA (6)

Hobart Brewing Co, Hobart, Tasmania

Epic dark beers
Cool merch long sleeve shirts
Nice fire areas
Bonus points for spiced hot apple cider

Cascade Brewery, Hobart, Tasmania

Spun the chocolate wheel and won a carton of retro Cascade tinnies. Was a good day.

Moo Brew at MONA, Tasmania

The beer vending machine is hilarious and such a cool concept
Nice setting up the top of MONA to try their beers- was quite cheap too given the location

Shambles Brewing Co, Hobart, Tasmania

Quality staff up for a chat
Great beer list signage
Stout was impressive
Lots of space out the front to chill under a burner

The Winston, Hobart, Tasmania

HUGE beer list
Great beer notes
Pumping atmosphere
Add it to your Tassie list
Friendly staffers

Bruny Island Brewing Co, Bruny Island, Tasmania

Such a nice setting here
Pick up local produce too
Stout was insanely good
Pack the jumpers and head here if visiting Tassie
Loved the tallies.

T-Bone Brewing Co, Hobart, Tasmania

Peanut Butter Stout was simply delicious.
Cool wall art
Funky location in North Hobart
Nice staffers
Cool merch

VICTORIA (19)

Stomping Ground Beer Hall, Melbourne, Victoria

Kids Zone is a clever idea
Extensive beer notes
Very family-friendly and inclusive

Inner North Brewing Co, Brunswick, Victoria

Greenery around the venue is a plus
Nice staff up for a chat
Cool location down a back street in Brunny
Doing impressive beers
Nice beer list signage
Cool 100-pint membership club….I’m still on 3.

Queenscliff Brewhouse, Prickly Moses Brewing, Queenscliff, Victoria

Cheery staff
Pumping atmosphere inside and out the back
Cool barrel display
Nice beer art
Good beer lists

Jetty Road Brewing Co, Dromana, Victoria

Impressive beers AND food! Food is a winner here
Extensive beer art
Happy staffers

Urban Alley Brewing, Docklands, Melbourne, Victoria

A huge line up of brews
Well worth coming here if here for shopping in Docklands or going to an AFL etc game
Staff are always polite and friendly

Salt Brewing Co, Airey’s Inlet, Victoria

Quiet outdoor setting to enjoy
Lots of beer merch and good designs too
Beers were delicious
Extensive beer notes
Staff more than up for a chin wag

Two Bays Brewing Co, Dromana, Victoria

(Disclaimer- I work here but visited as a punter in February before starting out in March)

All gluten-free beers and taproom food
Vegan menu. We came out here because wife is vegan and she was very impressed
Dromana in the Mornington Peninsula is a magnificent 1-hour drive from Melbourne and you can take in a heap of other breweries like Jetty Road, Dainton, Mr Banks, Mornington Peninsula Brewery and loads more.

Valhalla Brewing Co, Geelong, Victoria

Owner is a champion fella and had a good chat with him here
Nice spot in centre of town and an hour from Melbourne or less
Huge beer list

Blackmans Brewery, Torquay, Victoria

Lots of merch
Lots of seating areas
Friendly staff
Yum beers

Southern Bay Brewing Co, Geelong, Victoria

Great chat with the owner
Not open for visits though so not worth rocking up as I did
Not much in this part of town
Black IPA was delicious

Burnley Brewing Co, Melbourne, Victoria

Love the beer socks
Lots of clever merch ideas
Free stickers
Huge beer list
Happy hour $4 beers are incredible
Lots of events here
Quality, happy staffers
Mint glassware

Moon Dog World, Preston, Victoria

Interesting!
Lot of spaces to chill out in
Vegan/GF menu
Some cool activities to be had here
Lots of merch items
Bike racks out the front are smart to encourage cycling in

Moon Dog Brewery, Abbotsford, Victoria

Another OG
Well worth a visit
Funky set up
Great beer list and happy staff

Black Dog Brewing Co, Taminick, Victoria

Stopped here when traveling back to Brisbane up the Newell Highway
Make a stop in it’s worth it
Lots of beer styles
Picked up a cap- love a black dog!

Fixation Brewing Co, Collingwood, Victoria

All about the IPA’s
Nice glassware
Creative beer paddles
Such kind, friendly staff
Nice beer list wall

Thunder Road Brewing Co, Brunswick, Victoria

Chilled place in Brunswick
Lots of beer varieties to suit all tastes
Plenty of events
Good pricing for craft beers

Detour Brewing Co, Coldstream, Victoria

Did a day road trip out here- not far from Melbourne – the scenery is sublime.
Unsure whats happening as says ‘permanently closed’ on google
Cool merch
Nice staff- brewer had the time for a chat
Let me take a pic behind the bar.

Temple Brewing Co, Brunswick, Victoria

Nice spot any day of the week
Some of the nicest people work here
Huge beer list

3 Ravens Brewing Co, Thornbury, Victoria

Scene of one of my favourite beers for 2019
Love the beer club here
Great use of ex-stickers/beer decals selling for a $1 or $2
Such a chilled space
Quality staff make this an inclusive space

Future Mountain Brewing and Blending, Reservoir, Victoria

Seriously good brews
Extensive beer notes
Amazing glassware
Staff that give a damn

WESTERN AUSTRALIA (7)

Gage Roads Brewing Co, Palmyra, Western Australia

Such a good visit but no brewery tours here
Good to try the other Gage varieties like Hello Sunshine and Atomic before launch
Good to get the Gage beers at Optus Stadium too

Otherside Brewing Co, Myaree, Western Australia

Wow! What a venue.
Love the ‘buy a bit of the brewery’ idea
Colourful takeaway fridge
A must visit in Perth.

Blasta Brewing Co, Burswood, Western Australia

Live local music
Good beer lists
Nice crew
Close to transport. Came here before State of Origin.

Little Creatures Brewing Co, Fremantle, Western Australia

Very cool merch- love the hop hats
Cool branded cars for photo ops
Quality beers
A very nice experience that’s well worth checking out in Freo

NowhereMan Brewing Co, West Leederville, Western Australia

Great quality glasses and brews
Friendly staff

Nail Brewing Co, Bassendean, Western Australia

Unparalleled hospitality
No brewery tour but unbelievable experience meeting this legend
Get behind Nail-they do amazing things!

Beerland Brewing Co, Perth, Western Australia

Love the beer club idea
Pumping atmosphere

Garage Project Fermentation Workshop, Wellington, New Zealand

Very lucky to be able to take this in
Some of the best beers in the world
Amazing hospitality

Beervana, Wellington, New Zealand

No words, just go do this!

Froth Beer Mag: Crafty Careers: So You Want To Work In Craft Beer?

Crafty Careers: So You Want To Work In Craft Beer?

There’s never been a better time to get involved and start a career working in the Australian craft beer industry as the market continues to grow daily on the back of exciting trends including changing consumer tastes and an increasing loyalty from a passionate fan movement for locally produced, high-quality independent craft beer.

So if you’re looking to get a start in the industry could a career in craft beer be just for you?

This article explores why Australia’s craft beer industry is a thriving space to work in, the diverse roles on offer at breweries, my personal experience from having recently started at a Victorian craft brewery as well as providing some advice from experienced and knowledgeable industry leaders regarding the skills that are essential and how you too can get a job working in beer.

The Beer Boom

It’s an exciting time across the country as the craft beer sector continues to boom with new craft breweries opening in both regional and inner cities on a near-weekly basis while more and more artisan bottle shops, brewery tours and beer festivals are also being established to cater for the new wave of consumers who are passionate about experimentation, quality, freshness and knowing the source of their beer. The impact of this boom has led to positive outcomes including more jobs, the rise in craft beer tourism especially in rural parts of Australia, increased government support, record hop crop yields, new educational courses as well as creative innovations and sustainability initiatives that are collectively delighting craft beer drinkers and bringing local communities closer and closer together across the country. Furthermore, while the industry faces many challenges such as increasing market access, competition from multinational breweries and a global downturn in beer consumption, the positive contribution that these craft breweries add to local Australian communities and our economy is both significant and to be applauded.

From Beer Nerd To Brand Ambassador

My career path has involved working across the education, sports, music and tech sectors but as a craft beer nerd I’ve also been trying to champion the scene wherever I can such as through my writing, however at the start of the year I finally decided to follow my passion for Aussie craft beer and look for a start in the industry. Fast forward to the present day and working at Two Bays Brewing Co as a brand ambassador has been both a phenomenal learning experience and the best career decision that I’ve ever made. In the past six months I’ve regularly been out of my comfort zone learning new skills and insights about beer and while I’ve managed our events and got our beer into venues it’s been the small things like cleaning the beer lines, helping out on the canning line and learning about the brewing process hands-on with our brewers that have been the most rewarding to me.

Working at a craft brewery is challenging and rewarding but it’s also plenty of fun and while my perspective is based purely on working across sales and events, career pathways in the industry are diverse and can include many roles like brewing and marketing to venue management and accounting. Careers in beer can be for anyone that’s just starting out or wanting to pivot their skills but it’s essential to have a positive attitude along with a willingness to jump in and help out in other aspects of the business. This is exciting as you’re bound to learn plenty of new hands-on skills about beer along the way with Bad Shepherd venue manager Jenny Watts noting “having a passion and desire to learn is essential and I encourage anyone looking to get into the industry to have an open mind, be prepared to do the hard yards, start at the basics with a mind to work your way up and enjoy the journey because the Australian craft beer industry is an amazing network of fantastic, supportive like-minded people”.

Getting Started

There are plenty of simple things that you can do to give yourself a greater chance of securing a role such as volunteering at beer festivals, creating content such as blogs, attending events and workshops, researching and reading up on the industry in trade publications to building your knowledge and connections by networking with the industry either at the taproom, bottle-o tastings or festivals which are all effective ways to gain deeper insights into working in the craft beer industry. As head brewer at Stone and Wood Caolan Vaughan highlights on roles in brewing for instance “you should ask and volunteer at your local brewery. You never know what they will say. Go and study something related to brewing like chemistry or even better go and do a specific brewing qualification. There is plenty on offer around the world via correspondence and some are available right here in Australia.” From my own perspective I wrote stories, created infographics and educational content, built up my networks while on my craft beer road trip adventures, went to trade shows and workshops and even started a fun little Instagram blog showcasing Aussie craft breweries. All of these things went a long way in making connections, learning more about the industry and eventually getting a gig in the craft beer world and they’re also quite simple things that anyone else can do too to get a head start on their journey in beer.

Industry Advice

Having an understanding of some of the general skills and attributes required and how to get involved in the industry is vital when looking at a career in beer and so for this story I asked a handful of experienced and knowledgeable colleagues from across diverse roles in Australia’s craft brewing industry to provide some advice on what people can do to get started.

Up in the northern beaches of Sydney and Modus Operandi sales rep and certified cicerone Becky Centeno states that the best advice she could give anyone “is that it’s all about attitude in the sense of staying positive and fiercely determined. Getting involved in the industry takes a lot of dedication, time, and putting yourself out there, but also being humble and cooperative along the way is massive” while down in Melbourne at Hawkers, Cellar Technician Melinda Foulkes notes that “the ability to` problem solve and think on your feet are probably the most valuable skills when working in the beer industry”. Green Beacon’s Ella Gasparini provides further useful advice and reaffirms that anyone can forge a career in this industry by highlighting that “Obviously the starting point for a lot of us is a passion and love for beer but it doesn’t necessarily have to be the only thing. There are so many skill sets that add to this industry. Finding your place and a role that suits you is key. This is becoming a more and more diverse industry and a lot of roles are opening up that were previously non-existent”.

What Are You Waiting For?

The rapid growth of the industry illustrates that if you’re passionate about good beer and thinking about a career in this space then there’s never been a better time to get started. With new and diverse roles becoming available on a daily basis, breweries are on the hunt for creative, enthusiastic, dynamic and passionate people to help capitalize and continue this exciting momentum. The Aussie craft beer industry is a fun and challenging space to work in that has been built on the back of the positive and passionate people that comprise it and hopefully the insights provided here helps anyone out there whose currently looking to get a start in the industry. So, could a career in beer be for you?

Bio
Blair Hughes works in events and sales for gluten free brewery Two Bays Brewing Co in Dromana, Victoria. You can follow him on Twitter at @MrBlairHughes or at www.MrBlairHughes.com.

BREWCON 2019: And The Crowd Goes Wild Q&A Recap

Quick post BREWCON note to say thanks to both the Independent Brewers Association and staff for the opportunity to run a session at the conference and to my fabulous panel Nick Truelson from the Western Bulldogs, Danielle Allen from Two Birds Brewing Co, Jenna Godley from Colonial Brewing and Amy Bradshaw from Essendon Football Club who gave up their time to contribute their knowledge, experience and ideas around fan engagement, sports business and craft beer to help continue the growth of the Aussie craft brewing industry.