Branding for Breweries - Strategies to Grow Brewery Brands and Sales

The Brand Weaver
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  • Business
  • Updated Semiweekly

Branding for Breweries is the podcast for beer brands, breweries, and marketers who want to grow sales, attract customers, and stand out in today’s crowded indie beer scene. Hosted by Tim Weaver (The Brand Weaver), each weekly episode features real-world strategies and interviews with top names in beer, branding, and marketing. From building loyalty with storytelling to maximising taproom footfall, this is your no-fluff guide to brewery success. Follow on Instagram @brandingforbreweries or visit www.thebrandweaver.co.uk

  1. 3d ago

    The Rebrand That Took Big Hug Into Sainsbury’s & ASDA | Matt Williams

    Big Hug Brewing had good beer, genuine purpose and more than a decade behind the business. But when a Sainsbury's buyer told Matt Williams the liquid was great while the range was “all over the place” and the logo was weak, it confirmed something Matt already knew. The brand needed work. So Big Hug rebranded. In this episode, Matt joins me to talk about what changed, why they moved their People & Planet purpose right to the front of the brand and how that transformed the conversations he was able to have with major retailers. We get into: • Why individual beer designs can work while the overall brewery brand doesn't • The brutally useful feedback Matt received from a Sainsbury's buyer • Making charitable and environmental impact tangible to drinkers • Creating consistency across cans, taps, beer mats, merchandise and the taproom • The ASDA pitch that was stopped after just six minutes • Why Matt believes the rebrand was essential to landing Sainsbury's and ASDA • Balancing commercial growth with genuinely sticking to your values A cracking real-world example of what can happen when the beer, purpose and brand finally start telling the same story. HELPFUL LINKS Branding for Brewerieshttps://thebrandweaver.co.uk/branding-for-breweries Free Brewery Newsletterhttps://thebrandweaver.co.uk/brewery-newsletter The Brand Weaverhttps://thebrandweaver.co.uk/ Branding for Breweries bookhttps://amzn.eu/d/04KdwFsw SPONSORED BY CHARLES FARAM Supplying and developing the best quality hops from around the world to help brewers create great beer. Grower-owned and brewer focussed. https://www.charlesfaram.com/

    The Rebrand That Took Big Hug Into Sainsbury’s & ASDA | Matt Williams

  2. Sep 9

    Brewery Marketing: How Vault City Builds Unmissable Beer Releases

    Most breweries cannot outspend the biggest beer brands. Vault City has built its reputation by using ideas, packaging, photography and human creativity to make its major releases almost impossible to ignore. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by Richard Wardrop and Gavin Hill from Vault City Brewing to explore everything that happens between having a wild beer idea and putting it out into the world. They explain how Vault City decides which concepts are worth brewing, why flavour still comes before the gimmick and how cultural moments, nostalgic flavours, international markets and customer suggestions feed into the development process. Richard and Gav also reveal why major releases are planned six to nine months in advance, how they decide which beers deserve extra creative investment and why packaging and photography can turn a collection of beers into a complete experience. The conversation also tackles AI-generated creative work, growing consumer demand for authenticity and what smaller breweries can do when they do not have an experienced photographer or large marketing team. IN THIS EPISODE • How Vault City develops new beer concepts• Why the flavour has to work first• Planning major releases six to nine months ahead• Using packaging to make a release feel special• Building photography around flavour and ingredients• Competing for attention on social media• Why creativity can help smaller breweries punch above their weight• Creating media packs for bars, bottle shops and wholesalers• AI-generated content and the return of visible human effort• Simple beer photography advice for smaller breweries• Finding unexpected creative talent within your existing team ABOUT THE GUESTS Richard Wardrop leads marketing, brand and communications at Vault City Brewing. Gavin Hill is Vault City’s in-house photographer and an experienced food and drink photographer, creating the visual worlds surrounding the brewery’s releases. CONNECT WITH VAULT CITY Websitehttps://vaultcity.co.uk/ Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/vaultcitybrewing/ Richard Wardrop on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-wardrop/ Gavin Hill on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/vaultcitygav/ Gavin Hill on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-hill-47638a56/ CONNECT WITH TIM WEAVER Branding for Brewerieshttps://thebrandweaver.co.uk/branding-for-breweries Free Brewery Newsletterhttps://thebrandweaver.co.uk/brewery-newsletter Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/brandingforbreweries/ LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrandweaver/ Branding for Breweries bookhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FXS1YPXW PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY CHARLES FARAM Branding for Breweries is proudly supported by Charles Faram. Supplying and developing the best quality hops from around the world to help brewers create great beer. Grower-owned and brewer focussed. https://www.charlesfaram.com/

    Brewery Marketing: How Vault City Builds Unmissable Beer Releases

  3. Sep 2

    Beer Festivals: How Breweries Can Stand Out, Sell More and Win New Customers

    Turning up with a table, a couple of kegs and hoping people remember you isn’t much of a beer festival strategy. A good festival can sell beer, build your audience and even open doors to new trade customers. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by Dave from Craft Brew Festival to unpack how breweries can get far more value from beer festivals. Having worked across numerous Craft Brew Festival events, Dave has seen the breweries that consistently get noticed, the simple ideas that pull queues towards a stand and the mistakes that leave good breweries disappearing into the crowd. They get into everything from choosing the right beers and taking enough staff to building a stand people actually want to approach, creating memorable activations, using merch and giveaways, and making sure drinkers still remember your brewery the morning after. There’s also a much bigger commercial opportunity at stake. Dave explains how breweries can meet buyers, restaurants and potential trade customers at festivals, why every conversation matters, and why success shouldn’t simply be measured by how many empty kegs you take home. Because the best brewery festival strategy starts before the doors open and continues long after everyone has gone home. In This Episode • What breweries should decide before booking a beer festival • Why simply turning up and pouring beer isn’t enough • How festival drinkers behave differently to pub and taproom customers • What the best-performing breweries consistently get right • How small breweries can stand out alongside much bigger brands • Simple festival stand ideas that get people talking • Why memorable activations don’t need huge budgets • How stickers, merch and giveaways can keep your brewery remembered • The ideal team size for a beer festival • Why every person at your stand could be an important customer • How festivals can lead to new trade accounts • What beers breweries should actually take • Why four beers can be a sweet spot • Cheap ideas that pull people towards your stand • Using social media before, during and after the festival • Mystery beers, competitions and other reasons to visit your stand • How to measure whether a beer festival was worthwhile • Why empty kegs aren’t the only measure of success • Turning festival drinkers into taproom and webshop customers • How to follow up properly after the event All of those topics come directly from the discussion, including examples such as visible beer lines, slushies, live illustration, bowls of crisps, temporary tattoos, mystery kegs and festival follow-up. About Craft Brew Festival Craft Brew Festival runs beer festival events bringing breweries, drinkers, music, food and entertainment together. Dave has worked across the festival series and has seen first-hand what breweries can do to make more of the opportunity, from their beer selection and stand design to customer engagement and post-event follow-up. About Branding for Breweries Branding for Breweries is the podcast for brewery owners, founders, marketers and sales teams who want to build stronger brands, attract more drinkers and sell more beer. Hosted by brewery brand strategist Tim Weaver, each episode gets into the practical branding, marketing, sales and business decisions behind stronger independent breweries. Connect With Craft Brew Festival Website: https://craftbrewfestival.co.uk Connect With Tim Weaver Free Brewery Newsletter: https://thebrandweaver.co.uk/brewery-newsletter Branding for Breweries Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BRANDINGFORBREWERIES LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrandweaver/ Branding for Breweries book: https://amzn.eu/d/04KdwFsw Proudly Supported By Charles Faram Branding for Breweries is proudly supported by Charles Faram. Supplying and developing the best quality hops from around the world to help brewers create great beer. Grower-owned and brewer focussed. https://www.charlesfaram.com

    Beer Festivals: How Breweries Can Stand Out, Sell More and Win New Customers

  4. Aug 26

    Beer Marketing: How Tiny Rebel Launches Beers People Actually Care About | Scott Browne

    Making a great beer doesn't mean people are going to care when you release it. “New beer out now” isn't a launch strategy. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by Scott Browne, Head of Marketing at Tiny Rebel, to unpack what breweries can do to turn a new beer release into something people actually notice, talk about and buy. Scott’s current role at Tiny Rebel is confirmed on his public profile. Scott explains why breweries need to start marketing a beer before launch day, how the rule of seven can help build familiarity and why the strongest launches give drinkers multiple reasons to care before asking them to buy. They also break down Tiny Rebel's approach to collaborations, including its launch with Whocult, where the beer became much more than a new can through events, merch, giveaways, content and a creative idea that made sense for both audiences. Tiny Rebel has also publicly shared that Whocult collaboration and the thinking behind the brand fit. Tim and Scott also get into why breweries should steal ideas from fashion, lifestyle and entertainment brands, why the best brands sell a feeling rather than simply a product, and how community, culture and beer quality work together to turn first-time buyers into loyal drinkers. Plus, Scott takes us behind the launch of Tiny Rebel's Welsh lager Yma O Hyd, and explains how Welsh culture, sport, music, design and local identity were brought together to create something designed to mean more than simply another lager. Tiny Rebel currently describes Yma O Hyd around the idea “Still Here. Still Welsh”. In This Episode • Why “new beer out now” isn't enough • The rule of seven and why familiarity matters • How far ahead breweries should start marketing a beer • Building a four-week beer launch plan • What to talk about before launch day • Why great collaborations need genuine brand alignment • Inside Tiny Rebel's collaboration with Whocult • Using events, merch, PR and giveaways around a beer release • When breweries should go all-in on a launch • Why some brewery collaborations feel forced • What beer can learn from fashion and lifestyle brands • Why breweries should think like social-first brands • Selling the feeling rather than simply selling the beer • Finding the audience your brewery actually wants • Why marketing to everyone usually means connecting with no one • How breweries can market effectively without huge budgets • Building local community as well as online reach • When paid advertising makes sense • Inside the launch strategy for Tiny Rebel's Yma O Hyd • Why the can deserves as much thought as the beer • The biggest beer launch mistake breweries keep making About Scott Browne Scott Browne is Head of Marketing at Tiny Rebel, Wales' largest independent craft brewery. Before joining Tiny Rebel, Scott spent five years working with AU Vodka, giving him experience of product launches and drinks marketing beyond beer About Branding for Breweries Branding for Breweries is the podcast for brewery owners, founders, marketers and sales teams who want to build stronger brands, attract more drinkers and sell more beer. Hosted by brewery brand strategist Tim Weaver, each episode gets into the practical branding, marketing, sales and business decisions behind stronger independent breweries. Connect With Tiny Rebel Website: https://www.tinyrebel.co.uk Instagram / TikTok: @tinyrebelbrewco Connect With Tim Weaver Free Brewery Newsletter: https://thebrandweaver.co.uk/brewery-newsletter Branding for Breweries Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BRANDINGFORBREWERIES LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrandweaver/ Branding for Breweries book: https://amzn.eu/d/04KdwFsw Proudly Supported By Charles Faram Branding for Breweries is proudly supported by Charles Faram. Supplying and developing the best quality hops from around the world to help brewers create great beer. Grower-owned and brewer focussed. https://www.charlesfaram.com

    Beer Marketing: How Tiny Rebel Launches Beers People Actually Care About | Scott Browne

  5. Aug 19

    Brewery Video: A Low-Effort Content Strategy for Busy Breweries | Bryant Vander Weerd

    Branding for Breweries - Strategies to Grow Brewery Brands and Sales

    Brewery Video: A Low-Effort Content Strategy for Busy Breweries | Bryant Vander Weerd

  6. Aug 12

    Cask Beer: Can It Win the Next Generation? | Paul Matthews

    Cask beer is supposedly in decline. But the real picture is nowhere near that simple. Some heritage brands are growing. Independent breweries are thriving with cask. Younger drinkers are discovering it in pockets across the UK. And the pubs getting quality right are proving there is still plenty of life in one of Britain's most distinctive beer formats. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by Paul Matthews of Harvey's Brewery to ask what cask beer actually needs to do if it wants to win its next generation of drinkers. Paul has spent 26 years in the beer industry, including nine years at Timothy Taylor's as well as time with Carlsberg and Coors, giving him a pretty useful view of where cask has been, where it is now and where it could go next. They get into whether the numbers really tell the whole story of cask's decline, why younger drinkers are embracing it in some places but ignoring it in others, and why Paul believes Wetherspoons can actually be a force for good for cask beer. They also unpack what breweries can learn from Guinness, why quality and consistency at the bar matter just as much as the liquid leaving the brewery, the opportunity around nitro and cooler serves, and how heritage breweries can modernise without looking like they're desperately trying to be the cool kid in the room. And looking further ahead, could cask eventually become the next major movement on the bar? In This Episode • Is cask beer really in decline? • Why the available data doesn't tell the whole story • Where younger drinkers are discovering cask beer • Why Sheffield and Bristol are interesting cask markets • Is Wetherspoons good or bad for cask? • What cask breweries can learn from Guinness • Why quality, consistency and the perfect pour matter • Who is responsible for educating pubs about cask? • Can nitro and cooler beer formats attract new drinkers? • How heritage breweries can innovate without losing credibility • Why provenance alone is no longer enough • What Paul would do if he launched a cask brewery today • Why collaborations between heritage and modern breweries work • Should cask breweries really be chasing younger drinkers? • Could cask become the next big thing on the bar? • What the next five years could look like for cask beer About Paul Matthews Paul Matthews has spent 26 years working in the beer industry and is currently with Harvey's Brewery. His career has included nine years at Timothy Taylor's as well as roles with Carlsberg and Coors, giving him experience across some of the biggest names in British beer alongside two breweries with deep roots in cask. About Branding for Breweries Branding for Breweries is the podcast for brewery owners, founders, marketers and sales teams who want to build stronger brands, attract more drinkers and sell more beer. Hosted by brewery brand strategist Tim Weaver, each episode gets into the practical branding, marketing, sales and business decisions behind stronger independent breweries. Connect With Tim Weaver Free Brewery Newsletter: https://thebrandweaver.co.uk/brewery-newsletter Branding for Breweries Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BRANDINGFORBREWERIES LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrandweaver/ Branding for Breweries book: https://amzn.eu/d/04KdwFsw Proudly Supported By Charles Faram Branding for Breweries is proudly supported by Charles Faram. Supplying and developing the best quality hops from around the world to help brewers create great beer. Grower-owned and brewer focussed. https://www.charlesfaram.com

    Cask Beer: Can It Win the Next Generation? | Paul Matthews

  7. Aug 5

    Brewery Branding: Why Great Brands Look Effortless | Matty McMullen

    The best brewery brands can look almost effortless. The reality is there's usually a hell of a lot of thinking, testing and problem solving happening behind the scenes. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by designer, illustrator and Brand Weaver Collective member Matty McMullen to unpack what actually goes into creating great brewery branding. Why do some brewery brands feel instantly recognisable while others struggle to hold together? How far can you push an idea before you lose the drinker? And what separates simply making something look good from building a brand that actually works? Tim and Matty get into the hidden work behind strong brewery brands, from creative briefs and budgets to trust, testing ideas, challenging bad decisions and building consistency across every touchpoint. They also explore how breweries can balance the familiar with the unexpected, evolve without throwing away everything people already recognise, work with multiple artists without creating a visual mess, and why the best creative relationships become genuine partnerships over time. Because the brands that look effortless rarely are. In This Episode • Why great brewery branding only looks effortless • What makes some brewery brands instantly recognisable • Balancing familiar and unexpected ideas in beer branding • How far you can push a brewery brand before it stops working • Evolving an established brand without losing existing drinkers • Why designers should solve problems rather than simply make things look pretty • What breweries should actually put in a creative brief • Why honest budget conversations can lead to better work • When testing a bad idea is actually useful • Building trust between breweries and creative partners • Why breweries need someone protecting brand consistency • Creating a complete brand world beyond the beer can • Working with different artists without losing your identity • Finding memorable brewery brand touchpoints • How smaller breweries can get more from creative collaboration • Why the best creative relationships improve over time About Matty McMullen Matty McMullen is a designer and illustrator working across beer, drinks and independent brands. He also works alongside Tim as part of The Brand Weaver Collective, bringing specialist creative thinking, illustration and design to brewery branding projects. About Branding for Breweries Branding for Breweries is the podcast for brewery owners, founders, marketers and sales teams who want to build stronger brands, attract more drinkers and sell more beer. Hosted by brewery brand strategist Tim Weaver, each episode gets into the practical branding, marketing, sales and business decisions behind stronger independent breweries. Connect With Matty McMullen Add Matty's confirmed website/social links here. Connect With Tim Weaver Free Brewery Newsletter: https://thebrandweaver.co.uk/brewery-newsletter Branding for Breweries Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BRANDINGFORBREWERIES LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrandweaver/ Branding for Breweries book: https://amzn.eu/d/04KdwFsw Proudly Supported By Charles Faram Branding for Breweries is proudly supported by Charles Faram. Supplying and developing the best quality hops from around the world to help brewers create great beer. Grower-owned and brewer focussed. https://www.charlesfaram.com

    Brewery Branding: Why Great Brands Look Effortless | Matty McMullen

  8. Jul 29

    Brewery Business: You Can Brew Great Beer And Still Go Bust | Brad Pendleton

    You can brew incredible beer, have a packed taproom and still build a brewery that doesn't make money. Because great beer is only one part of running a successful brewery. In this episode of Branding for Breweries, Tim Weaver is joined by Brad Pendleton, a beer industry veteran with around 40 years of experience across retail, distribution and breweries, to unpack the business behind running a profitable brewery. Having worked across all three tiers of the US beer industry and visited more than 1,700 breweries across the United States, Brad has seen first-hand what separates breweries that last from those that struggle. And his advice is pretty blunt: Build your business before you build your brewery. Tim and Brad get into the numbers brewery owners need to understand, why a busy taproom doesn't necessarily mean a profitable one, how much working capital breweries underestimate, and why hospitality can matter just as much as the beer itself. They also explore taproom versus wholesale models, choosing and working with distributors, the importance of a dependable core range, resisting every new beer trend and why breweries need to make decisions based on profitability rather than passion alone. In This Episode • Why great beer alone won't build a successful brewery• The numbers every brewery owner needs to understand• Why busy doesn't always mean profitable• Working capital and one of the biggest mistakes new breweries make• Taproom versus wholesale brewery models• Why hospitality keeps drinkers coming back• When brewery distribution actually makes sense• Choosing the right beer distributor• Why distributors aren't simply delivery companies• The importance of knowing your margins by beer and sales channel• Why too many tap lines can actually hurt your beer• Why core beers build breweries• Innovation versus consistency• How to respond to changing drinker habits without losing your identity• What breweries should be doing during a difficult market About Brad Pendleton Brad Pendleton has spent around 40 years in the US beer industry, working across retail, wholesale and brewery businesses. His experience includes running major hospitality venues, working for one of Colorado's largest beer distributors, helping create the specialty craft division at MillerCoors and working with breweries and beer brands across the United States. Most recently, his work with Pub Pass saw him visit more than 1,700 breweries across America in four years, giving him a particularly interesting view of what successful breweries consistently get right. Connect With Brad Pendleton Email:mcbeerman88@gmail.com Connect With Tim Weaver Website:https://www.thebrandweaver.co.uk Free Brewery Newsletter:https://www.thebrandweaver.co.uk/brewery-newsletter LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrandweaver/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/BRANDINGFORBREWERIES/ Proudly Supported By Charles Faram Branding for Breweries is proudly supported by Charles Faram. Supplying and developing the best quality hops from around the world to help brewers create great beer. Grower-owned and brewer focussed. https://www.charlesfaram.com

    Brewery Business: You Can Brew Great Beer And Still Go Bust | Brad Pendleton
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About

Branding for Breweries is the podcast for beer brands, breweries, and marketers who want to grow sales, attract customers, and stand out in today’s crowded indie beer scene. Hosted by Tim Weaver (The Brand Weaver), each weekly episode features real-world strategies and interviews with top names in beer, branding, and marketing. From building loyalty with storytelling to maximising taproom footfall, this is your no-fluff guide to brewery success. Follow on Instagram @brandingforbreweries or visit www.thebrandweaver.co.uk

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