The True Craft Podcast Small Batch Standard

In this episode, we sit down with Phillip McLamb, COO and Co-Founder of Resident Culture Brewing, to chat about what it takes to self-distribute in 2024.

From day one, Resident Culture was self-distributing. However, it’s taken years of trial and error for Phillip and his team to dial in this aspect of their business, projecting $3 million in revenue from self-distribution alone this year.

A few topics we explore:

1. The pros and cons of leasing vs. purchasing a fleet of vehicles.
2. The value of maintaining control over your brand's distribution rights.
3. When it’s time for you (the owner) to step in as a sales rep because—as Chris says—”...there's no one better than the founder to sell the brand and its story.”

If you are already self-distributing or you're on the fence about taking the leap, you won’t want to miss the valuable insight from Phillip in this episode.

In this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we welcome Andrew Coplon, Founder of Craft Beer Professionals and Secret Hopper to explore his unique insights on curating a fantastic customer experience in the taproom... and why that’s more important than ever.

Just a few of the topics we cover:

* How to create what Andrew calls a “Wow! Experience” using his Taproom Venn Diagram: beer, memorable atmosphere, and engaging staff.
* Andrew’s take on the current epidemic of taproom staffing issues, and how to tap into the personalized motivations of each of your staff members through rewards, recognition, and opportunities.
* Why tabs are 30% higher in environments your customers perceive as “high engagement” and how to create high engagement through goal setting and tracking, training time-on-calendar, and most importantly, consistency.

At one point in the episode, Andrew claims “taproom” is his middle name, and it shows. He’s a wealth of knowledge with direct, on-the-ground experience and offers a perspective you won’t want to miss.

On today’s episode of The True Craft Podcast, Chris sits down with Dave Morgan, co-founder of Single Speed Brewing, to dig into their Parallel Brewery Collective concept.

Highlighting the collective's ability to combine efforts and share resources, Dave unveils how thinking creatively about breweries can collaborate can unlock hidden opportunities for reducing expenses and maximizing distribution opportunities.

Can this strategy reshape how independent breweries pursue wholesale growth in our industry? Listen and let us know what you think.

In this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we delve into niche branding and marketing strategies with Nick and Christina Lumsden, the innovative minds behind Dogleg Brewing. With a passion for both golf and beer, they've seamlessly merged their passions to create a distinctive brand and customer experience that has greatly benefitted their business.

Main takeaway: It is essential to not only identify your ‘niche’ but cultivate a lasting community. From leveraging distribution initiatives to multi-channel marketing efforts, Nick and Christina share actionable insights on how to authentically connect with your target audience and foster lasting relationships.

Julie Rhodes of Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions joins us on today’s episode of the True Craft Podcast to share some of her hard-won, craft-specific marketing advice to help you sell more beer, including:
· Which marketing strategies are most effective for wholesale vs. taproom
· How to leverage local influencers to market your beer to your target demographic
· How to measure the results of your marketing campaigns so you know what’s working and what’s not

Whether you’ve been marketing for years or have no idea where to begin, Julie provides industry-specific clarity on what to do and why.

Gabrielle Blanco, Owner of Buckstin Brewing, joined us for this killer episode of The True Craft Podcast. With a long history in the restaurant industry and a booming brewery (that’s currently expanding), Gabi advocates for why all breweries should operate their own kitchens.

By keeping it simple and having systems in place, every brewery can operate a profitable kitchen. And no excuses on size — Buckstin’s kitchen is a whopping 128 square feet.

First steps, helpful tips, real-life examples, and key systems — all this and more on today’s episode.