Attention: Craft Beer Professionals Virtual Conference set for April 20-22 (here is the agenda)

In July 2017, regular CBB contributor and founder of Secret Hopper Andrew Coplon created the Craft Beer Professionals group on Facebook to instantaneously connect industry professionals nationwide.

“Our group is dedicated to the growth and betterment of craft beer across the United States and now facilitates daily communication between 6000+ members,” Coplon says. “Facebook is arguably the most active medium for Craft Beer and we have organically built a community on a platform where Craft Beer Professionals are already active.”

As soon as the Craft Brewers Conference was officially postponed — and as the insane business pressures from this crisis mounted on the craft brewing industry — Coplon got to work prepping a 3 day online conference to fill the educational void. The conference is 100 percent free, you just need to join the Craft Beer Professionals group on Facebook.

We totally dig this idea and signed on as a media sponsor to help spread the word. We know it is the toughest moment in this industry’s history, but hopefully this free educational conference can help make this downtime productive for whenever we can get back to business, better than ever.

Craft Beer Professionals Virtual Conference agenda

Monday, April 20, 2020

11am EST – Welcome. Andrew Coplon, Craft Beer Professionals/Secret Hopper

11:10 am – How the Brewing Industry in Responding to COVID-19. Brittany Lacey, Ekos

12 pm – Navigating Pandemic Marketing – Pros of Advertising Now. Warren Bondi, Beer Marketeers

1 pm – Direct-to-Consumer Sales in the Digital Era. Jon Childress, CraftCellr

How to Use Data Management to Enhance Beer Consistency. Pulkit Agrawal, The 5^th Ingredient

2pm – How to Manage Dissolved Oxygen in Your Brewery if You Can’t Afford a DO Meter. Steve ‘Hendo’ Henderson, Rockstar Brewer

The Science of Retail Beer Sales. Julie Rhodes, Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions 

3 pm – Cost Accounting for Your Brewery 101. Casey Johnson, Crafted ERP

Dissolved Oxygen in Packaging: Analysis, Equipment, and Optimal Results. Alexis Foreman, Wild Goose Filling

4 pm – Cash Flow Forecasting Tips and Tricks. Josh Lance, Lance CPA Group

Small Scale Canning and the Art and Science of Double Seam Integrity 101. Connor McCaulley, Kyle Kelleher, Mark Pirog, Mark Saylor, Pneumatic Scale Angelus

5 pm – COVID-19 and Force Majeure Clauses. Daniel Jones, Stern & Eisenberg PC

Efficient Self Distribution. Aaron Gore, Fresh Pitch Beverage Consulting

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

11am – Pilsner: How the Beer of Kings Changed the World. Tom Acitelli, Author

12 pm – Oak: The Ingredient. Matt Albrecht, River Drive Cooperage

What’s Your Hook? Generate Brand Awareness and Promote Authenticity. Lance White, FRW Studios

1 pm – Get a Handle on Your Grain Handling. Riley Aadland, RMS Brewing Solutions

New Breweries: Come Out of the Gates Strong. Jake Lohse, Presidential Brewing Company

2 pm – Steeping: The Fulcrum Between Good and Bad Malt. Tyler Schoales, Country Malt Group

The Power of Observation and Active Listening in Beer Sales. Julie Rhodes, Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions

3 pm – Cost Accounting for Your Brewery 201. Casey Johnson, Crafted ERP

Optimizing Your Taproom Service Experience. Nancy Trigg, Arryved

4 pm – Turning Brewery Customers Into Brand Ambassadors. Scott Schmidt, Promote The Brew

Understanding the Tools, Measurements, and Procedures of Evaluating Seams 201. Connor McCaulley, Kyle Kelleher, Mark Pirog, Mark Saylor, Pneumatic Scale Angelus

5 pm – Benefits of Real-Time Data. Ethan Osborne, Crafted ERP

The 7 Things Your Brewery Website Needs. Stephanie Hudson, Sweet Tea Craft Marketing

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

11 am – 7 Mistakes Breweries are Making on Social Media and How to Fix Them. Amy Brooks, Content on Draft

Build a Brewery Workshop. Kyle Smith, Gorman & Smith Beverage Equipment

12 pm – 10 Ways to Maximize Your Taproom Experience. Andrew Coplon, Craft Beer Professionals/Secret Hoppers

1pm – Achieving Optimal Distinctiveness in Craft Beer: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Having Too Many Beer Styles. Sam Holloway, Crafting A Strategy

1pm – Brewing Technology: How Computers Can Help You Perfect Your Craft. Jacob Schmalzle, MW Control Solutions 

2 pm – Using Micro Content to 10X Your Brewery Marketing. Julie Rhodes, Not Your Hobby Marketing

Real-Time Fermentation Monitoring. Stephen Wells, Tzero Brew

3pm – Brewery Sanitation. Dana Johnson, Birko Corporation

Cost Accounting for Your Brewery 301. Casey Johnson, Crafted ERP.

4 pm – Strengthening Your People Ingredient During Social Distancing. Jason Gladfelter, OvalOptions for Conflict Management

Using What You’ve Learned: Live Demo of the Essential of Seaming. Ben Bowman, Kyle Kelleher, Ryan Minerovic, Pneumatic Scale Angelus

5 pm – Building Loyalty Through Education: Putting an Educational Spin on Taproom Events Erik Fowler, White Labs