Mark your calendars, New England Brewers: Craft Brew Summit date set

Following up on its 2016 success, the Maine Brewers’ Guild will host the second annual New England Craft Brew Summit on March 31, 2017, at the University of Southern Maine in Portland, Maine. Sponsorship and speaking opportunities are now available, and the Summit is accepting applications online until Jan. 31, 2017.

Last year’s inaugural New England Craft Brew Summit drew more than 450 attendees, from 13 states, and more than 50 breweries from across the country were represented. With more craft breweries per capita than any other state, Maine has solidified itself as a leader in the industry, and now plays host to one of the only brew summits to focus on the business, not just the drinking, of beer.

Presented by Bernstein Shur, the full-day conference will feature live talks and panel discussions from brewers and brewery owners, blended with practical advice from professional service providers on a wide range of topics currently impacting the craft brew industry.

The keynote will be a can’t miss presentation by Bart Watson, chief economist at the Brewers Association, and Katie Marisic, federal affairs manager at the Brewers Association.

This is cool ⇓

New for 2017, brewers will be able to send beer samples to the University of Southern Maine QC2 lab prior to the event and review the results of the analyses with lab staff during the conference.

“Over half of the active breweries in the U.S. opened within the past five years,” said Sean Sullivan, executive director of the Maine Brewers’ Guild. “Tremendous opportunities are created when we bring together industry stakeholders to share expertise, refine best practices and learn how to manage growth effectively.”

This year’s expanded Summit is expected to top 600 attendees and will feature new opportunities for sponsors and speakers. Both sponsorships and speaking positions are expected to fill quickly. Registration for attendees will open on January 17, 2017.

The Whats, Whens and Wheres

What: 2017 New England Craft Brew Summit
When: Friday, March 31, 2017, from 8:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.
Where: University of Southern Maine Abromson Center, Portland, Maine
Who: Brewers, brewery owners, professional services firms and companies that serve the craft beer industry.