Get Inspired: How to Pull Off These 5 Brewery Field Events

Every beer company wants to get the word out about its brews, and field events help to get the job done. If you’re creative, you can dream up a million ways to get your beer into people’s hands and turn curious consumers into loyal sippers. Although field events come in many forms, all of them end with putting a new group of customers in direct contact with their next favorite craft beer. We compiled the top five up-and-coming field events you can use to grow your brewery faster.

1. Craft Beer Catering

Partnering with a craft beer catering company launches your best beers into the field. Companies such as Just Tap’d, based out of Warner Robins, Georgia, provide this type of opportunity for craft breweries across the country. Boasting a large selection of beers from breweries such as Allagash (Portland, ME), Just Tap’d serves a variety of craft beers to consumers that would not have otherwise accessed the product.

Use catering companies to distribute your best beers to consumers who might not otherwise seek out new beers to try. This type of field event requires the least amount of preparation on the day of the event because the caterers assume temporary responsibility for your product.

Take This Event to the Next Level

• Do your research- Each craft beer catering company puts its own spin on marketing and delivery, so the first one you read about might not hold the attention of the best audience for your brand.
• Employ a wide arsenal- Customers planning a large event will have different budget points, so working with the catering company to have a variety of beers falling at different price points will expand interest in your products.
• Check in with hosts- Ask caterers to provide customers’ contact information, then reach out to individuals that featured your products at their events to say thank you and request feedback. 

2. Tap Takeover 

When Boston’s beloved Harpoon Brewery opened a new branch in Vermont, the company planned a tap takeover at a local Vermont ski slope bar to get people excited about their arrival. By promoting new and exciting craft beer options at a local joint, Harpoon is sure to convert some regulars. 

Both consumers and brewers love tap takeovers in the craft beer market.  Brewers dream of the chance to establish their brand in a popular bar or tap room full of new customers, and the perfect tap takeover effortlessly fulfills this dream.  Host a takeover for the opportunity to introduce your best beers to a new audience for one night without competition.

Take This Event to the Next Level

• Location, location, location- Select a popular bar that appeals to a large target audience, but avoid your current customers’ favorite bars. Use this chance to expand.
• Publicize (but don’t go overboard)- Use mainstream social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to publicize the event to your current consumer base, but spend most of your energy disseminating the information at the location of the event.
• Don’t stop with beer- When you’re preparing for the event, don’t forget to bring branded swag to hand out so people remember your name the next morning.

3. Music Festival Pop-Up

It’s almost impossible to attend any local music festival event without encountering a few booths of your favorite draft.  The pop-up style draws attention to craft beers and individuals passionate about their craft. 

Berkshire Brewing company takes this idea to the next level by sponsoring the Green River Music Festival in Greenfield, Massachusetts. After sponsoring the festival for two years, Berkshire Brewing Company is scheduled to return in July, 2018 for its third consecutive year sponsoring the festival and running pop-up booths during the event. 

Experiment with pop-up shops at different music festivals; craft beer booths provide cool relief from the heat of the summer. Participate in your next local music fest and market your product as the perfect addition to the popularized music festival ideology.

Take This Event to the Next Level

• Don’t overstep boundaries- Check out nearby restaurants and local liquor laws to determine any limits on serving times (in case of rules stemming from a local bar scene) and the appropriate size for each sample pour according to the festival venue.
• Change it up- When you’re prepping your booth at a specific festival, consider gearing your drink selection and/or set-up towards the theme or location of the festival.
• Recruit passionate helpers- Because music festivals often span a number of consecutive days and host thousands of individuals, there’s a good chance that your team might need help to run the booth. Passionate brand ambassadors that already love your brand will help the festival run more smoothly.

4. Beer Festival Pop-up

Extreme Beer Fest Boston’s annual recurrence proves that a growing market exists for outdoor beer festivals occurring throughout the spring, summer, and fall.

Cambridge Brewing Company took advantage of this unique opportunity at Extreme Beer Fest Boston in 2017. Cambridge Brewing brought their A-game to the festival and expressed excitement for their beers with taste testings and merchandise.

Beer festivals provide the unique opportunity to collaborate with your consumers and competitors at the same time. Use this chance to stand out! Your best beers will have an immediate following if they’re superior to similar products being featured due to customers’ desire to sample both classics and new drinks entering the market.

Take This Event to the Next Level

• Rain, rain, go away- Plan for the worst-case scenario. Prepare tents in case of rain (or overwhelming sun).
• Brew enough- The Brewers Association has formulated an equation designed to calculate the appropriate amount of beer to avoid waste- or worse- an empty barrel. 

• Don’t let them forget you- Break out some experimental beers alongside your most-loved products to make a lasting impression.

5. In-Store Sampling Event

Continuously update your social media tactics in order to stay relevant. Because mixed advertising messages surround consumers each time they turn on their smartphones and online trends change each hour, remaining well-versed in social media prevents content from falling out-of-date.

This strategy is performed well by Boston-based Down the Road Beer Co. By providing a variety of ice-cold beer options to choose from, Down the Road Beer Co. carries out successful in-store samplings on Friday nights due to more reliable and concentrated traffic in stores than even the busiest weekend days. In-store sampling events attract prospective customers and engage shoppers with your product in the same store your brand is for sale.

The simplest field event is sometimes the most effective. Encouraging store patrons to try your craft beer and introducing them to the story behind the beverage at an in-store tasting works. Since personal interaction forms a connection between the individual and the product, next time the same patron spots your label in the store’s cooler they’ll remember your conversation and grab a case before heading to the checkout.

Take This Event to the Next Level

• Plan ahead- Immediately after opening a new account, plan a tasting for a few months later in order to boost sales in a new location.
• Make it easy- Place your drinks in a neat line along the front of your table. Even if they initially consider sampling your product, the customer will lose interest if the bottles and their labels don’t catch the shopper’s eye.
• Remain transparent- While customers sample your drinks, share interesting information about your brewing process and your company so they feel engaged.

We tagged along with Down the Road Beer Co. to experience their in-store demo day strategies first-hand. Read our break-down from their event here!

If you make these tips your own at your next field event, your growing craft beer brand will ensure that its newest fans keep coming back.  Although field events involve a lot of work, the opportunity to introduce new consumers to their next favorite beer is worth the sweat.