Craft Beer Professionals’ Post

After a week at 2 Mates Brewery Lismore NSW, I needed to write this blog on this Brewery, People, Region and the incredible strength and ability to deal with adversity.. Two Mates Brewing: A Testament to Resilience and Community Spirit in Lismore, NSW In the heart of Lismore, NSW, a unique establishment has been brewing not just quality craft beers, but also a strong sense of community and camaraderie. Two Mates Brewing Co., founded by Andrew Newton and Grant Smith, stands as a beacon of local enterprise and friendship. This craft brewery isn’t just a place to enjoy a pint; it's a hub where families and friends gather, surrounded by the mouthwatering scents wafting from local food trucks, all within an atmosphere that's as relaxed as it is inviting.   A Brewery Born from Friendship Two Mates Brewing is the brainchild of two lifelong friends who decided to turn their passion for quality beer into a thriving business. Their journey began with a simple idea: to create a place where the community could come together, share good times, and enjoy locally crafted beer. Lismore, known for its vibrant culture and arts, provided the perfect backdrop for their venture. The brewery quickly became a favorite local haunt, known for its excellent brews and the warm, welcoming spirit of its founders.   A Community in Crisis However, the journey for Two Mates Brewing has not been without its challenges. In a shocking turn of events, major flooding in Queensland and New South Wales February 2022 dealt a devastating blow to the Lismore community, including the beloved brewery. The floods, rising to unprecedented levels, inundated the brewery with three meters of water, causing severe damage and bringing operations to a standstill.   The impact was catastrophic. The brewery, which had only opened its doors in September 2021, was overwhelmed by the floodwaters. T  The founders are determined to rebuild, not just for themselves but for the community that has shown them incredible support. The road to recovery will be long and challenging, but with the community's help, Two Mates Brewing have once again opened its doors and continue serving its beloved brews.   A Hub of Hope and Resilience Two Mates Brewing Co. is more than just a brewery. It is a symbol of the enduring spirit of Lismore and its people. In the face of adversity, the town and its inhabitants have shown that community strength and solidarity can overcome even the most daunting challenges. As Two Mates Brewing reopens, they stand as a testament to the resilience, friendship, and unyielding community spirit that defines Lismore.   The story of Two Mates Brewing is a poignant reminder of the challenges that small businesses can face, but also of the incredible resilience and community support that can emerge in times of need. It's a story of two mates, a community, and a brewery that together are brewing hope in the heart of Lismore.

OUR STORY Lacada Brewery has its origins in a love of beer and brewing, a love of place, and a love of people. It began with a father and son in Portrush who built their own nano-brewery, in order to discover just exactly how their favourite beers were made and they soon began to invent their own distinct recipes. The initial phase of playing with the huge range of flavours from American and New Zealand hops, soon changed to marrying these New World varieties with the established British, German and Czech hop varieties. Attention was then turned to ‘a pint of Plain’s yer only man’ and the brewers came up with a Porter that was very exciting in its subtle flavours and drinkability. The inevitable question arose of how to do this commercially. A steering group formed and they soon agreed that they needed a diverse skill base in order to make the venture successful and sustainable. Discussion quickly turned towards investigating the establishment of the brewery as a Co-Operative. A Co-Operative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-controlled enterprise. Interest in the brewery expanded amongst the north coast communities as soon as others heard about the venture. Ideas and proposals became a constant feature, and discussion and consensual decision-making became the core of the brewery as much as the beer recipes, that were being revised and improved. As word spread, the group became larger and other founding members joined bringing with them industry insight from CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), and decades of experience in local business, marketing, food industry and collaborative working. Local graphic designer Greg Wallace worked with the group in developing the Lacada name and brand. "Lacada" is derived from Liach Fada. It means 'the longstone' and refers to a low, mean, rocky outcrop about 300 yards east of the world famous Giant's Causeway. In 1588 one of the remnants of the Spanish Armada, a galleas named Girona, was desperately trying to return home but a relentless storm forced her onto the north coast of Ireland. She was wrecked on Lacada point with only nine survivors. In the late 1960's a diving team located the wreck off Lacada point and the salvage work brought up many artefacts, the most valuable being a gold salamander that was, originally, encrusted in rubies. The strong story, particular to our rugged coastline, had history and it had treasure! It gave you something to read on the bottle – ever notice beer drinkers absorbed in reading the label?

🍺 On NPR yesterday, “After almost 20 years of explosive growth in the craft beer industry, more U.S. breweries closed than opened…the biggest challenge for breweries right now is standing out.” - Bart Watson , incoming CEO of the Brewers Association . “Demand for craft beer really stemmed for three things - for flavor, for variety and for a set of values around local, independent and just the companies themselves.” He goes on to note that they’ve succeeded in variety and flavor, which leaves the companies—branding—to make the difference. At Creature Theory we’ve been pessimistic about #craftbeer growth for nearly 10 years, and as strange as this sounds, that’s why so many of our craft beer clients have achieved so much success. We take nothing for granted. Saying “local” isn’t enough any more. Saying “quality” or “independent” is just white noise. Purchase behavior is emotional—and often irrational. By applying audience profiles, core operating principles, competitive audits and a bit of poetic license in sweeping brand storytelling, Creature Theory devises a three-dimensional, strategic exploration of your brand. And that’s all before we get to award-winning #logos #packagedesign #websites etc. Link to Article: https://lnkd.in/eiTK2zet Link to Creature Theory for more beer branding: https://lnkd.in/gSKJyXms Some of my most well known craft brewery experience includes working with Stone Brewing Funky Buddha Brewery Odell Brewing Company Cigar City Brewing Carolina Brewery Garage Beer Humm Kombucha 49th State Brewing Precarious Beer Engkanto Brewery Green Flash Brewing Co. Blue Mountain Brewery, Inc. Mother Earth Brewing ——— #craft #brewery #beer #craftbrewery #beerbranding #branding North Carolina Brewers Guild #labeldesign #beerlogo #candesign

Discover 10 automations to streamline your craft brewery business today Enhance efficiency and focus on brewing great beer

Charles Dorsey owns and runs Montgomery Brewing Company, an hour's drive southwest of Minneapolis, Minnesota in the farmland town of Montgomery. His brewery operates within the walls of the historical building that housed the original Montgomery Brewing Company. Known as Chuck, he stewards the brewing legacy of the town and the distinction of being among the 1% of craft breweries in the nation that are black-owned.  More than a business, the brewery is a balance between tradition and innovation. In a town that has become a steadfast supporter, Chuck wears the mantle of representing black-owned breweries with pride recognizing the significance of his role in an industry where diversity remains a rarity. Within the narrative of Montgomery Brewing, Chuck revels in the joy that beer, a timeless connector, brings people together. Through every challenge and triumph, he finds a source of fun and fulfillment in uniting individuals over shared experiences and finely crafted brews. As Chuck and his dedicated team enter the ninth year of operation navigating the ever-evolving landscape of the brewing industry, take a read of Action by Volume – Montgomery Brewing Company. In my Substack publication, Photo Stories w/ Anderson English https://lnkd.in/evkFYZhY Chuck answers some questions reflecting on the highs and lows of the journey, the financial challenges, and the universal day-to-day intricacies of brewery ownership. While operating in a rural landscape may pose unique challenges, from expanding distribution to diversifying revenue streams, Chuck also talks about his commitment to normalizing diversity from taproom, to label, to the beer industry itself, adding an extra layer of purpose and challenge to his endeavors.   *This post is part of a self-funded photography project called Action By Volume (ABV), highlighting minority-owned breweries across the nation. The mission, through photography and text, is to be an advocate for minority-owned breweries, illustrating the common ground of beer can be a conduit for discussion, a catalyst for education and change, and a significant gain for the local community. #actionbyvolume #NB2A #minnesotacraftbrewersguild #brewersassociation

New York has a chance to build a booming small-batch craft cannabis industry, just like the craft brewery and winery industry. Let’s do this New York. But how do we coin a name for this emerging craft industry? There’s Brewery for the craft brewery industry. There’s Winery for the craft winery industry. Herbery? This emerging craft industry needs a name. Help me out here.Ten-Ten Cannabis

Breweries Are Different," we delve into the key factors that set craft breweries apart from other businesses. 🔗: Link in Comment With over 20 years of experience working closely with breweries, our insights are tailored to help you overcome these industry-specific challenges and seize unique opportunities. Don’t miss out on strategies that could make a real difference for your brewery! #CraftBrewing #SmallBusiness #BreweryInsights

New Podcast | Wye Valley - 40 years young Reaching an important milestone in any business is a real achievement. It’s the culmination of hard work, commitment and the result of providing a quality product or service. Probably both…. And in 2025, today’s guests will toast their 40th year in the world of beer. And as we all know, that simply doesn’t happen by accident. Since starting out in 1985, Herefordshire-based Wye Valley Brewery has been producing a wealth of excellent cask, keg and small pack beers. They’ve earned a reputation for consistency and product quality, seeing their beers served in more than 1,200 pubs and bars throughout the West Midlands and South Wales. As a result, they’ve gone from a humble beginning of producing approximately 10 brewers’ barrels a week to an average of 1000 barrels per week, with further growth to come. Rewind back and the brewery’s story started nearly 40 years ago. After brewing for years for Guinness, Wye Valley Brewery founder, Peter Amor decided to branch out on his own. He began brewing from the back of a pub in Canon Pyon in Herefordshire but soon moved to the old stable block of The Barrels in Hereford – Wye Valley Brewery’s very first pub. After studying at Young’s brewery in London, Peter’s son, Vernon Amor, joined the brewery to help with the demands of the growing business. And some 17 years later, the business would signal its latest growth by moving into a 9-acre former cider mill in Stoke Lacy. But the journey doesn’t stop there – far from it. Ongoing expansion has included the installation of an impressive bottling and canning setup from Bedford-based Enterprise Tondelli, as well as investment in its warehousing and solar PV infrastructure, with a new brewhouse part of the brewery’s future, too. While beers such as it’s super successful Nightjar, a kegged stout based on an original Wye Valley Brewery cask recipe, have helped put the brewery in front of eager new audiences. In this episode of The Brewers Journal Podcast, I spoke with head of sales and marketing Abbie Gadd and head brewer Gareth Batemen, to discover the secret of the brewery’s longevity, the importance of moving with the times and why its 40th year will be the start of an exciting new period of growth and evolution for the much-loved business. Production: Ross Macpherson https://lnkd.in/ezP24WYv

I love writing about businesses. Breweries are one of those. I have every brewery in the US in our Business Directory! You can visit them, rate them, claim them(If you are the owners.), and of course, visit them. (AND IT'S FRIDAY!) This is my latest article! So, tag your FAVORITE BREWERY! Breweries and Community: The Heartbeat of Local Craft Beer Culture In the landscape of craft beer, breweries aren’t just places where beer is made—they are integral parts of their communities, pulsating with life, culture, and a sense of belonging. Far beyond the mere production of beer, breweries serve as gathering spots, cultural hubs, and pillars of support for their neighborhoods. In this article, we’ll explore the symbiotic relationship between breweries and their communities, delving into how these establishments contribute to the social fabric, economic vitality, and collective spirit of their locales. https://lnkd.in/evXtYUMu