What if your taproom’s biggest growth lever isn’t price or new styles—but the first 15 seconds after someone walks in? 

Today on the podcast we welcome back consumer insights expert Michael Varda of Craft Beer Advisory Services to unpack the data behind modern taproom behavior and why food, events, and hospitality now sit shoulder to shoulder with great beer. 

The headline: beer gets guests in the door; the experience keeps them in their seats and brings them back.

We trace the post-pandemic shift from liquid-first to social-first to hospitality-first, showing how entertainment sparked the rebound and how food has become the decisive extender of “time in seat,” especially for women and families. 

Michael explains why discounting erodes perceived value and how rewards-based loyalty (think “earn,” not “mark down”) protects brand equity while encouraging repeat visits. 

He also breaks down the crucial differences between retail and taproom motivations—why a standout six-pack doesn’t automatically translate to a packed taproom—and how to design for the whole evening, not just the pour.

Expect practical tactics you can deploy immediately: optimize the first 15 seconds with warm greetings and clear wayfinding, train staff to scan, acknowledge, and mirror guest energy, and adopt one measurable focus at a time—like to-go prompts—to build momentum. 

We highlight “time in seat” as the single most telling metric of taproom health, a simple read on satisfaction, engagement, and spend. And beyond dashboards, we make the case for pulling up a chair with a mix of regulars and new faces, asking better questions, and giving customers a voice in small decisions that build authentic loyalty.

If you’re ready to evolve from great beer to a great experience—without racing to the bottom on price—this conversation maps the path. 

Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review with the one change you’ll try this week.

And don't forget to sign up for the Brewery Financial Newsletter - tips, tactics, and strategies to build a more profitable beer business, delivered weekly.

Ready to transform financial results in your beer business? Learn more about the Beer Business Finance Association, a network of owners and managers working together to build more profitable companies.

New tax law just handed breweries a playbook to keep more cash in the business—if you know how to use it. 

Today we’re joined by Brent Williams, CPA and brewery tax manager at Small Batch Standard, to translate the One Big Brewery Bill (OB3) into clear, practical moves owners can make right now. 

From tips and overtime changes your team will feel on payday to the return of 100% bonus depreciation and immediate expensing for domestic R&D, we connect the dots between policy and day‑to‑day brewery operations.

We dig into the details that matter: how to label tips vs service charges in payroll so employees get the refund they expect and you keep the FICA tip credit; which assets truly qualify for full expensing and how to time purchases for the best tax outcome; why 199A remains a powerful 20% deduction for pass‑through owners; and how R&D applies to more than new recipes—it includes process improvements that reduce waste, speed up turns, or enhance quality. Brent also walks through retro choices for previously capitalized R&D costs, plus often‑missed credits like paid family and medical leave and small employer retirement plan incentives.

If you’re a small or mid‑size brewery planning equipment, considering a production build‑out, or just trying to make payroll and taxes play nicely, this conversation turns complexity into a checklist. 

Bring clean books, schedule a projection meeting, and map out 2025 vs 2026 moves so depreciation, credits, and cash flow align. OB3 isn’t just policy—it’s a strategy to fund growth without squeezing margins.

If this was helpful, follow the show, share it with a brewery friend, and leave a quick review so more owners can find it. 

Got a question about your brewery finances? Send it our way and we may tackle it in a future episode.  [email protected]

And of course, don't forget to sign up for the free brewery financial newsletter - filled with tips, tactics and strategies to help you run a more profitable brewery.

Ready to transform financial results in your beer business? Learn more about the Beer Business Finance Association, a network of owners and managers working together to build more profitable companies.

Ready to stop guessing about your brewery's food profitability? 

Today's podcast reveals exactly how to transform your taproom food program from a necessary evil into a genuine profit center.

Most brewery owners didn't get into the business to become restaurateurs, yet many find themselves reluctantly managing food programs because customers expect food options. The challenge? Food operations are notoriously complex both financially and operationally, leading many breweries to operate food programs that secretly drain profits rather than enhance them.

The solution lies in understanding three critical financial practices and three operational strategies that eliminate the guesswork from food profitability. We explore how separating your food operations in your accounting system creates visibility, how tracking specific benchmarks reveals hidden problems, and how using contribution margin (not just percentages) shows where you're actually making money.

You'll discover why successful food programs use narrow menu strategies with limited ingredients, platform approaches where common bases create variety, and menu engineering that categorizes items as stars, dogs, plow horses, or puzzles. This systematic approach helps you promote high-margin items customers love while eliminating profit-draining options that hurt your bottom line.

The episode provides a clear five-step action plan: audit your current menu, identify margin drainers, reprice or remove problematic items, track costs regularly, and share metrics with your team. Plus, learn about technology solutions that can dramatically reduce the manual work while increasing visibility into your food program's performance.

Whether you're running a full kitchen or just offering simple snacks, this episode delivers the framework you need to build a smart, sustainable, and profitable food program that enhances your core business rather than detracting from it. Download our free Brewery Profit Toolkit and transform your approach to taproom food today.

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Sign up for the FREE brewery financial briefing. Weekly tips to drive margins and profits in your taproom.

Ready to transform financial results in your beer business? Learn more about the Beer Business Finance Association, a network of owners and managers working together to build more profitable companies.

What happens when you combine accounting expertise, homebrewing passion, and entrepreneurial spirit? 

For Elliott H. Johnson II, it was creating Soul Mega – a thriving beer brand that's challenging traditional craft brewery models.

In this illuminating conversation, Elliott shares his journey from making "really bad" homebrew batches to building a recognized beer brand without a physical brewery. 

Soul Mega's contract brewing approach allowed them to enter the market with minimal capital investment, focusing instead on wholesale distribution and community building. 

When COVID-19 hit just six months after their launch, Elliott pivoted to become "basically an Uber Eats driver for a year," personally delivering beer to maintain customer relationships.

What makes Soul Mega distinctive is their approach to creating taproom-like experiences without a physical space. 

Their signature event, Mega Fest, combines a beer festival with DJ performances and community celebration – perfectly embodying their mission to "promote creative culture and inspire folks to pursue their interests and passions." 

Strategic collaborations with established breweries like Stone, Port City, and Tröegs have expanded their reach, while partnerships with graffiti artists for label designs connect the brand to creative communities.

Elliott's financial background shines through in his meticulous approach to business management. He maintains a 13-week cash flow forecast, uses CRM software to track account performance, and prioritizes in-person visits to high-performing retailers. 

His candid insights about navigating challenges – from finding a new contract brewer when their original partner suddenly closed to handling regulatory hurdles – provide valuable lessons for any entrepreneur.

Whether you're considering alternative brewery business models, looking to strengthen your brand connection with customers, or seeking practical strategies for sales growth without a taproom, this episode delivers actionable wisdom from someone who's making it work against the odds.

Ready to transform financial results in your beer business? Learn more about the Beer Business Finance Association, a network of owners and managers working together to build more profitable companies.

Thor Cheston shares the remarkable journey of Right Proper Brewing Company, from its successful 2013 brew pub opening to the challenges of expansion and the transformative power of implementing open book management. 

His candid insights reveal how focusing on core products, financial transparency, and efficient operations turned their struggling production facility into a thriving business with healthy EBITDA.

• Starting as a Georgetown student who fell in love with craft beer while working at a pizzeria
• Opening Right Proper Brewing in 2013 as a neighborhood hub with immediate success
• Expanding too quickly in 2015 with a production facility that struggled for years
• Pivoting in 2019 from creative-driven to leadership-focused business model
• Implementing open book management with full financial transparency
• Reducing product line to focus on consistent, marketable core beers
• Displaying financial statements on 8x16 foot whiteboards for all employees to see
• Creating incentive programs where employees share in profits when goals are met
• Understanding that profit enables purpose rather than being the purpose itself
• Building a business model specific to Right Proper rather than copying other breweries

You can reach Thor Cheston at Right Proper's Brookland facility at 202-247-6274. 

He welcomes text messages and is always happy to talk with fellow brewery professionals.

Ready to transform financial results in your beer business? Learn more about the Beer Business Finance Association, a network of owners and managers working together to build more profitable companies.

We dive into mastering your brewery budget with a practical three-step approach that transforms financial planning from overwhelming to achievable. This workshop provides tools and strategies to create a useful financial roadmap that aligns with business goals.

• Begin with the end in mind – set one clear financial goal (typically 10-15% profit) before planning anything else
• Know your stakeholders – identify requirements from banks, investors and others to incorporate into your plan
• Set firm deadlines – create a budget preparation timeline with clear responsibilities and milestones
• Use historical financial analysis to establish context for your projections
• Break down planning by department and involve team members to create ownership
• Consider balance sheet and cash flow implications, not just P&L
• Implement weekly financial huddles to shift from lagging indicators to leading indicators
• Use visualization tools like dashboards to make financial data more accessible
• Remember that budgeting isn't just about spreadsheets but about creating a financial roadmap

Join the Beer Business Finance Association to access the complete Brewery Budget Course with all tools and templates discussed in this workshop.

Ready to transform financial results in your beer business? Learn more about the Beer Business Finance Association, a network of owners and managers working together to build more profitable companies.

Sara Watson and her husband Brent turned their dream into reality with Vacancy Brewing in Austin, Texas, combining his brewing expertise with her hospitality marketing background to create a community-focused taproom experience.

• Building Vacancy Brewing after a six-month road trip across North America to find the perfect location
• Hiring a taproom manager to allow the founders to focus on business development instead of daily operations
• Implementing tighter beer loss and discount policies with transparent communication to improve margins
• Tracking weekly taproom net sales compared to both prior year and budget to stay proactive
• Creating the Vacancy Collective membership program to transform loyal customers into brand ambassadors
• Balancing innovation with consistency by maintaining core beer styles while rotating specific recipes
• Successfully navigating lease renewal challenges by gathering knowledge from multiple real estate professionals
• Finding the sweet spot between doing tasks yourself and knowing when to bring in outside expertise

Visit Vacancy Brewing in South Austin, find them online at vacancybrewing.com or on social media @VacancyBrewing to learn about their events including karaoke, trivia, music bingo, and more.

Ready to transform financial results in your beer business? Learn more about the Beer Business Finance Association, a network of owners and managers working together to build more profitable companies.

Brian Deignan shares how his brewery, Validation Ale, achieved 29% growth last year through systematic innovation and strategic expansion while he, as an owner, maintained a Monday-Friday, 9-5 work schedule. 

Brian explains his unique concept where beers compete for menu placement based solely on sales data, and his methodical annual process for identifying growth opportunities.

• Validation Ale's competitive model forces continuous innovation with 143 unique recipes created in three years
• Each beer category features a "validated" beer and a challenger that can replace it if sales are higher
• Brian's systematic "growth driver" process evaluates potential initiatives based on revenue potential, capital requirements, and feasibility
• Distilling spirits emerged as this year's growth initiative, generating 28% beverage revenue increase from day one
• Building consistent profitability across all days of the week took patience—nearly 2.5 years before lunches and slow days became profitable
• Staff culture focuses on training managers to "think like owners" through regular coaching and biweekly all-staff meetings
• Social media marketing works best when showcasing behind-the-scenes content with staff rather than polished promotional material
• High engagement metrics don't always translate to actual customer visits—line dancing content went viral but only two people attended

Key Takeaway: For brewery owners struggling with financial challenges, implement a systematic growth driver exercise to identify new revenue opportunities rather than remaining stagnant in a shrinking market.

Resources

• Learn more about Validation Ale
• Sign up for the FREE brewery financial training newsletter

Ready to transform financial results in your beer business? Learn more about the Beer Business Finance Association, a network of owners and managers working together to build more profitable companies.

Each month, the Beer Business Finance Association will shine a spotlight on one exceptional craft brewery to explore what makes their business thrive. 

In this exclusive conversation, we hear from Jake Lohse, Founder of Presidential Brewing. 

We go beyond the beer to uncover best practices, smart financial strategies, creative sales tactics, and the real-world lessons they've learned. 

This is your front-row seat to learn from peers who are building profitable, resilient breweries and raising the bar for the industry.

Whether you're a new brewery or a seasoned operator, you’ll walk away with fresh ideas and proven tactics to grow sales, improve profitability, and strengthen your business.

Resources

• Learn more about Presidential Brewing
• Check out Jake's book: Shifting Gears, The Ultimate Road Map to Crafting Your Legendary Brewery or Restaurant
• Get the free brewery finance bulletin

Ready to transform financial results in your beer business? Learn more about the Beer Business Finance Association, a network of owners and managers working together to build more profitable companies.

Today on the podcast Brynn Keenan from Grist Analytics talks brewery operations, data-driven decision making, and how Grist helps breweries improve performance. 

Grist Analytics provides data-driven solutions that help breweries optimize their production processes by transforming raw brewing data into actionable insights.

Their platform enables consistent quality, improved efficiency, and reduced waste through real-time monitoring and advanced brewing analytics.

Key Points

• How to replace paper brewing logs with a powerful data analytics tool
• Tips to overcome a big brewery challenge - effective production scheduling
• Benchmarking study and the 360 degree efficiency review

Resources

• Connect with Brynn, [email protected]
• Get the free brewery financial training newsletter

Ready to transform financial results in your beer business? Learn more about the Beer Business Finance Association, a network of owners and managers working together to build more profitable companies.