Season 2 has officially come to a close! 

We couldn’t be more thankful to our guests, listeners, and of course Jen Febre, our amazing Season 2 co-host.

In the final episode of our second season, Chris and Jen take a look at what we learned throughout the past nine episodes. 

They talk about Doug from Societe and barrel aging, Buckstin Brewing and their small town success, Four Saints and their techniques for empowering employees, and much more.

Give it a listen, and of course, stay tuned for Season 3 coming up soon!

Links:

MacLeod Ale

This episode is all about family-run breweries.

Jen starts us off by discussing what led her to opening a family-run brewery, what her family was up to before MacLeod opened, and how she’s avoided nepotism.

Then we bring in our guest for this episode, Brian Avery from Brävery Brewing Company out of Lancaster, California.

Brian tells us what motivated him and his family to start a brewery, what forming a business plan with his father was like, and the process of adding a food kitchen.

Enjoy!

Links Mentioned:

Brävery Brewing Company

MacLeod Ale

Today’s episode is all about the rebirth of draught.

Jen sits this one out as MacLeod is currently focused on taproom sales, so Chris starts this episode off with a talk about decision making.

Then we bring in our guest for the episode, Chris Smith, co-founder of The Virginia Beer Company out of Williamsburg, Virginia.

We talk about Virginia Beer Co’s packing split pre and post covid, cooperage arrangements, and the comeback of draught and distributor orders.

Enjoy!

Links:

The Virginia Beer Company

MacLeod Ale

Today we’re exploring the concept of brewery culture.

We start with a quick overview of Jen’s bagpiping skills, how to see eye to eye with your founders, and we take a look at what we’re really talking about when we use the word culture. 

Then we bring our guest for this episode, Matt Katase from Brew Gentlemen out of Braddock, Pennsylvania. 

Matt explains the dynamic culture of a brewery experiencing expansion and growth, we talk mission statement versus mantra, and Matt tells us how music fits into the mix.

Enjoy!

Links:

Brew Gentlemen

MacLeod Ale

Today we have something a little different for you.

Chris starts the episode off by diving into the topic of case equivalents (CE’s). He covers what CE’s even are, the number of CE’s your sales rep should aim for, and how that changes if you’re self-distributing or going through a distributor.

Then we bring in Matthew Wallace from Oliphant Brewery out of Somerset, Wisconsin.

We discuss the use of a distributor versus self-distribution, Matthew walks us through a typical delivery day, and tells us the biggest hurdle to overcome as a self-distributor. 

Enjoy!

Links:

Oliphant Brewery

MacLeod Ale

Jen starts the episode off by telling us her top leadership priorities, what happens when lines are crossed or too many drinks are had, and we take a deep look at accountability in the brewery.

Then we bring in our special guest for the episode, Karlos Knott, owner of Bayou Teche Brewery out of Arnaudville, Louisiana.

We talk about when to hit the switch and assign a shot caller, Karlos talks about leading other leaders with his position in the Louisiana Craft Brewers Guild, and the unavoidable fear that comes with running a passion project.

Enjoy!

Links:

The Prof G Show with Scott Galloway

Leaders Eat Last

Bayou Teche Brewery

MacLeod Ale Brewing Co

Today’s episode we’re diving into the deep topic of operations.

Jen starts us off by telling us why she considers her number one job to be the “team-picker”, plus a short history of MacLeod’s portfolio.

Then, we bring in our guest for the episode, Joel McClosky, CEO and Founder of Four Saints Brewing Company out of Asheboro, North Carolina

He tells us his biggest challenge when it comes to operations, how he gives his team the tools to manage customers and excessive drinking, and the five questions Four Saint’s employees ask themselves to make confident, independent decisions without the need to consult with Joel beforehand.

Enjoy!

Links:

Four Saints Brewing Company

MacLeod Ale Brewing Company

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living By Dale Carnegie

Rich Powell Illustration

Billy Steele

Coming from an advertising background, our Season 2 co-host Jen is a true expert when it comes to marketing a brewery.

And that’s exactly the topic covered in this week's episode.

Chris and Jen start things off by discussing what makes a successful logo, Jen tells us about MacLeod’s early direct mail marketing campaigns, and why it’s so important to start posting on social media long before opening day.

Then we bring in our guests, Gabrielle Blanco and Justin Buchanan-Lopez, owners of Buckstin Brewing Company in Nederland, Texas.

They give us the history behind their name and logo, how they built brand recognition in the small town of Nederland, and their 2021 marketing efforts.

Enjoy!

Links:

Buckstin Brewing Company

MacLeod Ale

Today’s guest is an industry expert specializing in brewery and craft beverage insurance. Having worked with over 150 breweries throughout his career, it’s easy to see why he’s a fountain of craft insurance knowledge.  

In this episode, we’re talking with Certified Insurance Counselor Kyle C. Rheiner from CraftBrewingInsurance.com and The Beer Mighty Things Podcast.

He gives us an inside look at brewery insurance, common misconceptions with insurance and insurance agencies, and tells us when should insurance be top of mind for brewery owners.

This episode is full of eye-opening insight from Kyle that we hope can set a solid foundation for any brewery owner looking to learn more about insurance, and when to bring your agent into the conversation.

Enjoy!

Links:

CraftBrewingInsurance.com

The Beer Mighty Things Podcast

It’s now been over a year since COVID-19 shook up the world.

In this episode, we’re taking a retrospective look at the pivoting and ingenuity of the brewing industry, as we believe we’ll be able to learn from this for years to come.

Our season 2 co-host Jen Febre from MacLeod Ale starts off by giving the perspective of an LA brewery, how they navigated the early shut down, and how they’ve coped with the current uncertainty of shut-downs in Los Angeles County.

Then we bring in our guest, Sten Sellier, founder and president of Beltway Brewing Company in Sterling, Virginia.

He talks about his initial reaction to last year's COVID news, and Beltway’s early plans for pivoting, protecting customers, and transitioning to branded sanitizer.

Enjoy!

Links:

Beltway Brewing Company

MacLeod Ale