As part of its week-long tour of the West Coast, Brewbound will travel to Two Beers Brewing in Seattle on Thursday, July 25 to host Brew Talks, a traveling meetup for craft beer entrepreneurs. The free educational and networking event series will feature two in-depth business discussions with Seattle-based craft beer industry professionals.
The evening’s feature panel will take a look at the cultural and civic institutions that help promote craft beer in Seattle. Joel Vandenbrink of Two Beers Brewing, Ryan Hilliard of Hilliard’s Beer and Kendall Jones of the Washington Beer Blog will join Brewbound.com editor Chris Furnari in a talk about the struggles of operating a small brewery business in Seattle and the ways in which craft brewery owners can rally the support of key city planning officials. The group will also discuss the forces that have enabled craft beer to become such integral parts of cities like Portland, Ore. and San Diego.
Prior to the panel discussion, Furnari will conduct a question-and-answer session with Michael Gorman, Columbia Distributing’s vice president of craft and import beer. The pair will discuss the ways in which craft brewers can work with — instead of against – their distributor partners to better build brands. Gorman will explain what he looks for when selecting new craft brands, best practices for developing a strong marketplace presence and the evolving landscape of craft beer sales in Seattle.
Brew Talks Seattle will be held inside the Two Beers Brewery located at 4700 Ohio Ave. S, Unit A, in Seattle, Wash. Guests are invited to arrive for a pre-event networking session, which begins at 5 P.M. PST. Brew Talks will begin at 5:30 P.M. and a variety of Two Beers Brewing offerings will be available for purchase throughout the evening.
About Brew Talks:
The Brew Talks event series provides beer industry professionals with an intimate opportunity to network and discuss the business of craft in beer-friendly locales. Prior discussions have included the decision-making process behind brewery expansions, the challenges of earning local tap handles and the strategies for working more effectively with distributors. All Brew Talks events are broadcast globally via a free live stream for those unable to attend.
The West Coast Tour will also include stops at The Lost Abbey on July 23, Golden Road in Los Angeles on July 24 and Widmer Brothers Brewing in Portland, Ore. on July 27.