In a week’s time – hours before things kick off at the Great American Beer Festival – industry members will gather at Brewbound’s Brew Talks meetup in Denver.
Brew Talks will take place Thursday, September 21, from noon to 3 p.m. MT at Cervantes Masterpiece (2637 Welton St., Denver, CO, 80205).
The event will feature two panels of industry experts discussing the health of draft beer on a national and regional level. But before the panelists hit the stage, Colorado Brewers Guild executive director Shawnee Adelson will join Brewbound reporter Zoe Licata to give an update on how brewers are doing in the Centennial state.
Adelson will share the challenges Colorado’s 440 craft breweries are facing and how the guild is trying to help. She’ll also give a rundown on recent legislative moves in the state, including the recent allowance of wine sales in grocery stores, and what issues could be addressed in the Colorado Department of Revenue’s liquor code review that is due in December.
Colorado has 10 breweries per capita, ranking sixth nationwide, according to the Brewers Association. Its breweries generated more than $2.4 million in economic impact in 2022 and produce more than 834,000 barrels of beer.
Founded in 1995, the Colorado Brewers Guild remains one of the oldest trade organizations representing craft breweries. A portion of the proceeds from this month’s Brew Talks event will be donated to the guild.
Adelson’s update will be followed by a panel discussion on national draft trends, featuring:
- Dogfish Head co-founder Sam Calagione;
- Buffalo Wild Wings director of beverage strategy & innovation Jason Murphy;
- And Tamarron Consulting co-founder and president Lori Scheiffler.
After a brief networking break, a second panel will zoom into regional draft trends. Panelists include:
- Ska Brewing president and co-founder Dave Thibodeau;
- Holidaily Brewing founder Karen Hertz;
- Elite Brands of Colorado account manager Katie Nierling;
- And Hops & Pie owner and chief beer buyer Drew Watson.
Tickets cost $29 for brewery workers, wholesalers, retailers and trade group employees and include two beers and light appetizers. Tickets for suppliers and service providers cost $199.
Brew Talks is presented by Dogfish Head. Supporting sponsors include the Reyes Beer Division, Encompass and the E-Premise Group. Supplier and service companies interested in sponsoring Brew Talks should reach out to Bryce McDonald at bmcdonald@bevnet.com.
About Brewbound
Published by BevNET.com Inc., Brewbound is a leading multi-media industry trade publication providing comprehensive information about the beer space, analysis of industry trends and in-depth interviews with industry leaders. In addition to providing daily news coverage, Brewbound gathers entrepreneurs and executives to exchange ideas, discuss the state of the industry and share strategies for succeeding in beverage alcohol via a series of nationwide meetups, multi-day business conferences, live-streamed shows and podcasts.
About Brew Talks
Since hosting our first event in the basement of a Boston craft beer bar in 2013, Brewbound’s Brew Talks meetup series has developed into a multi-city tour in which beer industry professionals gather at well-known industry events to share business insights. The program provides members of the beer community with an opportunity to come together for in-depth discussions on the business of beer and beyond. Brew Talks is also broadcast globally via a free live-stream.