The 2024 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) and BrewExpo America will take place from April 21-24 in Las Vegas, Nevada, hosted by the Brewers Association (BA).
This year’s keynote speaker is Fawn Weaver, founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Whiskey. In an address titled “The Story of Uncle Nearest and What Craft Distillers and Brewers Have in Common,” Weaver will dive into the evolution of Uncle Nearest Whiskey and how she became the “first non-celebrity Black American woman to build an independent company valued at over $1 billion.”
Weaver is also the founder and CEO of Grant Sidney, Inc., a privately held investment firm, and the creator of the Uncle Nearest Venture Fund, a $50 million fund that invests in minority-founded, -owned and -led brands “with the greatest potential to grow into legacy brands,” according to the BA.
CBC is one of the BA’s remaining events after several recent changes to its events calendar. The trade group has placed Homebrew Con, its annual gathering of homebrewers, on hiatus, instead offering some homebrew-centric festivities to the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) this fall. And in 2022, the BA canceled SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, citing “a variety of factors, including rising operational costs.”
CBC, GABF and Homebrew Con are the BA’s largest revenue source. In 2023, BA event revenue declined -2%, to $13,886,191, while the trade group’s overall revenue declined -2%, to $22,914,025, according to the BA’s annual report.
More than 60 educational seminars will take place at CBC, exploring eight key business areas: business and leadership; export development; government affairs and legal; production and operations; quality and ingredients; sales and market; taprooms and brewpubs; and THRIVE (diversity, equity and inclusion, human resources and wellness).
Other featured speakers and discussions on the CBC site include:
- Industry analyst Brandy Rand discussing “What’s Influencing How We Drink Today and in the Future;”
- Lifting Lucy co-founder Tranice Watts on “Forging Strong Connections in a Seemingly Polarized World;’
- Beer Marketer’s Insights senior editor Christopher Shepard presenting on “Ways to Weigh Alcohol Research, Policy and Perceptions;”
- Two Roads Brewing brewmaster and head distiller Phil Markowski, with “An Introduction to Distilling for Brewers;”
- Schilling Cider co-founders Colin Schilling and Mark Kornei exploring growth drivers for craft hard cider;
- “Brewing with Climate-Friendly Regenerative Ingredients: A Gateway to New Customers” featuring BA chief economist Bart Watson, Topa Topa Brewing co-founder and CEO Jack Dyer; Whole Foods global principal category merchant, beer, Mary Guiver, Patagonia general manager Paul Lightfoot and Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver;
- And “Innovation: What Does it Mean and How Can it Help Your Business” with Wayfinder Beer brewmaster Natalie Rose Baldwin, 10 Barrel Brewing innovation brewmaster Tonya Cornett, New Belgium lead research and development brewer Kelly McKnight and Samuel Adams Downtown Boston Taproom head brewer Megan Parisi.
Prior to CBC sessions kicking off, the BA will host the THRIVE Workshop, an add-on event held on April 21. The day-long event will start with an address from Weekend Beer Company co-owner Ashley Crews titled “Creating a Culture Employees Don’t Want to Leave.” Brewers will explore tools for keeping employees engaged and what leadership qualities best support employee wellbeing.
Other sessions at the event include:
- “How to Use Coaching Tools to Drive Performance and Growth;”
- “A Week in the Life of HR: How to Handle Common Employee Issues;”
- “Less Money, Mo’ Problems: Evaluating the Impact of Compensation on Employee Turnover;”
- “Courageous Conversations: How to Navigate that Uncomfortable Discussion;”
- “Craft a Harassment-Free Craft Brewery;”
- “Strategic Synergy: Navigating the Future of HR, DEI, and Wellness through Collaborative Conversations;”
- “You’re Asking the Wrong Question: Leveraging the Power of Diversity;”
- “Redefining Collaboration: A Framework for Establishing Best Practices Across All Aspects of Your Business;”
- And “Brewing Resilience Workshop: Broaching Tough Conversations Around Burnout.”
The 2024 World Beer Cup award ceremony will be held on Wednesday, April 24 from 5:30-7:30 p.m at the Venetian Convention and Expo Center. A livestream will also be available.
Read More: Brewbound’s Guide to the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference
Justin’s CBC Picks: State of the Industry, Fawn Weaver, Government Affairs and Chain Buyers
Jess’ CBC Picks: Innovation, Annual Business Plans and Beer Education
Zoe’s CBC Picks: Hard Cider, Brand Extensions and Business Smarts
Craft Brewers Conference Primer: A Pre-Conference Reading List
Brewbound Podcast: The Brewers Association’s Dr. J on Thrive, CBC and Vegas Musts