In this episode, we dig into how financial trouble usually shows up months before it becomes a crisis, and why so many owners and managers miss the warning signs. 

When you’re busy fighting daily fires, reviewing financials weeks after month-end, and unsure which numbers truly matter, problems stay invisible until cash runs tight .

We walk through the concept of a financial early-warning system and explain how profitable breweries shift from reactive panic to calm, data-driven decision-making. 

Instead of drowning in reports, they focus on a small set of leading indicators that flag issues early — while there’s still time to act. This isn’t about becoming a CPA - it’s about knowing where to look, how often to review, and what actions to take when numbers move out of range.

Key Takeaways

• Most brewery financial problems show up early — but only if you know which signals to watch
• A focused red-flag dashboard is more powerful than dozens of backward-looking reports
• Cash flow issues are usually operational problems in disguise
• Reviewing financial signals weekly creates faster, calmer course correction
• Stabilizing cash flow and margins must come before growth or optimization

Resources

Get the Brewery Profit Brief - tips tactics and strategies for 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. 

In today's podcast we cover the basics of brewery budgeting, keys to success and 3 simple steps to get started building your plan today.

Key Topics

• Budget questions: Who, what, where, why, when and how
• Common obstacles and how to overcome them
• Budget quick-start guide
• The details: How to build the plan, models, tools and templates
• Financial cadence: How to use the plan every day

Resources

• Get the brewery profit brief - tips, tactics, and strategies to build a more profitable beer business

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. 

A CFO who became a head of marketing, eliminated millions in debt, and then built a company to fix distribution blind spots—Doug Veliky’s journey is a masterclass in making beer businesses sturdier and smarter. 

We dig into the decisions that actually move the needle: building an internal audit team at Reyes that focused on real compliance risk, redesigning systems at Revolution to produce market-level P&Ls, and consolidating a spaghetti bowl of loans into a revolving line that turned heavy debt into daily cash efficiency. 

That financial clarity paved the way for a bold move—buying the production facility—and gave the brewery control over the investments that shape its future.

We also get honest about how teams work. 

Doug shows how finance, sales, and marketing can stop talking past each other by aligning on the data each team needs: shipments, depletions, pull-through. 

The result? 

Better forecasts, fewer surprises, and programs that actually show up on the shelf and in the tap list. 

Doug's Beer Crunchers platform ties it all together, translating the mechanics of distributors, portfolios, and pricing into stories and tactics people at every level can use. 

And when the world flipped, Doug brought a finance brain to digital marketing—prioritizing audience, cadence, and measurable impact.

Looking forward, Doug sees moderation evolving beyond non-alcoholic beer into “small beers” and right-sized formats that meet the moment—2.8–3.8% ABV cores and 8.4-ounce packs that fit weekday occasions without losing the ritual. 

The catch is prioritization: make it a pillar or skip it. 

We close with BrightBev, where Doug helps emerging brands choose the right distributors, set expectations, and invest alongside partners to win velocity, not just placements. 

If you care about brewery finance, route-to-market strategy, and building brands that last, this conversation will sharpen your plan for the next four quarters. 

Subscribe, share with a brewery friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway—what will you prioritize next?

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

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. 

Financial literacy is a super power. It means learning to understand the numbers of your business so that you know how your business is doing financially. 

Marketing literacy is a super power. It means learning how to identify your customer and communicate the value your brewery has to offer. 

When you combine marketing and finance together...well, you have something special on your hands.  

In today's podcast, I talk with Chris Overlay from Hoptimized Digital, a marketing firm for craft breweries. Chris and I talk numbers, finance, marketing, and how to combine these ingredients to help you supercharge your brewery results.

Key Topics

• Beer Pricing (related to margins, market positioning, and ultimately business success) 
• Sales forecasting / budgeting / projects (as it relates to the marketing budget) 
• Sales Growth KPIs (related to measuring ROI with marketing)

Resources

• Learn more about Hoptimized Digital
• Get the financial training newsletter for the beer industry

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. 

How much should you spend on brewery marketing?  What is the right amount, and how do you figure this out?  Julie Rhodes from Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions joins the podcast with answers. 

Julie specializes in helping breweries optimize retail sales plans, execute digital marketing plans and improve distribution management. And she has lots of great information to share about proven and profitable brewery marketing strategies. 

Key Topics

• How to budget your marketing dollars (benchmarks and rules of thumb)
• Profitable brewery marketing tactics 
• The brewery marketing plan (starting points to build a good one)

Resources

• Learn more about Julie and Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions
• Get the Case Equivalent Conversion Calculator
• Check out the 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. 

Today we talk about the research and development tax credit with Brent Williams from Small Batch Standard.

Brent breaks down what the R&D tax credit is, how the calculation works, and how to determine if your brewery business will qualify.

Many breweries don't realize they qualify for this tax credit, and could be leaving money on the table. Listen to the podcast to learn whether your business qualifies.

Key Topics

• How the R&D tax credit works
• How to know if your brewery qualifies
• What types of costs are included to calculate the R&D credit 
• How much of a credit may be available for your brewery
• Where to get help to claim your R&D tax credit

Resources

• Learn more about R&D Tax Credits and Small Batch Standard
• Get the financial newsletter for craft breweries

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 we dig into the legal side of contract brewing with attorney Derek Allen from Allen Stahl + Kilbourne.

Derek shares best practices on how to create the brewery service agreement (the document that will govern your contract brewing arrangement) and where to turn for help on navigating the state regulations around contract brewing.

Key Topics

• Contract brewing vs alternating proprietorships
• Reasons to contract brew (that you might not have thought about)
• What you need to get right in your brewing contract
• Pitfalls to avoid in brewery service agreements

Resources

• Learn more about Derek Allen and contract brewing services his firm provides  
• Watch Derek's presentation on contract brewing 
• Get the financial training newsletter for the craft beer industry

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. 

Brewers Association supply chain subcommittee chair Mitch Steele joins us to share tips and best practices on how brewers can navigate today's challenges.
 
In the podcast Mitch shares his outlook for the next 6-12 months, and strategies to navigate ongoing supply chain issues.

Key Topics

• Mitigation strategies for supply chain challenges
• Best practices for purchase contracts: cans, malt, COs, etc.
• How to build relationships with your key suppliers

Resources

• Learn more about Mitch Steele and New Realm Brewing Company
• Brewers Association supply chain resources
• Get the craft 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. 

In today's podcast we'll review best practices to improve cash flow in your brewery. 

You'll learn the cash flow reports to run, metrics to track, and how to focus your time and energy to create a solid cash management plan for your brewery business.

Key Topics

• The main drivers of brewery cash flow (and how to manage them)
• How to build cash flow metrics for each manager in your brewery
• Best practices for your brewery financing plan

Resources

• Get the financial training newsletter for craft breweries
• Learn more about the craft brewery financial training membership

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 we talk with Tim Near from Agrowgate, a group procurement organization, that helps breweries manage their supply chain and buy better.

Pound for pound, supply chain purchases represent the largest outlay of cash for a brewery.  In today's podcast, you'll learn tips and tactics from a supply chain expert to improve purchasing in your beer business.

Key Topics 

• The 5 Rights of Purchasing...and why they are important to your brewery
• How to implement a 9 Step Sourcing Model
• Sourcing strategy example using Porters' Five Forces
• Common purchasing pitfalls...and how to avoid them

Resources

• Learn more about Agrowgate
• Get the finance newsletter for 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. 

In this podcast we'll talk about best practices for recruiting and hiring for your brewery. Finding the right employees is harder than ever these days, but a few simple tips can make the task easier.

Key Topics

• Use a template for your job descriptions and job postings - get it in writing, and get it in the hands of the job candidate
• Be crystal clear about the priority or goal for the position - how do you define success?
• Set proper expectations for the position 
• People exist to make a difference: Use the job description, tell the job candidate how they will make a difference in the brewery

Resources

• Subscribe to the free finance newsletter for craft  breweries
• Check out the Brewery Job Descriptions Guide, it's included with your Craft Brewery Financial Training Subscription

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. 

If you sell beer through a wholesaler, you have inventory management challenges. In today's podcast we talk with Bud Dunn from GP Analytics and hear about a solution to these challenges called the Craft Portal.

The Craft Portal is a tool that allows you to easily track inventory and orders without losing time, money or your mind. Wholesalers and breweries can quickly track what was sent, what is inbound and what is needed in the future.

The rapid expansion of brands and SKUs in the beer wholesaler's portfolio has made inventory forecasting very complex. The Craft Portal helps simplify the forecasting process so that you can reduce out of stocks, over stocks, and increase sales of your beer brands.

Key Topics

• Inventory forecasting best practices
• How to identify (and quantify) lost sales due to out of stocks
• The high cost of over stock inventory 
• Understanding wholesaler incentives related to inventory levels

Resources

• Get the Craft Portal One Pager
• Subscribe to the Finance Newsletter for Craft Breweries

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. 

In today's podcast we dive into the wonderful world of beer distribution with Laura Lodge from Customized Craft Beer Programs. Laura has a tremendous amount of experience with beer distribution and in our conversation she shares her knowledge freely.

Key Topics

• Benefits of working with a wholesaler
• Pitfalls to avoid in the brewery-wholesaler relationship
• Distribution contracts: What you need to know
• Key elements to a good brewery-wholesaler partnership

Resources

• Laura's book: Distribution Insight for the Craft Brewer
• Listen to our first podcast: StartABrewery.com with Laura Lodge
• The Finance Newsletter for Craft Breweries

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 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. 

In today's podcast we hear from Bart Watson, chief economist for the Brewers' Association. 

Bart is a self-described "stats geek, beer lover, and Certified Cicerone®." And he holds a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.  So, the Beer Data Doctor is in the house. 

In our conversation we dig into the 2021 beer data and get Bart's key takeaways, trends, and outlook for the coming year. We also talk about "craft's leaky bucket" and how brewers can use this concept to maintain or grow market share. 

Key Topics 

• 2021 beer trends and outlook for 2022
• Bart's key takeaways from the 2021 data
• The state of big seltzer (and craft seltzer)
• On-premise outlook 

Resources

• Bart's articles on benchmarking data, survey results, and packaging trends
• The Finance Newsletter for Craft Breweries

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. 

In today's podcast we talk contract brewing with Brewmaster Mitch Steele from New Realm Brewing.  Mitch shares what the contract brewing process looks like, the contract terms you need to know, and how to structure pricing.

Key Topics

• Contract brewing tracking data 
• How to structure contract brewing pricing 
• The key steps in the contract brewing process 
• Lessons learned, mistakes to avoid, in contract brewing

Resources

• Learn more about New Realm Brewing Company
• Contact Mitch for info on their contract brewing services: msteele@newrealmbrewing.com
• Subscribe to the Finance Newsletters for Craft Breweries

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. 

In today's podcast you'll hear the audio version of the Taproom Success monthly Q&A.

In this session, Andrew Coplon and I discuss a wide range of topics, including best practices and lessons learned from taproom owners and managers.

Key Topics Covered

• 2022 beer industry look ahead: packaging trends, seltzer outlook, on-premise business, and overall beer consumption rates. 
• Focus on taproom key metrics: 2022 Most important measurements.
• Financing update: Market trends to share for taproom owners looking to expand or purchase equipment. 
• Taproom staffing issues? Tips to help, and best practices from Lady Justice Brewing about looking outside the box for candidates

Resources

• Learn more about the Taproom Success Membership
• Sign up for the free Craft Brewery Financial 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. 

In today's podcast we hear from Lester Jones, chief economist for the National Beer Wholesalers Association.

Lester provides a recap of 2021 and his outlook for the beer industry in the year ahead.

In our conversation we dig deep into the data and review the key topics for beer wholesaler owners and managers:

• Total beer consumption in the US
• Packaging trends, and the outlook for cans, bottles and draft
• Forecast for on-premise business
• Past, present and future of seltzers

Lester also shares his favorite beer industry reads, and provides tips to use US Census data, labor statistics, and TTB reporting to better analyze your market.

Subscribe Free to the weekly Craft Brewery Financial 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. 

Today we talk brewery financing and get an update on the state of the lending industry with Jason Sleeman, VP of Craft Beverage Lending for United Community Bank.

Jason shares his perspective on the current state of the market,  financial relief packages, and the inner workings of how the loan process works.

Key Topics

• Banking behind the scenes: What you really need in order to get a loan
• Loan processing times: 45 days to 14 months...tips to get approved faster
• How to build your team of brewery professionals (insurance, legal, accounting, banking)
• An update on mergers in craft beer
• Jason's favorite sources for beer news and information

Resources

• Podcast: Expansion Financing 
• Learn more about United Community Bank

Sign Up for the FREE and World Famous Craft 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. 

In today's podcast you'll hear the audio version of the Taproom Success Membership monthly Q&A call.  

In this discussion, Andrew Coplon and I talk about a wide variety of topics ranging from contingency planning for taprooms to how to build relationships among your front/back of house taproom staff. 

Key Topics

• How to reward and motivate your taproom employees 
• Team building tactics to help drive more revenue through your taproom
• How to use accountability and a proven system to build your financial plan

Resources

• Craft Brewery Professionals Live Event: Feb 2022
• Learn more about the Taproom Success Membership

Sign Up for the World Famous (and FREE) Craft 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. 

Today we are going to talk about goal setting and New Year's Resolutions. We'll talk about a framework you can use to create goals that stick.

We'll look at systems, models, and techniques you can use to set your goals and achieve them in 2022.

Key Topics

• Business Plan Goals...Start with your Core Values (what do you stand for?)
• Financial Plan Goals
• SWOT Analysis
• Process vs. Outcome Goals
• The 3 Step Secret Weapon for 2022 (Eliminate, Automate, Delegate)

Resources

• Learn more about the book Re-Work by Jason Fried from Basecamp
• Tim Ferriss on a technique to become more productive in 2022
• Learn more about the Craft Brewery Business Plan course

Sign up for the FREE and World Famous Craft 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. 

In today's podcast we hear from Kim McKinnish, CFO and SVP of the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA).

Kim and I talk about a wide range of topics including the mission of the NBWA, membership benefits,  NBWA's Next Generation Leadership Group, and the newly launched BREW initiative, Building Relationships and Empowering Women.

We also discuss the current state of the beer industry, best practices and business lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Topics

• How wholesalers can use financial skills to navigate challenges in the market
• The BREW Initiative: Building Relationships and Empowering Women
• Industry consolidation: Key factors behind wholesaler acquisitions

Resources

• Learn more about the BREW Initiative
• NBWA Membership Benefits
• Nex Gen Leadership Conference

Sign Up for the World Famous (and FREE) Beer Business Finance 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. 

Preston Andreini is a firefighter, first responder and now he's opening up his own brewery: Red Engine Brewing.

And if that's not enough, he's started his own podcast to share lessons learned with others who may want to start their own brewery.

In this podcast, Preston and I walk through the details of creating a startup brewery financial plan. Preston talks through the obstacles he faced while creating his plan, and shares how he overcame these challenges.

Key Topics

• Using "Knowns and Assumptions" when starting your plan
• The simple magic of the "Sources and Uses" schedule
• A tactical approach to build up your sales, margin, and operating expenses

Resources

• Learn more about Red Engine Brewing
• Check out Preston's podcast: Built and Brewed

Sign Up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

What if there was a place where you could learn everything about starting a new brewery? And what if that place was online, accessible to anyone, and totally free?

No need to think about the 'what ifs' because Laura Lodge and attorney Candace Moon have built such a place, and they call it StartABrewery.com.

In today's podcast you'll hear from Laura Lodge about why she co-founded StartABrewery.com, who the site is for, and what resources you'll find there. 

Key Topics Covered

• Tips on where to begin: Starting points for starting a brewery
• The four stages of StartABrewery.com: Plan, Act, Open, Grow
• Fundamental principles for your distribution contracts and relationships

Resources

• Learn more about StartABrewery.com
• Check out Laura's book Distribution Insight for the Craft Brewer
• Need a REAL business plan for your brewery? Check out the Brewery Business Plan course

Sign Up for the FREE and World Famous Craft 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. 

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.  Kary@BeerBusinessFinance.com

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. 

In today's podcast we hear from Josh Lance, founder of Lance CPA Group. Josh's firm specializes in breweries, with a focus on bookkeeping services, tax planning and preparation, and small business advisory services.

Josh and I talk about a number of issues facing brewery operators these days: year end planning strategies, cash management tools, and how to make sure you're in compliance with all the rules surrounding PPP, ERTC, RRF and other stimulus packages. 

Key Topics

• Most common financial questions brewery owners are asking these days
• Key considerations when buying new brewery assets (calculate the return on investment, estimate additional costs associated with getting the asset into service)
• Brewery cash management tools: Fathom, Float and Helm 
• First steps to build a brewery cash forecast

Resources

• Learn more about Lance CPAs
• Podcast: The Ultimate Brewery Software Stack
• Check out the online course How to Build a Brewery Profit Plan

Sign Up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

In today's podcast we talk about legal year end planning tactics with attorney John Szymankiewicz from the Beer Law Center. The Beer Law Center provides legal solutions to the craft beverage industry, and John provides tips that brewers need to know right now.

Key Topics

• Best practices, tips and checklists for legal planning
• How John is guiding his brewery clients with year end planning
• What you need to know about: Contract reviews, lease reviews, and trademarks
• Watch out for these legal areas that are overlooked (and what usually goes wrong)

Resources

• Learn more about the Beer Law Center
• Learn more about John's book Beer Law: What Brewer's Need to Know
• Check out the Brewery Business Plan course

Sign up for the FREE and World Famous Craft 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. 

Today we review year end planning tips and strategies with Chris Farmand, founder and CEO of Small Batch Standard. 

We cover the most common questions, concerns and obstacles that brewery owners are facing these days, and provide resources to help solve these challenges. 

Topics Covered

• Planning tactics for PPP, ERC, and EIDL
• Benchmarking tools for breweries
• Accounting technology: Chris' favorite software stack for breweries
• Rules of thumb for when you need a brewery software tool
• Top benefits of working with a brewery-specialized CPA firm

Resources

• Learn more about Small Batch Standard
• Check out the Brewery Business Plan Course

Sign Up for the World Famous and FREE Craft 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. 

In today's podcast we hear from Jon Reynolds from BrewPlan, LLC and dig in to all the details of an ABP (annual business plan). We talk about what an ABP is, why it's important, why you need it, and how it works.

In a nutshell, the ABP is a brewery-wholesaler planning process that sets the game plan for getting your beer to market.  If you work with a wholesaler you need to understand the ABP to position your brewery for success. 

Key Topics
Most useful tool in your ABP: The brand calendar
How to create your annual spend plan to support your brands
Tips to build your marketing plan and rules of thumb for how much to budget

Resources
Learn more about BrewPlan, LLC
Podcast: How to Use Brewery Data to Uncover Opportunities in the Market

Sign Up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

In this episode you'll hear the audio version of our webinar to introduce the Taproom Success Membership.  

This new  membership opportunity connects you with a community of experts and taproom owners/managers to help you achieve success in your taproom.

The Taproom Success Membership gives you the tools, resources, and support you need to manage and grow your taproom business. 

From fundamentals, to best practices, backed by data, and actionable strategies, the Taproom Success Membership fills the void of taproom educational opportunities.

 Resources

• Learn more about the Taproom Success Membership
• Register to Watch the Webinar Replay 

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 we'll talk about one of my favorite topics: Open Book Management (OBM).

OBM is a system to share financial information with everyone in the brewery. It's about open, honest and transparent communication. And it's a great way to engage and empower employees.

Topics Covered

• What open book is...and What it isn't...
• Why you might consider OBM 
• How to evaluate if it's right for your business
• Steps to put OBM into practice
• My 3 Favorite OBM books...

Resources

• Brewery Open Book Management Course
• Sign Up for the FREE and World Famous Craft 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. 

Craft Peak is a technology company that builds websites and e-commerce solutions for some of the world's leading craft beer brands.

In this episode we hear from CEO and Founder, John Kelley.  He describes Craft Peak as a hybrid of a web agency and a technology company. But mostly, he loves developing cool tools for breweries.

Main Topics

• Key metrics: What to measure when talking websites
• How to use memberships to drive sales
• Online beer sales, platform they offer, how it all works

Resources

• Learn more about Craft Peak
• Sign Up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

Brew Movers was recently featured in Forbes under the heading: The secret weapon for breweries? A shipping company called Brew Movers.  A cool title and a very interesting read.

Brew Movers is a farm to glass shipping and logistics company for the beer industry. They specialize in beer shipping and understand the unique challenges facing craft breweries.

In this podcast we'll hear how Brew Movers can help you manage logistics to improve on shipping costs to save time and money in your business.

Key Topics

• Primer on how freight and logistics actually work 
• Value added services to look for with your freight carrier
• The main drivers of freight costs (and how to use this info to save money)

Resources

• Learn more about Brew Movers
• Forbes article featuring Brew Movers

Sign up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

A lot of businesses fail because they run out of cash. In this podcast you’ll get a crash course in brewery cash flow planning to help your brewery survive and thrive in tough times. 

Key topics covered in the podcast:

• The 10 Laws of business...
• Cash flow basics: Accrual vs cash accounting
• How to identify and monitor the key drivers of brewery cash flow
• Simple cash flow templates you can use in your business

Listen to the podcast and learn how to build a cash flow plan for your brewery business. 

Sign-Up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

In this podcast you’ll get a crash course in brewery debt financing so that you can create a solid funding plan for your business. 

We’ll cover loan terms, types and typical brewery financing structures. We’ll review how your lender will evaluate your brewery business so that you can prepare and put yourself in the best position to get the funding you need. 

Key topics covered in the podcast:

• How to build a financing plan for your brewery so that you have access to capital when you need it
• Examples of typical brewery financing structures - equipment line of credit, working capital line of credit and term loans
• Basics of loan covenants - what you need to know about the debt service ratio and debt to equity ratio

Listen to the podcast and learn how to build a debt financing plan for your brewery business. 

Sign-Up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

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.

Do this next:

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. 

In this podcast you’ll get a crash course in brewery financial forecasting so that you can create an action-oriented plan to help you improve financial results in your business.

Key topics covered in the podcast:

• How to create a brewery financial pro forma
• Financial planning basics - first steps to get the plan on paper
• Key considerations in building your financial plan

Listen to the podcast and learn how to use brewery financial projections to drive profitable growth in your business. 

Sign-Up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

In this podcast you’ll get a crash course in brewery finances. A good working knowledge of brewery finances will allow you to track, measure and monitor financial performance of your business. 

At Craft Brewery Financial Training.com we believe in the sanctity of the beer, and the sanctity of the numbers. In this podcast, we’ll help you with the numbers!

Key topics covered in the podcast:

• What brewery financial statements should look like
• Brewery chart of accounts best practices
• Key financial metrics for breweries

Listen to the podcast and learn how to use brewery financial knowledge to drive profitable growth in your business. 

Sign-Up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

In this podcast we dig in on Brewery Taproom Metrics. We’ll review four key taproom scorecards that you can use to measure, monitor and improve results in your brewery. 

Four specific taproom scorecards we cover:

1. Sales focused (to grow revenue)
2. Operational metrics (to improve non-financial performance)
3. Financial metrics (to watch your financial results)
4. One Thing Scorecard (to focus on the one most important thing)

Key topics covered in the podcast:

• How to create four different scorecards for you taproom
• How to measure with a purpose so that you get the results you want
• Steps to Identify and measure the most important things for your business

Listen to the podcast and learn how to build taproom scorecards to drive profitable growth in your business. 

Sign-Up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

In today’s podcast we hear from Kyle Rheiner from Arthur Hall Insurance. Kyle leads the Food and Beverage Division and specializes in insurance needs for craft breweries. 

Key Topics Covered in the Podcast:

• One simple tip that can save you thousands of dollars on your premiums 
• Workers compensation insurance: How it works, and how to reduce costs
• How things have changed since the pandemic: specific insurance needs for breweries in this new, post-pandemic world 
• Bonus topic: Kyle’s favorite books about the beer industry

Resources

• Listen to Kye’s podcast: Beer Mighty Things
• Learn more about Arthur Hall insurance

Sign-up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

In this podcast we talk about brewery financial literacy -  the ability to read and understand the numbers of your business so that you can monitor and improve results.  

Key Topics Covered

• Financial Building Blocks: Chart of Accounts, General Ledger
• Brewery Financial Reports: Overview and Examples 
• Financial Routines and Month end Process checklists
• Building and training your team: Out-Sourcing Options

Listen to the podcast and learn how to use brewery financials to drive profitable growth in your business. 

Sign-Up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

In this podcast we hear from Joe Isaacs from National Resource Management. Joe shares his insights on energy reducing programs that may be available for your brewery.

I’ve worked with NRM on several energy saving projects in the past and have found their team to be professional and profitable for our business. I encourage you to reach out to NRM so that you can “Go Green” and “Save Green”. 

Key Topics Covered in the Podcast:

• Drivers of energy costs: Usage, rates, fees (and how it all works)
• Energy programs that are available for your beer business
• Checklist that you can use to identify cost savings programs
• Resources to stay on top of new energy programs as they become available

Resources

• Use this tool to benchmark your building using Energy Star
• Read the case study of how NRM was able to help Aeronaut Brewing

Listen to the podcast and learn how to use brewery financials to drive profitable growth in your business. 

Sign-Up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

In this podcast we hear from Ross Ackerman from GP Analytics. Ross shares his insights on forecasting beer sales, reacting to change, and creating a common language between wholesalers and breweries to drive sales.

Key Topics Covered in the Podcast:

• Tips for forecasting sales this summer selling season
• Raw material shortages (cans, cardboard, etc)
• The return of on-premise and how to prepare your brewery production

Resources

• Learn more about GP Analytics
• Learn more about the Craft Portal

Listen to the podcast and learn how to build a more accurate production forecast to drive profitable growth in your business. 

Sign-Up for the Free and World Famous Craft 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. 

In today's podcast you'll hear the audio from a recent webinar introducing the new Taproom Success Membership which officially launches on August 1st.

The Taproom Success Membership connects you with a community of experts and taproom owners/managers to help you achieve success in your taproom.

Key Topics

• 5 Taproom Business Myths
• Our Proven Process for Taproom Success
• One Thing you can do right now to improve taproom results
• Claim your 50% savings on the membership!  Use coupon code EARLYBIRD at checkout. Offer ends June 30th.

Resources

• Learn more about the Taproom Success Membership

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. 

In this podcast, you’ll hear the audio of our webinar on beer distribution strategies for craft breweries. We’ll cover the financial and operational considerations to get your beer to market during this uncertain time.

Key Topics

• How to build successful relationships with your beer distributors to grow sales
• Resources to analyze self-distribution options
• Beer Pricing and margin tools and models

Resources

• Get the course deck and spreadsheet tools
• Learn more about the 2021 Brewery Financial Training Program
• Questions?  Kary@BeerBusinessFinance.com

Sign up for the World Famous (and Free) Craft 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. 

Today we talk dashbaords, KPI's and compensation planning with Darin Spence and Grant Barrett from InTrench Consulting. Darin is a former GM and VP at Encompass, and Grant is a former VP of Sales at Origlio Beverage. 

Key topics covered:

• How to manage the supplier / wholesaler relationship
• Building performance management systems
• How to reward and pay for top performance
• Darin and Grant: My favorite KPIs and Key metrics

Resources

• Contact Darin or Grant at InTrench Consulting
• Preview the Profit Rx tool 

Sign-Up for the Free and World-Famous Craft 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. 

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. 

Joe Trombley is senior facilities planning manager at Barry-Wehmiller Design Group and technical director for the Master Brewer's Association, New England Region.  Joe works with breweries of all sizes from start-up to expansion to assist with packaging line planning, construction projects, master brewery planning, and more.

Key topics covered:

• Rules of thumb for brewery build-out and construction costs 
• Tips to find the ideal location for your start-up brewery
• What's involved in a feasibility study for your brewery (and why you need one)
• Checklist to document brewery operations

Resources

• Contact Joe at B-W Design Group: joseph.trombley@bwdesigngroup.com or reach him by cell at 603-244-9778

Sign-up for the Free and World-Famous Craft 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. 

In today's podcast, you'll hear a replay of the live Q&A session from the Brewery Financial Training Program.

In this episode we cover brewery cash flow management: Best practices, key drivers of cash flow, and scorecards to track, measure and improve your cash position.

The Brewery Financial Training Program is for craft brewery owners, managers and staff who need practical financial training to improve cash flow and profitability.

The Course includes 40+ lessons delivered across 6 modules, with a total of 8 hours of instruction, 6 graded quizzes and a final exam. Watch a short video to learn more.

Key topics covered:

• Cash Flow Management Best Practices 
• Drivers of brewery cash flow
• Scorecards to track and measure key cash flow metrics
• 3-step system to improve brewery cash flow

Learn more about the Brewery Financial Training Program!

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. 

In today's podcast, you'll hear a replay of the live Q&A session from the Brewery Financial Training Program.  In the episode, we cover the 6 Steps you can follow to create your brewery financial budget.

The Brewery Financial Training Program is for craft brewery owners, managers and staff who need practical financial training to improve cash flow and profitability.

The Course includes 40+ lessons delivered across 6 modules, with a total of 8 hours of instruction, 6 graded quizzes and a final exam. Watch a short video to learn more.

Key topics covered:

• Financial Planning Best Practices
• Sales and Margin Plan
• Operating Expense Plan
• Capital Expense Plan
• Loan Schedules and Debt Planning
• Tactics to Train Department Managers

Learn more about the Brewery Financial Training Program!

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.