Home to the annual Great American Beer Festival, Denver hosted the 36th annual Craft Brewers Conference April 8th – 11th. Presented by the Brewers Association, 14,000 attendees from all 50 states plus 65 countries and over 1,000 exhibitors attended this year. Between seminars, the trade expo, and outside events, it was an amazing and informative event! It was filled with networking, and even more laughs and cheers for some of the top names in the craft brewing industry. Check out some of our highlights from the 2019 Craft Brewers Conference below!
Keynote and Seminars
This years Keynote Speaker was Bruce Dickinson, front man of Iron Maiden, Brewmaster, and above all a renowned jack of all trades. He covered everything from his days touring to consequently brewing the infamous Trooper. Handcrafted by Bruce and the brewers at Robinson Brewery in Stockport England, Trooper is just one example of Bruce’s love of beer and history.
“A customer is a person who can walk away. You don’t want customers – you want fans; you want friends.” – Bruce Dickinson
The seminars focused on everything from technical brewing to helping create a brand voice. We were blown away by Ann Handley’s hilarious talk about how to make a unique voice for your brand and also learned about the new changes for labeling put in place by the TTB.
The BA also awarded three Achievement Awards this year:
- Brewers Association Recognition Award: Kim Jordan, New Belgium Brewing Company
- Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Brewing: Lauren Woods Limbach, New Belgium Brewing Company
- X. Matt Defense of the Industry Award: Danielle D’Alessandro, Illinois Craft Brewers Guild
State of the Industry
Curious of the current state of the craft beer industry? Check out these facts presented by Paul Gatza, Senior Vice President of Professional Brewing Division, and Bart Watson, Chief Economist of the BA.
- Overall Market: 4% Craft, 4% Import
- 4% overall growth
- 219 brewery closings in 2018
- 1049 brewery openings in 2018
- At least 2,500 breweries in planning currently
- 3.1 million barrels sold
- 24% of craft growth comprised of taprooms
- Craft beer sales at an all time high thanks to the independent craft movement
2019 Symposium Ale: Brut Red IPA
In the host city of CBC and Brew Expo America each year, local small and independent brewers come together and collaborate on a special symposium beer which is given to attendees. This year, Sleeping Giant Brewing Company and the Colorado Brewers Guild collaborated on a special Brut Red IPA. Sitting at 7%, this hop-forward Brut IPA features a robust taste of red berries, tangerine, and pineapple. The coolest part of the beer? The packaging! The 16oz. can features a tear away plastic sleeve, therefore offering a more efficient solution for the aluminum once it enters the recycling stream.
External Events
We all know that after a day of talking about beer the only thing left to do is drink it! With tons of external events happening throughout each day, there was definitely no shortage of fun. We went to Brewsters Arm Wrestling, local breweries like Our Mutual Friend, and, even Brew Talks presented by Brewbound and Dogfish Head Brewing Company.
Brew Expo America
Featuring more than 1,000 exhibitors in 584,000+ square feet of expo space, Brew Expo America was a unique way to see the ins and outs of brewing operations. Everything from clothing vendors to full-scale brewhouse setups were present so to help those looking for new suppliers and equipment. Hopsteiner, a global hop supplier, offered unique beer samples to showcase their hop line and there was also plenty of opportunities to crush and smell the hops yourself.
Great Gear 
Great Beer 
We even ran into Charlie Papazian!
Find out more about Craft Brewers Conference and Brew Expo America HERE.
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