Though winter can seem unrelenting, and warmer weather an impossibility, spring comes to pass at last. The days get longer, the temperatures soften, and buds begin to break. Patios and beer gardens bloom in lockstep with the flowers and trees, and guests flock to our businesses with renewed vigor. After a couple of the slowest months every year, the beers start flowing again in earnest, and spirits rise.
Now’s the time to make an impact.
It used to be that we made that impact, at least in part, through beer festivals. Going back some years, before craft got to the level of near-ubiquity, beer festivals were a key route to gain market access and interact directly with customers. Before distributors, retailers, bars, and restaurants were keen to carry a wide array of craft offerings, beer festivals offered a singular chance to showcase and sample dozens of styles and flavor profiles. Brewers showed up, hawked their wares, and moved the needle.