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Beer Release: How to Host a Party

Event Tips >

Own a budding new brewery? Successfully crafted brew for decades? Freshly minted nano-brewer? Share news about your latest hoppy libation by throwing a beer release, a prime opportunity to gain new customers and reward existing fans. Beer releases become market research labs. Tune into customer feedback and gain valuable insights into their preferences and tastes. Bonus: These events just might spur new beer batch ideas.

beer and brew releasesSelect a Perfect Venue
Beer release locations are key. If your brewery holds capacity for guests, this would make a spectacular location. Need a space? Reach out to some of the businesses you sell to. They will have incentive to help advertise new beer to sipping enthusiasts. A win-win. Pick a venue that fits your company or brewery personality and offers a setting suitable for coiffing your brew. Venues set the mood for your beer release. Provide the venue with branded swag and signage a few weeks prior to the event so the place can advertise for you. Note: Distributors often take care of this step for larger breweries. Don’t let this slip through the crack for your release.

Set the Mood
Keep your beer release simple. The fewer moving parts to an event the easier it is to engage your fans and enjoy the ride. After all, the main attraction is drinking beer. Arrive well before the event to set up, prepare for last-minute (or unexpected) logistics and be ready for loyal fans. Bring giveaways. Make sure you are open and available to speak with everyone. Attendees adore opportunities for face time with brewers and owners. Put your social game face. Beer releases where you circulate also open you up networking possibilities that could boost your business. Make sure a brew master or official representative who has intimate knowledge of the beer is there to chat with attendees. Prepare for questions about chemistry, ingredients or equipment. Chances are home brewers and beer geeks will attend and they are as passionate about the craft as the final product.

beer and brew release eventsEngage Your Crowd
Drawings interest any audience. Give away pint glasses or t-shirts and you not only give a gift, but the receiver can advertise for you every time the gift is used. Tasting together with your customers allows you to you add depth to your brew by giving insights. Talk about the different spices and ingredients. Point out key notes that your fans should be tasting. Themed trivia is also another way to captivate eager beer lovers. Study your audience over the course of a few events and bring back interactive favorites at your next beer release.

Plan Ahead to Draw a Crowd
Advanced planning makes all the difference. You will have a captive audience at your beer release, a perfect time to let people know about future events, recent business successes and news. Advertise and ticket your release event well in advance. Waiting until the last few days to release ticket sales may work for some breweries, but don’t count on a sell-out event without advanced ticket sales. Better to have a half full event than cancel due to low sales. Beer drinkers also benefit from early planning to arrange designated drivers and invite friends.

Feed Beer Drinkers
Good beer needs good food. If your host location doesn’t serve food, find a caterer or food truck. Keep it affordable for your brew crew. Anyone throwing a beer release needs to make money back on these event types. But food also says thank you. By have affordable meal choices, guests stay longer, drink harder and smile more. Food and beer combo will keep people coming back for all of your beer release.

Follow Up
Guests are gone. Kegs are empty. Venue is cleaned up. Now what? Take time to reach out to your guests and fellow event producers to thank them for a wonderful time. Send an email to attendees within days after the beer release: thank them for joining, alert them of other events, encourage them to follow you on social media.Ready for inspiration?

Find breweries and other libations celebrated at various beer, wine, spirits events across the United States. Create a beer release event now.

Want more tips or help setting up your beer release through Brown Paper Tickets? We’re here 24/7. And we love beer. Our knowledgeable client service reps are available for events, and our local food & beverage specialist will be happy to help with logistics free of charge. Brown Paper Tickets also offers free promotional assistance. Contact us at (800) 838-3006 or email us at support@brownpapertickets.com.

Brewery image: Bernt Rostad