MN BREWERS CONFERENCE

Setting up Successful Fermentations – Yeast Attenuation and Wort Fermentability

Lance Shaner, Head of Chicago Plant Operations, Omega Yeast

The attenuation of a given yeast strain is a relative range because it can be heavily influenced by the wort fermentability or the composition of sugars extracted during the mash. On the hot side, we’ll overview how the brewer can manipulate wort fermentability in the mash and “set up the dinner plate” for a given yeast strain. On the cold side, we’ll dive into how different yeast strains can be used to consume more or less of the wort sugars and best practices to avoid attenuation problems stemming from poor yeast performance. We’ll apply this baseline knowledge and tackle more advanced technical challenges such as limiting ABV in NABLABs and targeting attenuation in dry-hopped beers. Selected by the MBAA.

3 Key Takeaways: 

1. How wort fermentability impacts yeast attenuation.
   
2. The important factors to consider on the hot side and cold side that impact attenuation.
   
3. Applying these concepts to technical challenges in NABLAB recipe design and targeting attenuation in dry-hopped beers.

About the Presenter: Lance is the Co-Founder and Head of Chicago Plant Operations at Omega Yeast Labs in Chicago, IL, operating since 2013. Lance received a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from the University of Texas – Houston. He has 11 years of laboratory experience, including 5 years of original research on the stress response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (a.k.a. brewer’s yeast).

Small Breweries, Small Maltsters: Perspectives on Craft Malting

• Niko Tonks, Head Brewer, Little Thistle Brewing Co.
• Chris Schooley, Founder, Troubadour Maltings
• Curtis Davenport, Co-Founder, Admiral Maltings
• Andrea Stanley, Co-Owner, Valley Malt

This panel will share perspectives on a variety of topics including innovations in barley growing and sourcing, malting using historical techniques and varieties, shortening your supply chain, and working with small brewers on creating bespoke malts to help achieve specific brewing aims. Selected by the MBAA.

3 Key Takeaways: 

1: The state of barley growing in a range of regions across the country
2: How small(er) breweries are able to work more directly with their ingredient suppliers, to their mutual benefit
3: Perspectives on different malting processes and their potential benefits in the brewery

About the Presenters: Niko Tonks is the Head Brewer for Little Thistle Brewing Company and Double Elbow Beer, and has a technical sales support role for Yakima Chief Hops. He started his brewing career at Live Oak Brewing in Austin, Texas in 2011 and co-founded Fair State Brewing Cooperative in Minneapolis in 2013. He lives in Southern Minnesota and enjoys a fine pilsner beer.

Christopher Schooley founded Troubadour Maltings in Fort Collins with Steve Clark in 2013 with the mission to produce unique character driven malts that inspire creativity in those who use them and to also collaborate with them on making new malts. Troubadour has been in full production since April 2015 and works with breweries, distilleries and bakers all over Colorado and throughout the country.

Curtis Davenport co-founded Admiral Maltings in Alameda, CA in 2017 and works as Head Maltster to produce locally sourced, floor malted and freshly kilned grains to brewers and distillers along the West Coast. As a maltster, Curtis enjoys the opportunity to connect brewers, distillers and drinkers to barley and the land and people who produce it. Curtis cherishes the craft malt community and has served on the Board of Directors for the Craft Maltsters Guild since 2021.

Andrea Stanley is the co-owner of Valley Malt, a woman-owned Craft Malthouse in Holyoke Massachusetts, supplying Craft Brewers, Distillers, and Bakers with locally grown malts and grain since 2009. For 15 years, Valley Malt’s mission has been to ‘bring the malthouse back’ allowing for a regional supply chain to form and grow for over 14 years. This mission has led to the development of Northeast varieties that are providing a “taste of place” and providing Northeast Farms with a stable market to grow cover crops such as barley, wheat, rye, and oats.

Steering the Barge: Breeding Hops in an Ever-Changing World

Nicholi Pitra, Technical Director of Plant Sciences, Hopsteiner

This session will address some new findings in hop genetics and how we are leveraging them to meet the ever-changing demands of the market/world/climate. Discussion of the more interesting points of the New Apollo genome and how having a phased reference genome is allowing us to leverage markers, wild plants, climate studies, as well as aroma/taste data in hop research. This is a slow process (“the barge”), but with foresight we can navigate the waters ahead. Selected by the MBAA.

3 Key Takeaways: 

1. Hops research is so much more than you thought.
2. There are cool hops coming.
3. What Hop Breeders are addressing — its time to talk to us about what you would like.

About the Presenter: Nicholi Pitra has built a reputation as an expert in the field of hop science. With a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of Northern Iowa and a second Master’s degree in Bioinformatics from Johns Hopkins University, Nicholi has dedicated his 19-year career to exploring and sharing knowledge about hops.

In addition to his speaking engagements, Nicholi is the author of over 10 publications in various journals, which have significantly contributed to the knowledge base of in hop science. He is currently the Head Scientist of Variety Development and Bioinformatics at Hopsteiner, a leading global hop supplier.

Sobriety: Non-drinkers as Customers and Staff.

Panel Discussion. Presenter and Session Info Coming Soon

MN Beer Law: Past, Present, Future

Panel Discussion. Presented by Members of the MNCBG Legislative Committee. More Info Coming Soon.

Creating an Inclusive Environment for LGBTQIA2S+ in Rural Minnesota

• Liz Heimer, Co-Owner, Intuition Brewing
• Micah Larson, Co-Owner & Brewer, Intuition Brewing
• Libby Wirth 

This presentation will take a deep dive into rural, conservative Minnesota and how to take steps to foster an inclusive environment for the LGBTQIA2S+ community when support has absent. Presenters will share about the partnerships created and steps taken to jumpstart Pride, which had a 15 year hiatus in the Willmar Lakes area, along with a monthly LGBTQIA2S+ night at the brewery. The discussion will have broader applications on building a supportive and inclusive environment for staff, customers, and community members. Selected by the MNCBG DEI Committee.

About the Presenters: Liz Heimer (she/her) is the Co-Owner and Marketer of Intuition Brewing in Willmar, MN established in December of 2023. She is one of the leading facilitators of the newly created Pride planning committee in Willmar and a co-founder of the newly started annual Willmar Pride.

Micah Larson (he/him) is the Co-Owner and Brewer at Intuition Brewing in Willmar, MN. Micah is a former brewer and cellarman from August Schell Brewing Co. and long-time home brewer. Micah has been a key advocate in supporting and creating an inclusive environment at Intuition Brewing.

Libby Wirth (they/them) is a rural MN pharmacist and was a key catalyst of starting Willmar Pride in 2024. They enjoy making art, getting into nature, and drinking craft brews.

Minnesota Consumer Motivations: What They Want and Bringing Them Back

Michael Varda, Founder, Craft Beer Advisory Services

In a competitive market, great beer alone is no longer enough to attract and retain customers. This session explores the motivations of Minnesota craft beer consumers, from taproom visit drivers to beer and food preferences and return-visit motivators. Insights are drawn from thousands of brewery experiences and survey research, offering actionable tactics to connect with customer segments and craft resonating messages. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of their customer base and strategies to enhance the full taproom experience.

3 Key Takeaways: 

1. How has the Minnesota craft beer consumer base changed from January 2023 to present?
2. What do different segments (e.g., men, women, families, social drinkers) desire in taproom experiences?
3. Which consumer types are most likely to visit your specific taproom?

About the Presenter: Michael Varda is the Founder of Craft Beer Advisory Services, a market research and analytics firm dedicated to craft beverage companies. Craft Beer Advisory Services was born after a career in market research and brand consulting for universities and major Tech companies. His research has been used by breweries nationwide to understand their customers and differentiate from competitors within their market.

Succession Planning for Breweries

• Chris Wittich, Partner, Boyum Barenscheer
• Nick Swedberg, Partner, Boyum Barenscheer

We will look at the most common ways to facilitate a succession plan for a Brewery.  We’ll look at the different ways a brewery might sell and the things that you can do today to prepare yourself for an exit down the road.  We’ll talk about what a buyer is looking for in the purchase of a brewery and how you can setup your business to sell for the highest possible price.

3 Key Takeaways: 

1. Most likely ways to sell a brewery
2. What buyers look for in a brewery they are acquiring
3. What steps can you take today to prepare yourself

About the Presenters:

Chris started his career with Boyum in 2007 as an intern and is now the head of the Tax Department. Known nationally as the tax tiger he helps business owners make informed decisions so they can thrive on their own terms. Chris is involved in a variety of AICPA committees and task forces revolving around technical tax and practice management topics is a frequent speaker at AICPA events.

Nick Swedberg joined Boyum in 2008 and he has become a firm leader in client service. His tax planning and preparation work along with CFO services for clients led him to play a large part in the firm’s business advisory services department. Nick’s main focus is in the restaurant and brewery industries where he helps businesses from start up to sale.

Is Switching to a Brewpub Model Right For You?

Panel Discussion. Presenter and Session Info Coming Soon

Kittens, Skateboards, & Hot Dogs: A Guide to Unique Taproom Events

Joey Steinbach, Marketing Manager, Inisght Brewing Company

A few bands, a food truck, and a couple two-tree beers doesn’t guarantee a successful taproom event. In this presentation, we’ll discuss how to set your event apart, how to get people into your taproom, and how to make every dollar count from the money that you spend. Topics will include marketing, graphic design, programming, financing, success, failure, kittens, skateboards, and hot dogs. (P.S. – There may be free hot dogs.) Selected by the MNCBG Events Committee.

3 Key Takeaways: 

1. How to successfully create and execute an event program.
2. Financial insights for planning your taproom event.
3. Best practices for promoting your event.

About the Presenter: Joey Steinbach (he/him) is a seven year industry veteran currently employed at Insight Brewing as their Marketing Manager. Coming from a background in non-profits, he’s applied his skill sets in social media management, event coordination, and marketing to the world of craft brewing. His passions include canoeing, skiing, concerts, ceramics, and gaming. He’s also very fond of his cat, Havi.

Simple and Effective Brewery Flavor Training for Your Entire Staff

Lindsay Barr, CSO & Founding Partner, Draughtlab

Anyone who’s tried to decode tasting feedback knows how difficult it can be to make sense of it. What does it mean when a customer doesn’t like “sticky” beers, or when a stakeholder thinks the new product is too “sharp”? After over a decade of contemplating this challenge, we’ve developed a new—and truly effective—approach to solving it. Having a shared flavor language clarifies sensory insights, marketing messaging, and sales strategies, which ultimately leads to increased sales! And the good news is that achieving this clarity doesn’t have to be difficult or resource-intensive.

In this session, we will reveal new, engaging, and hands-on methods that empower your staff to become fluent in the language of YOUR products. You’ll learn how these techniques elevate your brewery’s customer experience and help align marketing, sales, and sensory efforts—all without the need for a dedicated administrator. If you’re a small brewery struggling to get on the same page, this session will show you how the right training approach can make everything else fall into place. Selected by the MNCBG Education Committee.

3 Key Takeaways: 

1. Develop a shared language: Participants will learn how to establish a consistent, shared vocabulary for discussing and evaluating beer flavors across all departments.
2. Enhance communication and collaboration: Participants will gain practical techniques to improve collaboration between sensory, marketing, and sales teams to better understand customer reactions and market trends.
3. Implement hands-on, practical training: Attendees will explore hands-on methods that can be easily integrated into daily operations to foster a deeper understanding of beer flavors and boost team alignment.

About the Presenter: Lindsay is the Founding Partner and CSO of DraughtLab and Adjunct Sensory Professor for the UC Davis Master Brewers Program. She has many years of experience building sensory training programs and has worked with hundreds of food and beverage companies to implement their own. With DraughtLab, she has published multiple industry-standard lexicons like the Beer Flavor Map and has made sensory science accessible for companies of all sizes. She believes flavor is the most important factor in determining food and beverage quality and has set her sights on continuing to develop tools focused on helping businesses use their senses to inform everyday production decisions.

Marketing Panel Discussion

Presenter and Session Info Coming Soon

Where’s the Profit? How to Actually Make Money Selling Your Beer in 2024

Chris Farmand, Founder, Small Batch Standard

It isn’t 2015 anymore. As the craft industry has plateaued, running a profitable brewery has become more and more challenging each year. This presentation will provide craft business owners a deep dive to understand why this is and, more importantly, the strategic changes owners need to make in order to sell the right beer, to the right consumers, at the right margins, to generate cash and finally get ahead. Selected by the MNCBG Education Committee.

3 Key Takeaways: 

1. Learn why the 2015 playbook (more beer, more equipment, more space, etc.) for successfully growing and running a profitable brewery no longer works like it used to.
2. Understand the different implications for profit, cost structure, and finance for the three main Brewery Business Units (e.g., taproom, distribution, contract).
3. Understand how to use this information to create an action plan for what needs to change in your brewery to produce profit regardless of size or revenue mix.

About the Presenter: It all started in 2010 when Chris was fortunate enough to assist a start-up brewery with establishing back-office processes. This gave him a firsthand glimpse into the complications of running a brewery. Shortly thereafter, he founded Small Batch Standard, which has become the premier financial agency for craft over the past decade. Everyday, Chris and the SBS team are seeking the opportunity to assist an industry full of entrepreneurs who have proven to create amazing, local products. Small Batch Standard helps breweries uncover profit through outsourced accounting, tax compliance, and benchmark consulting. Chris has worked with over 200 breweries and is driven by building long-lasting deep relationships.

Unmasking the Boogyman: A Conversation about Safety Culture and OSHA

•  Ann Fahy-Gust, Co-Owner and Master Brewer, South x SouthEast Brewing Company
• Craig Richardson, Brewery Manager, Dangerous Man Brewing Company
• Jeff Zierdt, Co-Founder and President, Lupulin Brewing Company
• Tom Berg, Chief Brewing Officer, Falling Knife Brewing Company

Session Info Coming Soon

HR for Breweries and Brewpubs

Presenter Info Coming Soon

Session Info Coming Soon. Selected by the MNCBG Education Committee.