Schedule

Speakers
Sam Calagione | Founder of Dogfish Head Brewery

Location: Lake Champlain Exhibition Hall

Speakers
Laura Burns | Omega Yeast Labs

Description: 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.

Location: Emerald I

Speakers
Audra Gaiziunas

Description: As our industry continues to rapidly evolve, the necessity of understanding cost of goods sold as our entity’s skeleton key outside of blind reliance on our inventory management systems has become paramount. In order to be prepared to weather economic downtowns or conversely, scale our operations, we need to implement tools and processes emphasizing efficiency for rapid, data-driven decision making and what-if scenario planning. We must carefully manage and optimize our product pricing strategies to maximize profitability, and this can only be accomplished by truly understanding our cost of goods sold. Unlock the secrets to effective pricing and profitability by taking a deep dive into the nuanced differences in Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) for different product formats, specifically packaged versus draught products and learn how to create your own dynamic grid for decision making, whether for onsite or contract production. Explore fixed versus variable costs and which to include or exclude as your build your own customized grid. Understand your profit and loss statement through the lens of managerial accounting and how taking this approach transforms your entity to one with a forward focus rather than looking backwards. This seminar will not only outline a strategic approach to evaluating the cost structure of your entity’s business model, it will also provide advanced budgeting techniques as they relate to forecasting cash flow and scenario planning to help ensure pragmatic decisions are made with clear, data-driven eyes. Key performance indicators as they relate to COGS will be introduced for those entities who practice (or intend to practice) some form of open book management. Whether you’re a fledgling startup brewery owner producing less than 500 BBLs annually or a regional beverage company immersed in the world of seltzers, ciders, and contract production, this seminar will provide the what, how-tos, and next steps to managing your entity’s future through the lens of COGS.

Objectives:

• Learn the four costs every beverage producer incurs and how each relates to your overall entity’s business model.
  
• Explore how COGS varies between packaged and draught products.
  
• Gain insights into the distinct factors influencing costs in each category and how these differences impact pricing strategies. 
• Learn how to build your own profitability matrix, incorporating product formats by style, size, package type, and price tier that you can update for dynamic scenario planning.
  
• Gain a greater understanding over cash flow forecasting through the lens of COGS.

Location: Emerald III

Speakers
Travis Audet | Slant Six Consulting, Bernard Maushardt | Prairie Malt

Description: Steps taken to cut carbon emissions in the malting process on a global level & CO2 Conservation, Recovery, Use and Alternative Gases

Location: Emerald II

Speakers
Michele Noonan | VIP

Description: We will showcase best practices for identifying opportunities in the marketplace and executing in the field, how to simplify communication with your distributor partners and briefly discuss supply chain opportunities.

Location: Lake Champlain Exhibition Hall

Speakers
Avi Shayevitz | Lallemand Inc., Shannon Oliphant | Lallemand Inc.

Description: A detailed look at yeast re-pitching: comparing active dry yeast and liquid cultures, their fermentation activity, metabolism, and flavor differences.

Location: Emerald I

Speakers
Julia Grubbs | Small Batch Standard

Description: The taproom is the beating heart of most breweries — and the single biggest driver of profit. Yet too many breweries leave money on the table, operating well below their true potential. Here’s the reality. Some taprooms generate two to five times more profit than their peers. This session breaks down why that happens and how you can close the gap. We’ll walk through the Four Fundamentals of a profitable taproom — Beer, Food, Brand, and Team — and give you 12 practical, proven tactics to maximize sales, control costs, and keep customers coming back. Whether you’re new to taproom ownership or looking to fine-tune your operations, you’ll walk away with actionable steps to make your taproom a consistent profit center.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand where profit in the taproom comes from and why it’s important.
2. How each of the Four Fundamentals contribute to the bottom line: Beer, Food, Brand, and Team.
3. What the best taprooms do to drive consistent, profitable, beer sales.
4. How to run a lean, mean food program that puts butts-in-seats and maximizes
   revenue.
5. The ingredients that can turn your brand into a powerful marketing machine.
6. How to build and maintain an efficient, service-driven team that keeps customers coming back again and again

Location: Emerald III

Speakers
Amy Todd | Bia Diagnostics, Marissa Capua | Zero Gravity, Julie Smith | Lawson's Finest Liquids, Ellen Timmins | Switchback Brewing Company

Description: Quality is an essential part of running a brewery. At this workshop, attendees will break out into small groups, then rotate through four different quality topics including sensory, micro, chemistry and packaging. Find out how to set up and manage a sensory program, how to handle a micro infection, and how quality metrics can help drive informed decisions and process improvements through all of production, from raw ingredients to packaged beer.

Location: Emerald II

Speakers
Ashton Lewis | RahrBSG

Description: Brewers demand a lot from malt, with expectations varying based on how it’s used and the desired outcomes. This presentation begins with a review of what brewers expect from maltsters—quality, consistency, performance, flavor, and availability—then explores how maltsters meet these expectations, and concludes with how brewers and maltsters collaborate to protect their shared interests in barley, malt, and the future of brewing.

Location: Emerald I

Speakers
Susan Loynd | The Richards Group, Dani Casey | Foam Brewers, Connie Barrett | Switchback Brewing Company, Lewis Maschmed | Four Quarters Brewing, Kelly Putnam | Lawson's Finest Liquids

Description: Join us for an engaging and practical training session designed for anyone managing or supporting HR operations in breweries. Focused on the unique needs of craft breweries, this session will explore the top three competencies essential for HR success: compliance with employment regulations, recruiting and retaining talent, and cultivating a positive workplace culture. Four experienced panelists from Vermont breweries will share their real-world insights and lessons learned, with a skilled moderator guiding the conversation and audience Q&A. Whether you’re an owner, manager, or HR professional, you’ll walk away with actionable tools and ideas. This session is offered in collaboration with the Vermont Brewers Association.

Session Objectives:

1. Identify key HR compliance requirements specific to small breweries.
2. Explore effective strategies for attracting, hiring, and retaining brewery talent.
3. Learn how to foster a healthy, inclusive, and engaging work environment.

Location: Emerald III

Speakers
Dr. Matt Zakreski | The Neurodiversity Collective

Description: One of five people are neurodivergent, which means that they have different brains (i.e., ADHD, giftedness, Autism, dyslexia) and ways of interacting with the world. And while some fields tend to attract more neurodivergent employees than others, supporting neurodivergent employees is everyone’s task. Understanding the neurodiversity of our employees empowers leaders, managers, and HR professionals to not only support their needs but also amplify their significant strengths. When we collaborate well with our neurodivergent stakeholders, we improve our culture, output, and bottom line.

Location: Emerald II

Speakers
Tom Fox | Fox Sales Coaching

Description: We will review the big picture of selling (helping the customer) and highlight all 7 fundamentals: prep, recon, listening (probing), pitch, handling objections, closing and follow up. We will facilitate an inter-active lecture to engage the audience to maximize the learning and overall experience.

Location: Lake Champlain Exhibition Hall

Speakers
Eric Sannerud | Sannerud Hop Consulting

Description: Hops are one of your most important ingredients. Besides rubbing and sniffing – what can you do to analyze hop quality? In this presentation we will cover physical hop pellet analysis, define Descriptive Hop Analysis, and introduce and define Comparative Aroma Analysis. You will leave with new skills to evaluate hops, tools that you can use to secure better quality hops, and most importantly a new mindset to better identify hops that meet your brewing goals.

Location: Emerald I

Speakers
Alena Fitzgerald | Gallagher Flynn & Company, Elisia Laramee | Gallagher Flynn & Company

Description: With the newly enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) signed into law on July 4, 2025, major federal tax reform is on the horizon and these shifts can carry significant implications for breweries in the state. We will unpack what federal tax law changes could have the biggest impact on our state’s breweries and provide what these changes mean for business financial strategy and long-term planning, with specific attention being given to R&D tax credit opportunities breweries and supporting businesses can take advantage of.

Location: Emerald III

Speakers
Peter Anderson | Inner Citadel Consulting, Phil Chadderdon | Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center, Brett Ference | Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center

Description: Join us for a panel discussion that will cover five questions on everything you wanted to know about developing leaders in your organization but were afraid to ask. In this session, we’ll provide different perspectives on how to prepare your future leaders so they will be ready to take the field and drive your organization forward.

Some of the themes we’ll unpack include:

• How can we identify emerging leaders, train them, and retain them?
• Why is an ‘OK’ manager not good enough?
• Why do they say ‘people leave managers not jobs’ and what can we do about it?

Location: Emerald II

Speakers
Laura Burns | Omega Yeast Labs, Dave Shapiro | Evodia, Ashton Lewis | RahrBSG

Description: Pending

Location: Emerald I

Speakers
John Holl | All About Beer

Description: How can your brewery cut through the noise of social media and competing businesses to get the attention and eyeballs you need? By taking control of your narrative and presenting your beer and brewery in a fun and engaging light, you can grow your brewery’s audience and bottom line. From earned media to in-person events, and your online presence, learn how to expand past your four walls and get people walking through your doors.

Location: Emerald III

Speakers
Steve Parkes | Drop In Brewing & American Brewers Guild

Description: I’ve been brewing commercially for 43 years. In the UK and all over the US. This presentation will show how far we’ve come as an industry.

Location: Emerald II

Speakers
Julie Rhodes | Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions

Description: Today’s craft beverage landscape rewards agility and creative thinking—especially regarding sales. Whether you’re self-distributing or working within a wholesaler partnership, scaling your reach without scaling your payroll is not only possible—it’s necessary.

This session explores how modern sales strategies rooted in storytelling, digital marketing, and automation can help independent beverage brands increase sell-through, attract new accounts, and stay top-of-mind with consumers and trade buyers. Designed with the realities of the Vermont market in mind—where shelf space is competitive and retail dynamics are evolving—this talk provides a playbook for growing revenue without needing a traditional sales team.

You’ll walk away with real-world tactics that support both on- and off-premise sales, whether managing your accounts or collaborating with a wholesaler. From building automated lead follow-ups to running geo-targeted campaigns that support retail partners, you’ll leave equipped to make your brand easier to buy, sell, and remember.

Key Takeaways:

• Three proven sales tactics to grow your business without adding sales staff.
• Digital tools and tactics to drive both direct and distributor-aligned sales.
• Automated systems that help you follow up, stay consistent, and free up time.
• Trade- and consumer-facing storytelling that builds loyalty and moves product.
• Simple methods for tracking leads and account activity—without complex software.

Location: Lake Champlain Exhibition Hall