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Lobbying Services and Advocacy
We contract with a high level lobbying firm that provides daily monitoring at the statehouse during the legislative session with weekly summary reports issued to the membership. They have come to be known by our lawmakers as the go-to experts for any alcohol related legislation.Initiatives that require legal support are identified at the committee level and require board approval, but generally have been an approved use of VBA funds.
Invitation to VBA Networking Events
As a VBA member, you’ll be offered an invitation to all of our events. This includes at least two brewer to brewer networking events per year, post-festival brewers gatherings plus the annual meeting of the membership held the first Monday of November each year.
Technical and Education Events
Twice a year theTechnical and EducationCommittee puts on a half day conference to provide continuing education to our members. These are free to attend and include lunch and networking.Vermont Brewers FestivalsAs a VBA member, you’ll be offered an invitation to attend our Vermont Brewers Festivals. Our waterfront festival has been taking place for 27 years each July and has over 10,000 attendees over two days. Plus our new winter festival held in March is hosted at Bear Mountain at Killington. This one-day festival welcomes nearly 4,000 attendees and focuses on collaboration beers created with other Vermont brewers.
Brewery Challenge Passport Program
You will be featured on our highly popular Passport Program. Your brewery will be on both the print and digital version. 10,000 paper copies are printed each year. The digital version has 15,600 downloads and 44%of the people using the app are return users. This is a particularly helpful benefit for new, smaller breweries. The paper version of the passport are mailed to each brewery for display in your taproom.MapInclusion in our poster that is a map of the state with the locations of all the breweries that are members of the VBA.Website ListingEach brewery has a featured listing on theVBA website that includes location, hours and information about your business. This section of the site has the most views (15,000 views in a 3 month time span). Additionally, the calendar section of our site is updated with member events.
Beer Trail listing
Your brewery will be listed on one of our beer trails on our website and digital passport. The second most viewed section of the website with 8,300 views in 3 months and 80,000 views within the digital passport since it was launched in Jan. 2018.
Promotion on the VBA’s Social Media Channels
The VBA will promote your breweries activities and events on their social media channels.
National Brewers Association Resources
As a member of the VBA you will have full access to all of the National Brewers Association resources. This includes educational resources, industry publications, online forums and promotional opportunities.
Weekly Emails and Monthly Newsletters
Stay up to date with the VBA’s monthly newsletter that highlights new members, discounts, upcoming events, etc. Additionally there is a weekly “Updates and Opportunities” email that goes out with various offers and news from our members
Allied Partnership Discounts and Benefits
_ Free energy walk-through with Efficiency VT
_ Reduced rates on legal assistance and trademarks with Downs Rachlin Martin
_ 10% off at Yipes! Auto & Graphics
_ 20% off BMI fees for BA members
_ Free consultation to review your insurance policy with GHM Insurance
_ Free risk assessment from Cross BenefitsSolutions
Beer Testing Laboratory Services
Amy Todd of Zymology Labs, LLC, Vermont’s very own beer/cider testing laboratory, has partnered with the Vermont Brewers Association to provide a free 45-minute consultation, in person or via phone, to discuss your unique wants, needs and concerns with operating your own lab. Send Amy an email to setup an appointment or ask any questions. Be sure to include that you are a member of the Vermont Brewers Association. Making great beer is hard work, setting up a lab doesn’t have to be. Amy can help with guidance on starting a lab in your brewery, what type of equipment would be most beneficial to your brewery, or what the next step should be in expanding your lab.
DigInVT Listing
Your business listed on the DigInVT website. Also through DigInVT is their e-newsletter.The Fresh Feed e-newsletter is steadily increasing with over 5,400 in and out-of-state subscribers-up from 4,700 at the beginning of 2019. This year, visitors to the site included folks from Boston, New York, and Chicago.