The Brewers Roundtable

The Brewers Roundtable is a moderated peer-learning forum for brewery owners. We meet the first Monday of the month via video conference. We focus on all facets of owning, operating and running a brewery. The topics are set by brewery owners on each call. Current meeting discussion involve general operations and  reopening in a COVID-19 world. Our goal is to learn from each other’s wins and losses to arrive at best practices for your business. We discuss high level issues such as but not limited to Distribution, Inventory Management, Growth, Supplies, Equipment, Event Strategy, Employee Issues and other topics your group want to discuss. Brian Boak (former owner of BOAKS Beer and on the UVT Craft Beer Program Advisory Board) moderates the conversation to keep it moving and productive. Legislative and Guild discussions are excluded.

Nobody is great at everything. The Brewers Roundtable members learn from each other’s experiences to discover best practices for their own brewery.

We run a NJ Specific Group and a National Group. Happy to set up other State Specific groups. If you want to discuss or join email bboak@boaks.com

There are two ways to have access to the Brewers Roundtable. With either program, the breweries first meeting is FREE!!! This way you can understand the value.

Annual Subscription:  You have free access to all National calls along with access to the Brewers Roundtable Private Facebook Page where all recordings of the National & NJ calls are posted (double the meeting info). In addition, this private page is only open to brewery owners that are Roundtable Subscription Members (not the general public or vendors) so you can ask and answer question of your peers. If other states are added, you would have access to those video meetings. The Annual Subscriptions is only $20 per year, prorated quarterly if you join mid-year.

How long are the meetings? Video meetings are 90 minutes or less (based on the conversation). We start on time and end on time!!

Why join? Nobody is great at everything. The Brewers Roundtable members learn from each other’s experiences to discover best practices for their own brewery.

How often is the meeting? Both meetings are the first Monday of the Month. The NJ call starts at 6:30pm Eastern to discuss all subjects including state specific issues.  Members of the National call join in at 7:30 pm Eastern so that NJ Breweries and National Breweries can discuss matters that are not state specific. Calls are moved to the first Tuesday if the first Monday is a Holiday

Some of the items discussed at previous Roundtable meetings:

  • Reopening Procedures and Processes
  • What kills COVID to sterilize breweries?
  • PPE
  • What Online store works and what does not
  • Contract Hop sharing
  • ABC Inspections
  • Business Interruptions Insurance
  • Hires & Non-Owned Auto for deliveries using personal cars
  • Crowler Machines & Crowler Shortage
  • T-Shirt Suppliers
  • Point of Sale Systems & Square tracking of beer sold
  • Tax Filings
  • Out of Code/Spoiled beer
  • Keg Leasing discussion
  • Virtual Beerfest, Beer Tasting/Education
  • Co-Op buying
  • Grain prices, delivery options
  • Can Growler Exchanges work
  • Can sharing for breweries that are awaiting can orders but are out
  • Lots of other items

About Brian Boak

Brian’s mom called him a “Beer Snob” in 1977 before there was craft beer. He started homebrewing in 1999 with a $25 MrBeer™ kit and helping out in a brewery in 2000. Eventually BOAKS Beer would be distributed throughout NJ and PA. After closing BOAKS in 2016, Brian founded the Brewers Roundtable, a peer-learning forum for brewery owners.

With over 30 years in insurance/risk management and over 20 years with breweries, Brian has advised breweries on insurance, risk management, festivals and other items.

We do not sell insurance so do not be concerned!! (We do know some good people that insure hundreds of breweries if you want a second opinion on your coverage. I get nothing from that referral, and that is how I want it.)

Brian P. Boak
Zymurgy Risk Advisor
973-570-6381
BBoak@BOAKS.com