Ohio Craft Brewers Conference set for Feb. 5-6 in Dayton (here's the agenda)

February might be the worst month to live in Ohio – the peak of the winter doldrums – which makes it the perfect time to sit in a hotel conference room and learn some stuff. The sixth annual Ohio Craft Brewers Conference presented by Ohio Beer Counsel is set for Feb. 5-6, 2020 at the Dayton Convention Center, featuring presentations and panel discussions on a broad range of brewing industry topics.

“As the craft beer industry continues to grow, making sure breweries have access to continuing educational resources is vital,” said OCBA executive director Mary MacDonald. “In this mature beer market, breweries need to learn and adopt best practices not only for making great beer, but also sales and marketing, providing positive customer experiences, occupational safety and a whole host of other facets of running a brewery business.”

Keynote speaker Neil Witte, Quality Ambassador for the Brewers Association, will deliver a comprehensive overview of quality assurance in the craft brewery. The conference will feature a total of 30 educational seminars, covering technical brewing topics, sales and distribution, business operations, legal compliance and more.

Conference registration is available for $300 per person (OCBA member breweries can take advantage of early bird discount pricing when registering before Friday, Nov. 15). Registration includes lunch on both days of the conference, plus admission to the trade show and post-conference events at OCBA member breweries in and around Dayton. Registration available online at www.beerfesttickets.com/ocbc2020

The Ohio Craft Brewers Conference presented by Ohio Beer Counsel is supported by the Country Malt Group, Pneumatic Scale Angelus, 3-Hab, Briess Malt & Ingredients, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, LD Carlson, Proforma Graphic Services and Ray Brewery Insurance.

Up-to-date listings of seminars, receptions and evening activities, trade show exhibitors and more are available here.

Conference Agenda

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

7:30 – 9 a.m.: Breakfast and registration/badge pickup in the main lobby

8 – 11 a.m.: Breakfast Beverage Bar in the lobby

8 a.m. – 6 p.m.: Trade show hours (Exhibit Hall 102)

9 – 10 a.m.:

Main Room (103): Welcome address with Mary MacDonald, OCBA Executive Director and Collin Castore, Seventh Son Brewing, OCBA Board President
Keynote Speaker: US Craft: Trends and Trajectories with Christopher Shepard, Senior Editor, Craft Brew News, Beer Marketer’s INSIGHTS

10 – 10:45 a.m.:

Main Room (103): Yeast Management – It’s All About the Fermentation with Victor Pool, Columbus Brewing Company
Fundamentals Room (302-303): Creating a Brand Building Merchandise Program with Tracey Ireland, Rhinegeist Brewery
Business of Beer Room (306): Taxes for Breweries 101 with Judy Sees and Kayla Emanuelson, Schroedel, Scullin & Bestic CPAs and Adam Keck, Modern Methods Brewing Company

11 – 11:45 a.m.:

Main Room (103): What Your Brewery Can Learn from Disney with Carla Gesell-Streeter, Cincinnati State Tech & Comm College
Fundamentals Room (302-303): The State and Federal TTB Permit Process: What to Know Before You Brew with James Niekamp, Graydon Law
Business of Beer Room (306): Design and Branding for the Modern Craft Brewery with Greg Althoff, Rhinegeist Brewery

2 – 2:45 p.m.:

Main Room (103): Get Noticed! Media Relations for the Brewing Industry Panel moderated by Justin Hemminger, OCBA with Rick Armon, Ohio Beer Blog, Jess Baker, CraftBeer.com, Nick Bowman, Warped Wing Brewing Company and Kevin Moreland, Fretboard Brewing
Fundamentals Room (302-303): Creating a Respectful and Psychologically Safe Workplace with Sam Lillard and Mat Parker, Fisher Phillips
Business of Beer Room (306): Building and Running a Successful Private Events Program with Chelsy Kokenge, Rhinegeist Brewery

3 – 3:45 p.m.:

Main Room (103): Practical Applications in Sustainability with Janae Chaney, Rhinegeist Brewery
Fundamentals Room (302-303): Risk and Safety Awareness in the Brewing Industry with George Shaw, Wandering Griffin Brewpub
Business of Beer Room (306): A Bottom’s Up Approach to Digital Marketing with Devon Hoffman, Site-Seeker

Thursday, February 6, 2020

9 – 9:45 a.m.: Main Room (103): Keynote Speaker: Quality: A Complete Picture with Neil Witte, Quality Ambassador, Brewer’s Association

10 – 10:45 a.m.:

Main Room (103): Taproom Management Panel moderated by Bob Szuter, Wolf’s Ridge Brewing with Mike Byrne, Lineage Brewing, Jason Brewer, Listermann Brewing, Company, Allison Pryce, Great Lakes Brewing Company and Chris Stokley, MadTree Brewing
Fundamentals Room (302-303): What I Wish I Knew Before Opening a Brewery with Brian Grafton, FMD Architects, and Megan Slater and Michael Chisnell, Ignite Brewing Company
Business of Beer Room (306): We Love Our Distributor with Max Fram and Bobby Slattery, Fifty West Brewing Company and Chris Cianciolo, Stagnaro Distributing
Fermentation Room (305): A Modern Approach to Microbiology QC with Lance Shaner, Omega Yeast

11 – 11:45 a.m.:

Main Room (103): Craft Beer Consumer Education: Communicating Supply Chain and Process to Consumers; the Why, When and How – Panel moderated by Sara Hagerty, Origin Malt with Chris Shields, Rhinegeist Brewery, Trevor Self, Madtree Brewing and Lori Duncan, Nocterra Brewing Company
Fundamentals Room (302-303): Methods and Mechanisms for Successful Brewery Sanitation with Rudy Othmer and/or Gary Macmann, Enerco Corporation
Business of Beer Room (306): Finding the Sweet Spot: Growing Your Brewery and Understanding How and Where to Invest Your Profits with Audra Gaiziunas, CEO, Bhramari Brewing Company
Fermentation Room (305): Doing It All – Barrel Aging at Wolf’s Ridge Brewing with Chris Davison, Wolf’s Ridge Brewing

12 – 12:45 p.m.:

Main Room (103): Should I Start Selling My Beer with a Wholesaler? with Sara Cleary, Fat Head’s Brewery
Fundamentals Room (302-303): Crafting a Destination Brewery with Brian Grafton FMD Architects, John Haggerty, Warped Wing Brewing Company and Ronald Shea, R.Shea Brewing
Business of Beer Room (306): How to Win Sales in a Crowded Self-Distribution Marketplace with Jay Levinson, Urban Artifact
Fermentation Room (305): Avoiding Malt Off-Flavors and Optimizing Shelf Stability in Beer with Tyler Schoales, Great Western Malting and Kevin Ely, Wooly Pig Farm Brewery

2 – 2:45 p.m.:

Main Room (103): The ABCs of ODLC Compliance with Bruce Stevenson and Gary Jones of Alcohol Beverage Consultants of Ohio
Fundamentals Room (302-303): OSHA Alliance with the Ohio Craft Brewers – Lessons Learned with Keith Bullock, Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
Business of Beer Room (306): Time to Hire a Sales Person? Building Your Team 101 with Sara Cleary, Fat Head’s Brewery and Michelle Graef, Madtree Brewing
Fermentation Room (305): Fruit and Fermentation: First Hand Observations in Steel and Oak with Joshua Elliott, Urban Artifact