Brewery Marketing for Taprooms and Brands

Most breweries run more than one business. The taproom needs local visitors, regulars and private events. A brewpub also sells food and competes with restaurants. Packaged beer needs retail placement and drinkers who look for it on the shelf.

Each part has a different buyer. Taproom guests decide on the day, often from a phone search or an Instagram post. Retail buyers and distributors care about sell-through and support. Beer club members want early access and limited releases.

We plan each part separately, then tie them together so a release, an event and a retail push support each other.

Beer ads are regulated at several levels. Federal TTB rules govern malt beverage advertising. They require certain identifying information and bar misleading statements, including health claims. Industry codes from the Beer Institute and the Brewers Association ask brewers to place ads where most of the audience is of legal drinking age. They also discourage content that appeals to minors or promotes excessive drinking.

State laws add more. Tied-house laws limit what a brewery can do for the bars and stores that carry its beer, including some joint promotions. Some states restrict price promotions, such as Massachusetts' ban on happy hour discounts. We check your state's rules before running offers.

Platforms have their own policies. Meta requires alcohol ads in the US to target people 21 and older. Google allows alcohol ads in the US but bans targeting minors and certain claims.

Brewery calendars run on releases. Seasonal beers such as summer lagers, Oktoberfest styles and winter stouts each need a plan. So do anniversary parties, collaboration brews and limited bottle drops.

We build a release kit for each one: a teaser post, an email, a product page, event listings and a recap. Beer festivals, football season, patio season and the winter holidays shape the rest of the year. Slow months are a good time for trivia nights, beer club pushes and review building.