TapWyse - Blog , UncategorizedTapWyse - Blog , Uncategorizedhttp://tapwyse.com/blog/UncategorizedWed, 15 Apr 2026 21:57:02 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[The CBC Comeback! Why Lots More Breweries are Packing Their Bags for Philly!]]>http://tapwyse.com/blog/post/the-cbc-comeback-why-more-breweries-are-packing-their-bags-for-phillyLast year, I ran a completely unscientific survey that shook me to the core. Leading into the Craft Brewers Conference, the data showed a staggering 9 ]]>

Last year, I ran a completely unscientific survey that shook me to the core. Leading into the Craft Brewers Conference, the data showed a staggering 90% of breweries were planning to skip the big show. Well, the new survey results for this year are in and the vibe has officially shifted.

YEP! See you in Philly: 146
NOPE! Gotta hold down the fort: 649

TELL US IF YOU ARE GOING


If the nearly 20% attendance rate holds across the ~9000 US breweries we could be in for an epic party in Philly! So, what changed? Why is the industry feeling a second wind for the flagship conference? Here are 4 fully speculative reasons for the renewed pilgrimage.

REASON 1: Pent up Demand


After a few years of tightening belts, many breweries have stabilized. After passing on Vegas and Indy, the time has come for the tribe to gather. We are craving the camaraderie and in need of a reminder of why we got into this industry in the first place.

REASON 2: The Pivot to Profit


Last year, we noted that the industry had matured past the "how to make beer" phase. This year, it feels like breweries are hungry for the "how to sell beer" phase. Many breweries are planning to bring their marketing teams for the first time (halejulah!). Owners are looking for specific business tools to help them thrive locally.

REASON 3: The Hunt for New Revenue Streams


The industry is buzzing with talk of non-alc, THC, RTD, hospitality, monthly memberships, and hyper-local loyalty programs. Breweries want to see who and what is actually making money. There’s a "gold rush" of information and breweries will be mining for products and programs that can add cash to the bottom line.

REASON 4: CBC is Evolving


Credit to the BA for recognizing what the industry needs in this moment. Hospitality visionary, Will Guidara will deliver the keynote. In addition, the BA has beefed up their beyond brewing content with the addition of CBC Experiences for Taproom Management, Marketing, Sales and Leadership. These small changes matter! We are already seeing it in the attendance numbers and hopefully in a stronger industry as a whole after the show.

SEE YOU IN PHILLY!


Come meet the TapWyse team in booth 2339 to check out the latest and greatest memberships and app marketing programs that are adding over $50K/yr in taproom revenue. Hope to see you there!

]]>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:27:34 -0800<![CDATA[Skipping CBC this year? You aren't the only one…]]>http://tapwyse.com/blog/post/skipping-cbcYou might want to crack a cold one for this! The results of my completely unscientific and informal survey are in! Over the past 5 days, when asked "Will your brewery be attending CBC?" 90% of breweries have said they will be skipping Indianapolis...]]>

You might want to crack a cold one for this! The results of my completely unscientific and informal survey are in! Over the past 5 days, when asked "Will your brewery be attending CBC?" the response has been:

YEP! We will be there: 26
NOPE! We are skipping CBC: 259

TELL US IF YOU ARE GOING OR SKIPPING AND WHY!


These are undeniably tough times for craft breweries, but a 90% truancy rate at the flagship industry conference was shocking to me. Maybe this is normal. This will only be my third CBC. But IF brewery attendance is down, I have four completely unsolicited theories. Take them with a grain of salt, a shot of tequila, and a lime.

REASON 1: Winning a World Beer Cup award is harder and less profitable.


CBC is coupled with the World Beer Cup. This is a win-win! Breweries can compete in the cup and meet up with their suppliers in the same trip! But unfortunately, in a mature market a World Beer Cup win doesn't come with the same reward. With cutthroat distribution and more local options, the sales bump is not what it used to be. Breweries have realized this. Many will enter beers but not attend CBC to keep costs down.

REASON 2: Most breweries now have capital equipment and supplier relationships in place. 


At my first CBC 3 years ago in Nashville, I was struck by the supplier bias towards making beer instead of selling beer. When new breweries were popping up like weeds this was really important! New breweries need tanks, glycol chillers, and canning lines. They need grain, hops, and yeast. Now that the industry has matured, established breweries need things like new revenue opportunities, cost cutting ideas, and ways to turn profits (more on this later).

REASON 3: Much of the education is focused on beer making & national trends.


Much like the supplier bias, this type of education was critical when brewers were earning their stripes, IPAs were king and distributors were looking to fill out their portfolio! But at this point, in an industry full of grizzled brewers and limited distribution opportunities, national trends are mostly irrelevant to the local brewery/taproom.

REASON 4: Breweries are not flush with cash right now.


I know. Thanks a lot Rosstradamus for the insight of the century! But I'm stating the obvious because THIS IS THE POINT!. What breweries need, right now, more than anything is NEW REVENUE!

INTRODUCING THE BREWERY PROFIT CENTER


So what about the dedicated breweries who ARE making the pilgrimage to CBC? TapWyse will be focusing on NEW REVENUE by highlighting taproom marketing programs that are adding 150+ visits per month and over $20K in recurring revenue.


For CBC, we are coming together with a group of like minded suppliers to form the BREWERY PROFIT CENTER. Like us, everyone in this group is committed to sharing proven revenue boosting and cost cutting programs! 

So come see us in BOOTH 1125 and let's flip the script from national industry declines to thriving local breweries and taprooms. See you in Indy!

]]>Sun, 23 Mar 2025 19:19:01 -0800<![CDATA[The Inaugural Beer Push Message Hall of Fame Awards]]>http://tapwyse.com/blog/post/beer-push-message-hall-of-fame-awardsPush messages are an amazing tool for keeping guests engaged. A well-crafted message from your brewery's app can bring smiles to your customers' faces ]]>

Push messages are an amazing tool for keeping guests engaged. A well-crafted message from your brewery's app can bring smiles to your customers' faces and trigger cravings for a trip back to the taproom. Let's take a look at seven push messages from TapWyse customers that "accomplished the mission." Each of these tiny messages is a mini-masterclass in beer marketing. They are ready to be tweaked for your brewery and sent to your guests too! Be sure to read to the end because we saved the best for last!



​Seven Awesome Push Messages Your Brewery Can Use to Bring Guests Back
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Why it's a winner: A new beer release is the perfect excuse for a push message. We thought this fresh-tap message was particularly excellent because of how well 8-bit Aleworks knows their customers. 8-Bit is a gaming themed brewery. The title of their new beer, Untitled Gose Game, plays perfectly with their guests. Not to mention the ridiculous, all-caps, HONK at the end. We couldn't help but chuckle when we saw this. Push message perfection achievement unlocked!



Why it's a winner: Commonhouse also knows their customers well (a recurring theme is forming). Music is a big part of their vibe. Sending out their weekend lineup ahead of time is hugely appreciated by their guests and helps them plan their visits. We especially like how they pack the whole weekend into a single push but still make it easy to read. Rock on Commonhouse!



Why it's a winner: Rouleur Brewing Company has a small-ish taproom in an office park where they recently opened a deli. They have quickly become famous with the locals for their Tri Tip Fridays. We love this message for two reasons: First, the reminder is a big value add for their app users who can order ahead to make sure they get their sando before they run out. Second, Rouleur is adjacent to TapWyse headquarters! On Fridays, this message hits us right around the time we start getting hungry. It has helped us pivot our lunch plans from salads to tri tip on more than one occasion! Thank you Rouleur for keeping us well fed and hydrated!



Why it's winner: Local Roots Kombucha sent this message on a slow Thursday afternoon that also happened to be February 1st. Within an hour, 30 people had opened a tab in the taproom & redeemed their reward. The timing of this message was perfect! We also love the tongue-and-cheek use of the slightly smiling emoji and how they coupled the message with a use-it or lose-it reward! Those Booches at Local Roots hit the nail on the head with this one!



Why it's winner: Steel Bonnet Brewing Company sent this message out as part of 12 days of BEER-MAS campaign. To be honest, the entire campaign deserves to be in the Hall of Fame! They ran it in a fun way with a daily use-it or lose-it rewards during a time of year that could otherwise be slow. We particularly love this message because Dr. Seuss himself (god rest his soul) could not have come up with a better rhyme. Seriously. Say it out loud. It friggin' rhymes! Thank you Steel Bonnet for bringing some extra joy to our holiday season.



Why it's winner: Dogleg Brewing Company is a golf-themed brewery with a simulator in the taproom. Members at Dogleg receive a 4-pack and simulator time each month. We love this message because Dogleg targeted only their members who had yet to redeem their rewards for the month. Typically, 70% of the members who receive reward reminders like this will come in during the last week of the month and open a tab. We also have to call out the excellent and on-brand use of the word swing in the message! You really aced this one Dogleg! 



Why it's the best: Drop the mic! Pikes Peak Beer has claimed the top spot in the first ever Beer Push Message Hall of Fame Awards. We applaud your direct and hilarious approach, and we're sure that your customers do too! 



Honorable Mentions and Future Hall of Famers: We know that far more Hall of Fame worthy messages have been sent than we were able to showcase here. We want to apologize to the many AMAZING breweries we missed that keep their guests coming back with top-shelf messages. If you have a message we missed this time around, please send it to us so we can share it with Wyse beer marketers in the future! 



Bring Your Guests Back with Push Messages

If you're interested in harnessing the power of the Push Message at your brewery then we'd love to talk. There's no better time to get started than now. Schedule a demo with us today.

SCHEDULE A DEMO
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