Brewer’s Blog

Positive Energy on Tap for NY Breweries

March 5th, 2019 • by David Bennis

U.S Breweries Spend Over $200 Million Annually On Energy That number is staggering. More to the point, energy consumption can run up to 8% of the total production cost of beer, which makes efficiency a critical factor, especially in times of high energy price volatility. At Marathon Energy, we pride ourselves on working to minimize […]

Navigating Local Government Regulation for Brewing Success

March 1st, 2019 • by Matt Horn

New York’s communities are rolling out the red carpet to brewers.  Just like developing the perfect recipe of brew ingredients, finding the best spot for your operation should be an exercise in developing the right mix of community, location, and building to leverage your investment into something special for you and your customers.  A core […]

Four Tips for Growing Your Craft Beer Business

February 20th, 2019 • by Michael Ishak

Starting your own craft beer business is exciting. Establishing flavours, designing product lines, and curating brand identity add up to unique and fun experiences that are all a part of the business of beer. But after all that work, it can be difficult and overwhelming to think about expansion. It may take a bit of […]

Implications of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act

February 14th, 2019 • by David Oksenhorn

The Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA) of 2017 gave the craft brewing industry a lift by temporarily lowering the federal excise tax for breweries, wineries, and distilled spirit producers.  The act took effect on January 1, 2018, and is currently set to expire on December 31, 2019. But on February 6, U.S. […]

Is your Brewery Website ADA Compliant?

January 28th, 2019 • by Chip Grieco

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in any place of “public accommodation,” such as restaurants, hotels, theaters, doctors’ offices, pharmacies, retail stores, museums, libraries, parks and, yes, breweries that operate taprooms, conduct tastings, sell at retail or are otherwise open to the public (which includes most […]

Maintaining Brand Identity When Diversifying Brews

January 8th, 2019 • by Andrew Witkin

Creating a solid, great-tasting beer is at the core of any craft brewery. But no successful brewer is content with making just one. When planning how to market and present your growing craft brew offerings, it’s imperative to keep a strong brand identity top of mind. Below are some simple tips to keep your brand […]

Should your brewery tap into the Kombucha trend?

December 19th, 2018 • by Jennifer Tsyn

Kombucha is growing in popularity, and more breweries are starting to produce it. But is it an alcoholic beverage? And, if it is, is it considered beer? While there is variation among kombucha products, according to the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), the term ‘kombucha’ “generally refers to a fermented beverage produced […]

Better Beer Branding Starts with ‘Why’

December 3rd, 2018 • by Shane LaChance

422 – That’s the number of breweries operating in New York State at the time this blog post was written. With no sign of slowing down, it’s safe to say that number has already been surpassed by the time you’re reading this. For brewery owners looking to increase production & grow their brand in this […]

NYS $.05 Beer Bottle & Can Deposit

November 20th, 2018 • by Paul Leone

If you bottle or can your own beer and sell it out of your tap room or self distribute your beer, this is critical information you need know to become a deposit initiator in New York State. From the NYS Dept. of Tax & Finance website: “New York State’s Returnable Container Act requires every deposit […]

New Law: Employers Must Provide Sexual Harassment Training

November 15th, 2018 • by Paul Leone

The Department of Labor has set forth new sexual harassment prevention requirements for every employer in New York State. This requirement is meant to be a tool to protect employees from any form of sexual harassment and protect employers in the event of a sexual harassment claim or lawsuit against the person or business occurs. […]