Allen Craft Beverage Insurance (formerly GHM Insurance) is one of the top insurers of craft breweries in the country insuring more than 250 accounts. Our knowledge of the brewing industry and network of local, regional and national carriers means we can build a comprehensive and competitively priced program for almost any risk.

The Mass Brewers Guild’s (MBG) Technical Brewing & Business Conference, presented by Allen Craft Beverage Insurance (formerly GHM), will return to Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers in Framingham for a day-long series of workshops and lectures.

Held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Monday, Nov. 6, the focus of the day is to learn best practices from industry experts and create meaningful connections with peers within the craft beer industry.

Choose the track that best suits your skillset in the industry - Technical Brewing or Business.

A continental breakfast, lunch, and happy hour is included in the ticket price - Early bird pricing is $150 for members and $200 for non-members, until Oct. 15 a noon, after which, prices will increase to $175 for members and $225 for non-members. If you are unsure of your member status, please reach out to executive director Katie Stinchon at katie@massbrewersguild.org.

MBG Con is presented by Allen Craft Beverage insurance (formerly GHM) and also made possible thanks to supporting sponsors Amherst Label, Beverage Processors Group, Bluedrop Water, Boelter, Bowditch, CFT Packaging, Crosby Hops, Cove Risk, EquipNet, Four Star Farms, the Hop Guild, Hopsteiner, InTouch Labels, Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, JNKidds, Ohanafy, Restaurent, Thielmann, UCD Law, USI and White Labs. These businesses are associate members of the Mass Brewers Guild and help to make our educational programs possible and affordable for member breweries.

View the full workshop line up and purchase tickets below:

Purchase Tickets

1st Keynote Address - 9 a.m. to 10:10 a.m.

Keynote address #1 - Beer Hall

Craft’s Complicated Marketplace

The craft brewing industry is more complex than ever, with numbers that vary by business model, time period, geography and more. Brewers Association Chief Economist Bart Watson will break down the headline numbers, while both digging in to some of the specifics, and zooming out to provide economic and consumer context for some of these changes.

2nd Keynote Address - 10:20 to 11:20 a.m.

Keynote Address #2 - Beer Hall

The Burden of Burnout: Where to Start to Combat and Prevent It

Burnout in the craft beer industry is rampant, and has only been exacerbated by the events of the past few years. What does burnout look like? Why and how does it happen? How do leaders create environments that are healthy, sustainable, and free of burnout? Learn what burnout is, how it impacts the body, and practical ways to prevent and combat it, both as a leader and as an individual. Katie Muggli, the Founder and Executive Director of Infinite Ingredient, a nonprofit with the mission to actively support the mental and physical wellbeing of individuals working in the craft beverage industry will lead this seminar.

SESSION ONE - 11:30 to 12:30 a.m.

Technical Brewing Track - Beer Hall

SOPs, Easy as ABCs

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) are mandatory for breweries that want to build a predictable and profitable engine. From ensuring the quality and consistency of your products as well as safety and wellbeing of your team, SOPs are vital for business success and growth. Moderator Jeremy Cross, quality manager at Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers will lead a panel discussion with SOP experts, Charlie Cummings, owner of Remnant Brewing, Megan Parisi, Brewmaster at Boston Beer Co., and Jamie Schier from Harpoon Brewing Co.

BUsiness Track - Fest hall

Is two better than one?

Expansions, second locations and even third locations are on the rise. But before you start looking at real estate to scale-up - what do you need to know to ensure that you aren’t burning through your wallet or your team. Learn from local brewery owners, Ray Berry, founder of White Lion Brewing Co., and Mike Dyer, co-owner of Untold Brewing Co., alongside Clark University professors, Donna Gallo, professor at the School of Management and Teresa Quinn Clark University, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program Manager -- for a discussion on best practices and hard lessons learned. Jess Infante managing editor at Brewbound will moderate this discussion and take questions from the audience.

Lunch, Vendor Exhibition, Hop Education
12:30 to 2 p.m.

SESSION TWO - 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Technical Brewing Track - Beer Hall

To contract or not to contract, that is the question.

Hop contracting rates among craft brewers surged after the disastrous hop shortage of 2007-2008, never falling until the 2017 production year. Veteran brewers can share war stories from that time that will send you running to sign on the dotted line – but is that the best course of action for your brewery? There’s much to weigh from forecasting your own production while looking at the future of the hop market overall. Join hop heads - Tyler Fitzpatrick, brewmaster at Lamplighter Brewing Co., Heather McReynolds Northeast Craft Sales manager at Hopsteiner, Terry Peterson Northeast account manager at Crosby Hop Farm, and Eric Sannerud, Hop Consultant, for a deep dive on the risks and rewards of hop contracting. Chris Sellers, MBG board member and co-owner and brewmaster at the Brewery at Four Star Farms will moderate the discussion that will leave attendees with advice and strategies to help them plan for production and protect their wallet at the same time.

Business Track - FEST HALL

Navigating Grocery + Retail Chains

In this crowded marketplace, getting your beer on the shelves of a grocery store or retail chain can be a challenge. From SKUs to consistency, to volume, what should a brewery know before making a cold call? Join Brianne Grealish sales director at Aeronaut Brewing Co., Jeff Johnson, national accounts director at Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, Kevin O’Brien category manager at Roche Brothers and Justin Ray, Sr. Category Merchant Beer at Whole Foods Market, as they share tips and tricks in a discussion moderated by Adam Romanow, MBG President and president and CEO of Castle Island Brewing Co. Plenty of time for Q&A.

SESSION THREE - 3:10 to 4:10 p.m.

TECHNICAL BREWING TRack - Beer Hall

Creation, maintenance and growth of brewery sensory panels

Karl Arnberg is the Sensory Program manager at Allagash Brewing Company. He joined the Quality Control department at Allagash in 2011, and helped to create and grow the sensory program to what it is today. Learn his best practices for forming a sensory panel for breweries of all sizes.

BUSINESS TRACK - Fest Hall

HR Support + Compliance

Have you been following the 80/20 rule? Is FMLA tripping you up? Do you know what an HRIS system is or how it can help you keep track of employee trainings, certifications, PTO and more? Don't miss this opportunity to pick the brains of HR experts - Paul Carelis VP of client services for MP for HR, Katie Iovino, chief operating officer at Night Shift Brewing Co., and Bob Young, partner at Bowditch - in a panel discussion moderated by Sarah Lee, MBG Board member and director of operations at Medusa Brewing Co.