Beer education is a critical component of the taproom experience. This seminar takes a deep dive into the active implementation of beer education within the taproom, including education for both brewery staff and customers. It features four beer educators and advocates who discuss their own specific strategies for ensuring continuous, integrated education that ultimately leads to a more robust customer experience.
This presentation provides tangible examples for how to integrate beer education principles within the taproom environment and tips for how to facilitate ongoing planning to ensure that beer education remains a taproom priority, including gaining and maintaining owner and management support. In order to ensure continuity of knowledge in the wake of staff turnover, it is critical that taproom education is a deliberate aspect of the culture and practices of a brewery.
The session includes a beer educator and consultant, along with three beer educators from small- and medium-sized breweries in three different parts of the country.
Learning Objectives
- Learn strategies for implementing sustainable, continuous beer education curriculum for front-of-house (FOH) staff
- Discuss types of beer education courses or material that should be an integral part of the taproom experience
- Understand the importance and process of developing scalable educational content for FOH staff and the public
- Know how to assess the return on investment (ROI) of implementing beer education practices for both taproom staff and the public
- Walk away with tips for how to gain leadership buy-in and investment in continuous education
About the Speakers
LaTreace Harris, Owner & CEO
The Beery Godmother LLC
LaTreace Harris (she/her) is the owner of The Beery Godmother LLC, a beer education consulting company that provides training services to beer-facing entities (e.g. keeping and serving beer, beer style exploration, and off flavor training), but also publicly facing education, beer 101 and style sessions, and any other beer-related programming that is of interest to breweries, brewpubs, and establishments that serve beer. She started the company in early 2022 after being an avid beer drinker and former in-home tutor of math and science for 15 years. The Beery Godmother was a perfect opportunity to marry her love for beer and education.
In the past year, LaTreace has been involved in a multitude of activities including training brewery staff in Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina, hosting a Beer 101 education session for the public at Firemaker Brewing, participating in two beer collaborations (with Social Fox and Biggerstaff Brewing), moderating sessions during the Crafted For Action Beer Conference in Atlanta, and serving as a beer and malt judge. Most recently, she launched Beer Fact Fridays on Instagram, a weekly segment geared toward delivering simple, tangible facts about beer to the novice and the aficionado. LaTreace has also won several scholarships for women who are starting beer businesses, including the Women of the Bevolution grant.
Chris Leguizamon, Education Program Manager
Pure Project Brewing
Chris Leguizamon (he/him) is on a mission to inspire minds, one beer at a time. He is an Advanced Cicerone and certified Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) judge sharing information on beer and brewing as the education program manager at San Diego’s Pure Project Brewing. He further sparks interest as the beer education columnist for online resource San Diego Beer News, advocates for local independent beer as a board of directors member for the San Diego Brewers Guild, and curates content via his Instagram account.
Blanca Quintero, Assistant General Manager and Team Education & Development Manager
Highland Park Brewery
Blanca Quintero (she/her) has worked in the beer industry for over 10 years. Her passion for craft beer led to a career in the industry and she's striving to help others achieve the same. She is a Certified Cicerone and worked for Stone Brewing and Firestone Walker before landing at Highland Park Brewery. She has experience in retail, marketing, sales, beer education, and management. In 2018 she took over the Pink Boots Society Los Angeles chapter which led to her eventually joining the Pink Boots Society board of directors, where she is the current president. As a first-generation Mexican American trying to break into an industry that can be exclusionary, building resources and opportunities to create inclusive spaces for those traditionally excluded is at the crux of her mission to empower folks to pursue their passion and break barriers.
Paige Martin, Assistant Brewer
Star Republic Brewery
Paige Martin (she/her) specializes in helping breweries grow and formalize programs and operations to produce award-winning beers. Paige is a Certified Cicerone and beer judge, having judged beer competitions at the local, state, national, and international levels. She has developed and led training programs for staff at breweries, bars, and restaurants to elevate beer description and service. Paige serves as a steering lead on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild and is passionate about breaking down barriers to success in the brewing industry. She is also a Virgo who loves reading and doppelbocks.
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