AZBrewcon, a one-day conference for Arizona’s craft brewing community, will make its debut Friday, July 22, at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in downtown Phoenix.
Created by the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild, the conference will serve as the unofficial kickoff-off event for the guild’s Real, Wild & Woody beer festival the following day.
AZBrewcon is targeted at those working in the state’s craft beer industry, as well as those who would like to get into the industry.
‘‘We knew there was enough interest to host this type of event after we got the attendance numbers from last year’s ‘How to Open a Brewery’ seminar,’’ says guild executive director Rob Fullmer.
‘‘We listened to folks at our events and in our breweries to get a sense of what they wanted to know about breaking into the brewing industry, and we created the AZBrewCon lineup accordingly.
‘‘The Arizona Craft Brewers Guild is committed to education and the expansion of our industry.’’
What the conference will cover
Those working on the brewing side will have a ‘‘Brewers Track’’ of seminars covering such things as the handling of yeast, barrel-aging, and canning.
Those working on the business side of the industry will have a ‘‘Operations Track’’ covering subjects like distribution, trademarks, and marketing.
Attendees can expect appearances and opportunities to clink glasses with Brewers Association affiliates, lead beer distributors, industry legal experts, and members of the media.
What’s included in ticket price
AZBrewcon will run from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. A craft beer tasting will close the program at 5 p.m.
Tickets, which run $60-$90, include continental breakfast, lunch, attendance at seminars, and five beer sampling tickets to enjoy later in the afternoon.
The second annual “How to Open a Brewery” event will be held Thursday, July 21, at the Security Building in downtown Phoenix.
