Karma by the Keg

It’s time to repay the karmic keg debt. Event organizers across the US ask for donations from craft brewers who support charity events, festivals, dinners, tastings, tourism and more. Are “thanks” enough reward? Is “good exposure” worth the cost? Maybe not, because it’s not business as usual anymore for craft brewers.

Unless you’ve been trapped in a beer cellar, you’ve heard about brewing commodity prices increasing in 2008, with estimates that range from 100 percent to a whopping 400 percent increase over last year. Add to that the spiraling price of oil for beer distribution and staff travel to events. Suddenly, it seems unfair that craft brewers are asked to donate beer, transit and staff time to pour at festivals and events—deeply risky for basic survival of their businesses.

A brewer from western Wisconsin told me of attending a beer festival recently where the band was paid for performing three hours of music. However, all the participating brewers who made the event actually happen, who brought staffers to pour and donated beer to support the cause, while $45 per person was charged at the door, they received nada. The result? Feeling overexposed.

And if your basic costs to cover beer donations surge by 100 to 400 percent, how expensive does “exposure” become? It’s worthwhile to support your community and reach out to your customers. But it’s unfair if the proceeds from such generosity wind up being parceled out to some vendors (such as bands and food purveyors) but not to the breweries that make the biggest donations.

If an event is taking in money, then some portion of a brewer’s costs should be covered. It’s a mandate for survival in 2008, because if a brewery donates beer in response to every solicitation, they may well be putting themselves out of business.

As karmic role models, there are several festivals that do help defray costs for participating brewers. The Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, Wis., is a volunteer-run event, organized by the Madison Homebrewers and Tasters Guild in support of community radio station WORT. “It’s ridiculous to expect breweries to donate free beer and time,” says Fred Swanson, brewery coordinator, adding, “Time is just as valuable as any product. We raise thousands of dollars for numerous community charities, but we are one of the few festivals that pay for a portion of brewery costs.” Gas, lodging, food and other costs have to be included.

In keeping with better beer karma, BeerAdvocate fests not only pay for the beer poured, according to Todd Alström, “we also waive booth fees, we pay for any related compliance fees for out of state brewers, offer attending brewers free bottled water and food, and aid them with equipment needs.”

Alström continues, “On top of this, our special Friday sessions are designed with the brewers in mind. We pour all of the beer and invite brewers to attend and enjoy from the other side of the booth; beer and food is on us. As far as covering other brewery costs, like hotel and travel, those are massive costs that are way outside of our budget; we’d go broke, but we’re always looking at ways to pay it back to the brewers.”

Due to local ordinances or logistics, some organizers opt to cover brewery shipping and staff travel costs rather than purchase beer outright. A new festival put on by the Brewers Association and devoted to craft beer and food to be held in Washington DC, Savor, will cover costs for one night’s hotel lodging for participating breweries’ staff.

Brewery owner Deb Carey, of New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, Wis., suggests that more craft brewers should organize their own events and festivals in support of charities. “If you’re going to give away your beer, then why not set up a beer dinner or event with proceeds going to the cause you choose? It’s much more creative.”

Here’s a toast to good karma by the keg, with many thanks to craft brewers who have supported festivals, fun and community over the years. This year, it’s my turn to give back in support of craft brewers—make it yours, too. ■