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As most of you undoubtedly know, the 2015 Craft Brewers Conference kicks off this week in Portland, Oregon. We’ll be there and most of our Industry friends will be there too. It’s four informative days and late fun-filled nights (April 14th-17th) in one of the nation’s greatest beer cities. And we’re looking forward to catching up with everybody – and maybe get into a little trouble with some of you.
The Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, is the largest brewing industry gathering on the face of the planet. It’s also an enormous social event with over 10,000 industry professionals drinking together and a brilliant trade show that brings in vendors from all over the world.
The Oregon Convention Center is hosting the CBC this year and there will also be countless events taking place all over the city that we hope to get to. The problem is there are just too many seminars, concerts and parties to attend and it’s impossible to hit all of them without cloning ourselves.
At the Craft Brewers Conference one needs to be strategic to get things done. But with long days and late nights drinking with friends and colleagues, strategy quickly falls to the wayside and you can end up anywhere, at any hour, (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
Besides, sometimes it takes getting a little lost, to find yourself – and we can’t think of a better place to do that than at the Craft Brewers Conference.
So here’s some of the things that we’re absolutely planning on attending…And if you don’t see us at any of these events – please contact the police immediately – and have them break down our hotel room doors.
The CBC Welcome Reception – Tuesday, April 14th (6:30 pm – 9:00 pm) – This is the opening night party and it’s usually where the serious drinking begins. It’s a great place to find out who’s in town already – and to make secret plans for more questionable activities later that evening.
Beer Camp Across America Reunion Party at the Wonder Ballroom – Tuesday, April 14th (9:00 pm to _?_) – We always try to hit parties with no suggested closing time – It’s usually a good sign. And if half the brewers who collaborated with Sierra Nevada on this brilliant project and tour show up, it should be a blast.
CBC Keynote Address & General Session – Wednesday, April 15th (9:15 am – 11:00 am) – This morning session marks the opening of the conference itself and shouldn’t be missed. Paul Gatza, the director of Brewers Association will open things up along with the BA’s economist, Bart Watson, and Craft Beer Program Director Julia Herz. Their perceptive commentary on the state of industry, is always a highpoint for us, and a perfect way to start the conference. This year’s Keynote Address will be presented by motivational expert Simon Sinek, author of two books: the global best seller, Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action and his newest book, Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t.
The Keynote and General Session is the official launch of the conference and the one time that most everybody’s together. From then on people are just going everywhere – because there’s so many seminars to sit in on and so much that you don’t want to miss.
So check in with us tomorrow for More Things We’ll Be Hitting at This Week’s Craft Brewers Conference and we’ll update you on what else is up.
