In case you hadn’t heard, or you just got out of hibernation
(I don’t blame you considering the amount of cold weather in this province),
recently the female brew students of the Brewmaster program got together to
brew a beer called Calamity Jane. Part of the proceeds of this beer will go to
a women’s charity in Alberta and the Pink Boots Society. If you missed the
story, check it out at my “brew-sister’s” blog .
It was discussed in my Brewing Sales & Promotions class
that some businesses can receive a plethora of calls from various charities
asking for charitable donations. It was also brought to my attention by my
instructor, which made me really uncomfortable to hear, that charity events are
often viewed as a loss in sales for businesses. Why is that? Has it always been
that way? Wouldn’t the social media presence alone encourage the sale of this
beer?
I can only speak for myself in that within me it creates a
stronger bond with that brewery. It shows that a company is just not about
making a buck and also wants to support their community.
One night, I got to thinking of all the breweries that do
charity events or brews that I know. I’m sure there are a myriad of them out
there and I could easily create a book. The notable ones that stick out in my
mind are (in no particular order):
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| This is the beer from Phillips that I had |
Phillips Brewing – they conduct a Benefit Brew where the
public votes on which charity they donate via creation of a special edition
brew. This year they have two Benefit brews – one for BC and one for Alberta.
Don’t believe me? Check it out here:
I managed to snag their milk stout a year or so ago and
really enjoyed it. The challenge with this program is that almost every time I
want to get the beer, it’s gone from stores.
Central City Brewery Imperial IPA for Autism – This is a
pretty extensive program that connects with the Canucks Autism Network (CAN) to
build awareness. I’ve had this beer and it’s a cacophony of melon, red ruby grapefruit,
passionfruit and typical Northwest hop personality backed by Central City craftsmanship.
I hope Central City Brewery keeps putting out this beer because you get to help
a worthy cause and drink great beer. You can read about this program more here.
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| This beer brings back memories...good ones. |
Tree Brewing’s Community Pint – At Tree Brewing’s recently
opened Beer Institute they had Community Pint night every Tuesday for the month
of February where 50 cents from each pint sold was to be donated to a local
charity. They do a similar thing in their tasting room located at their brewery
where a portion of the tasting fee goes to a different charity for each month
of the year. They have also been involved with the BC Fire ReLeaf Fund, Cops For Kids, Ski To
Sea and the many charitable donations made throughout the year. I like
the idea that a specific beer doesn’t need to be purchased to see some kickback
to the community.
Read a bit about the Community Pint here.
Alberta Beer Festivals – Yes, yes, I realize that this group
isn’t a brewery but their mission statement is
“Alberta Beer Festivals is a forum for breweries
to share their stories, passions and products with beer enthusiasts of Western
Canada. We create a positive impact in the beer industry, local charities and
within our community”. Bill Robinson and his team are a great asset to
the growing craft beer community in Alberta. They’re not about being at the
forefront per se, moreso about allowing the brewing industry to unite under
their own terms in a venue of camaraderie for the sake of the industry. I’ve
had the pleasure of meeting Bill, Mark, & Brett when they came up and gave
a talk to us students. A great crew that have a provincial reach to numerous
charities. Peruse their slick and updated website at this link.
Honestly, I think that positivity and charity events will
pay off in cross-marketing & promotions, collaboration brews and projects,
sponsorship and involvements that can only benefit a brewery. Maybe I’m just naïve
in thinking that helping out a charity is a loss in profitability. I can understand that a brewery would have to
pick and choose which charity / charities to assist that may better work with a
brewery’s ideals and mission statement.
I believe with volunteer and charity work, what may not emerge
with financial ROI will come back in good energy and an even better name by
your consumers. Maybe that’s why this student of beer is growing his hair long
and has a charity event planned that involves cutting off his hair for Cancer
Kids. Now how do I go about putting that one together? I have a few more years
at least so my hair gets to the length I want.
Thanks for reading,
BeerLearner
PS: What other charity beers or beer events stand out with
YOU? Feel free to list them in the comments. What’s great is that there is no
wrong answer here.
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