50 States of COVID Hospitality Relief

RadCraft, the hospitality industry, and the world as we know it will never be the same again.

I seem to say that every year, though. While I never could have anticipated a year like 2020, I did know I was in for a wild ride when I launched a business based on live, agricultural products and small, variant batches. It’s been a dynamic eight years to say the least.

One reason I love working with brewers, distillers, maltsters, farmers, and other crafters of all kinds is their resilience. They show up every day. They troubleshoot, they innovate, and they evolve to craft radical, high quality products and cultivate company ethos that’s changing the world. Along the way, their strength fosters community, and their beers and spirits make for some damn good times.

Amid pandemic, we’re finding some of these communities to be stronger than ever. American craft breweries, distilleries, and malting companies have come to bat for their people in big ways. We’ve been documenting these heroes in our COVID relief hub, and pouring over countless stories of how the hospitality industry is activating in crisis. Here are 50 of them.

Thanks for reading and stay well,

-Em Hutto

This project, and our entire relief effort, would not have been possible without Content Editor Karen Mills’ tenacious work and unrelenting positivity. Karen will be discussing her experience rounding up 50 of the country's most impactful relief efforts for the hospitality industry on the RadCraft Industry Relief zoom chat on Thursday, September 24 at 3pm MTN.

Craft Industry COVID-19 Update, ACBW Edition - May 12, 2020

© Brewers Association

This week marks the Brewers Association’s American Craft Beer Week®, which celebrates Small and Independent craft breweries. This national beer holiday has been celebrated by millions of beer lovers, breweries, and retailers since 2006. This year’s festivities hosted by CraftBeer.com will be a little bit different, but will be celebrated nonetheless between May 11-17th. The root of it remains unchanged: the spirit of supporting craft breweries and those craft breweries who supported their communities and country.

Participating in this year’s American Craft Beer Week may be more important than ever given the current economic circumstances. In a continued effort to support local small and independent craft breweries, this week provides an opportunity for craft beer enthusiasts to connect while practicing social distancing while supporting local small businesses.

This goes without saying, but these brewpubs, taprooms, breweries, etc., are going through unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic. A recent study conducted by the Brewers Association shows that these small businesses provides “more than 161 direct full and part time jobs” and have “donated more than $82 million to local charities last year” — which breaks down to “approximately $3.10 for every barrel of beer brewed.”

Being a part of the craft community that does so much for the community around them, whether within or outside of the craft brewery community, is something very special. It’s also a great reminder to support them as they are going through these difficult times.

“Independent craft breweries are an essential component in the important economic network of growers, distributors, supplier partners, beer lovers, and retailers,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and craft beer program director at the Brewers Association. “This American Craft Beer Week, brewers and beer lovers will connect in new ways during these challenging times. From May 11 to May 17, those who commit to giving independent craft beer will make a difference that reaches beyond the beverage to support and save thousands of hometown breweries who are instrumental in giving back to so many local communities and charitable causes.”

Curious on how to participate? Here’s what the Brewers Association has lined up:

• Commit to #GiveCraftBeer at AmericanCraftBeerWeek.com: Stand up and be counted by gifting craft beer, gift cards, merchandise, or other food and beverage offerings from a U.S. craft brewery.

• Get Social: Use custom American Craft Beer Week social media posts.

• Sign up to become a supporter of independent beer at SupportIndependentBeer.com.

• Find your community: Use #GiveCraftBeer and follow @indiebeer_ for chances to participate all week

• Donate to the Believe in Beer Craft Brewery Relief Fund to help craft breweries and state brewers guilds weather this unprecedented financial storm.

You can contact Jenelle Scott, who is working on the behalf of the Brewers Association) at jenelle.scott@backbonemedia.net or 970.963.4873 x224 for more information.

Happy American Craft Beer Week, everyone!

— Karen Mills, RadCraft Content Editor

RadCraft Opens Co-Op Membership Application Early; Offers Free Membership to Barley Crafters Impacted by Coronavirus

Photo by Emily Sierra

Coronavirus really turned our world upside down, and we’ve heard from so many of you that’s the case for you too. We’re here to help, and we can think of no stronger way to show that than to open our doors up to the craft barley community— for business, for support, and for our community across the globe.

Accordingly, we opened up the application period for our communications co-op a month early, we're waiving all annual fees for all breweries, distilleries, and maltsters who apply for the 2020-2021 co-op membership before May 1.

The RadCraft co-op membership is an annual program designed for craft barley crafters with in-house marketing or communications professionals. Membership includes media relations resources like press release publishing and media lists; design services professional photo and video assets; subscriptions to our annual catalogue, vendor directory, and Craft Marketing emails; free tickets & discount pricing to all of RadCraft’s educational offerings, including registration to the annual Craft Social Media workshop; and more. 

Apply for your RadCraft co-op at radcraftbeer.com/jointhecoop. All fees will be waived for applications submitted by Friday, May 1. Applications will be accepted until the end of June. 2020-2021 memberships run July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. 

Companies who apply after May 1 can use the promo code COVIDSUCKS for 25% off the cost of annual membership.

For more information about the RadCraft communications co-op, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.

Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - April 7, 2020

Photo courtesy Drifter Brewing Co.

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” —Helen Keller

Over the last couple weeks, the craft barley community has gone through quite a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. Our community has taken it in stride, adapting as much as we can. That’s just a small reminder of the strength and resilience of craft brewers, distillers, and maltsters— and just how much we can accomplish together.

Breweries operating under new guidelines across the world continue to release new beers and innovate. Brewers guilds are working tirelessly to communicate daily changes. The social experience might be turned upside down, but beer lovers still have so much access to craft. We mentioned last week that we never realized how much we take our third spaces for granted; and that continues to ring true— on a global scale.

Our friends at Drifter Brewing Company in South Africa are having a helluva lot harder time than some of our partners in the United States. The entire country is under strict lockdown— no beer sales of any kind (or dog walking!). They shared their Captain's Log lockdown story with us here, a creative and comical way to keep the lights on in their part of the world.

We want to continue to share ways you can help, and there’s definitely still so much more to come…

• Service Industry Tips was set up to help the food and beverage professionals that are impacted by restaurant closures and the drastic decrease in workforce with the shift to take-out. During this time of social distancing, consider tipping a local service industry worker through Venmo or Cash App.

• Our friends at C-Star Provisions is donating all profits from the pre-sale of their newest flavor, Nashville Hot Jerky, sales to the staff who have been impacted by the shut downs.

• Good Word Brewing will continue operating their soup kitchen now that they’ve reopened, and will be donating any leftovers to Meals by Grace. They also encourage donating to The Giving Kitchen, an organization that aids restaurant workers when they are in need.

If you know of a community or nonprofit effort that supports hospitality businesses in need, we want to hear about it. Comment here, or email us so we can help get the word out.

Stay safe, stay positive, stay resilient – taking things one day at a time.

—The RadCraft Team