Speakers & Talks
Tim Weaver, UK-based founder of The Brand Weaver, host of the Branding for Breweries podcast, and author of the book by the same name. Chair of Communications for the London Brewers Alliance, an international speaker on brewery branding. Tim specializes in giving breweries simple, actionable tools they can put to work immediately.
Solo Session: How to Win Drinkers Who Don’t Think They Want Craft Beer. Tim outlines practical strategies for expanding reach by leveraging taproom experiences, community interests, and non-beer occasions, offering a step-by-step framework to launch targeted events and convert casual visitors into loyal customers.
Session Panel: Victory Lap, Lessons from Last Night's Champions. Joining Amber Olson and Jill Dewes, Tim breaks down the Canada Beer Cup design winners, exploring critical visual elements, emerging brand trends, and practical strategies for converting award-winning packaging into retail sales.
Gregor Brower is the Technical Consultation Manager at Omega Yeast Labs. After earning his degree in biology, Gregor spent a decade working in hands-on production brewing roles before joining Omega Yeast as Director of Quality. Today, he leverages his deep technical expertise to serve as an educational resource for the craft brewing community.
InYeast Management Best Practices: Managing Dry Hop Creep, Gregor addresses the challenges of yeast repitching and dry hopping by analyzing early versus late dry-hop timing. Brewers will learn two straightforward quality control assays to measure hop diastase activity, predict finishing gravity, and prevent hop creep, enabling teams to shorten cellar residence times, avoid off-flavors, and streamline yeast management.
Don Gordon brings over 28 years of experience across the beverage alcohol sector in Canada, having held executive leadership roles including President of Parallel 49 Brewing Company and SVP at Northam Beverages. A dedicated industry advocate, Don co-founded the Coalition of Canadian Independent Craft Brewers and previously served as Chair of the BC Craft Brewers Guild. Recipient of the 2023 BC Beer Awards’ Legend Award, he now provides fractional executive leadership and strategic consulting to beverage companies with a keen passion on assisting Canadian craft breweries of all sizes.
In You Sure F***ed That Up! How big mistakes can lead to big opportunities, Don hosts an interactive panel alongside Lisa Watts (co-founder, Hub Town Brewing) and Phil Brian (Canadian Commercial Manager, RahrBSG). Examining famous business blunders and candid stories from Alberta brewing veterans, this session equips leaders with actionable tools to improve decision-making, strengthen team culture, spot risks early, and turn costly missteps into opportunities for growth.
Audra Gaiziunas, owner of DSSOLVR, founder of Brewed For Her Ledger, and Treasurer of the Brewers Association Board of Directors, is a craft beverage finance specialist with deep expertise in brewery accounting, financial modeling, and business planning. Based in Asheville, Audra helps independent breweries slash overhead, eliminate manual inefficiencies, and build resilient financial operations.
In AI on Tap: Eight Workflows Built for Brewery Accounting, Cash Flow, and Inventory, Audra delivers a practical, no-code roadmap to modernize your back office. Skipping broad AI hype, this session details eight specific, buildable workflows designed for inventory, cash management, and accounting, complete with take-home prompts and a tool stack costing under $200 a month.
Andrew Coplon, Founder of Secret Hopper and Craft Beer Professionals, helps breweries nationwide build memorable and profitable hospitality experiences. Drawing on data-backed insights from thousands of real taproom visits, Andrew presents:
5 Things Your Taproom Staff Should Be Doing
While beer brings guests through the door, hospitality turns them into regulars. In this actionable session, Andrew breaks down five high-impact staff habits that directly increase tab size, foster guest loyalty, and drive repeat business. Attendees will leave with practical training strategies and proven techniques to motivate staff and optimize taproom operations.
Alex Ancona is an international beer judge, founder of Beer’s Cool, and co-founder of the Día de Muertos Beer Cup. He’s helped develop the official Brewers Association style guidelines for Mexican Lagers. Having judged 50+ competitions across 14 countries, including the World Beer Cup and GABF.
Alex leads this panel exploring Mexican Lagers: Rediscovering Its Roots & Exploring Its Craft Potential. Attendees will delve into the history, sensory profiles, and practical brewing considerations for Light, Pale, Amber, and Dark Mexican Lagers, walking away with technical insights, ingredient strategies, and market trends to elevate their portfolio
Jacob Sembrano, a trained chef and 20-year hospitality veteran with roots at Goose Island, has spent the last 12 years redefining American-brewed cerveza through culinary innovation and traditional techniques. An award-winning brewer and competition judge, Brewmaster and co-founder of Cruz Blanca Brewery in Chicago joins the panel for Mexican Lagers: Rediscovering Its Roots & Exploring Its Craft Potential. Jacob brings a unique flavor-first perspective to the panel. Attendees will gain practical insights into recipe design, culinary inspirations, and technical brewing considerations across Light, Pale, Amber, and Dark Mexican Lagers.
Ignacio "Nacho" Lomelí is a beer professional from Mexico with over 10 years of experience in the ingredients sector for the brewing industry. He is an Advanced Cicerone and a National Beer Judge Certification Program judge. His other experience includes craft beer distribution, beer production, and beer education for service staff.
He joins Mexican Lagers: Rediscovering Its Roots & Exploring Its Craft Potential. Whether you're refining a current recipe or launching a new brand, this session equips you with essential knowledge on raw materials, process considerations, style definitions, and consumer trends shaping the category.
Sarah Casorso is the Western Canada and Washington Regional Sales Manager for Yakima Chief Hops. Raised on a farm in Kelowna, BC, Sarah transitioned her passion for agriculture into a brewing career, spending six years in production, notably as Head Brewer and Director of Brewing Operations at Bench Brewing Company in Ontario.
In In My Liquids Era: Harnessing Solubility Principles to Maximize Liquid Hop Aroma and Flavor, Sarah breaks down the expanding world of liquid hop products. Exploring principles of beer and hop solubility, emulsifiers, and data-backed performance metrics, this session helps brewers navigate various liquid hop formats to optimize recipe design, enhance sensory outcomes, and improve brewhouse efficiency.
Richard Preiss is the co-founder and CEO of Escarpment Laboratories, a leading yeast producer based in Guelph, Ontario. Holding a Master of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Guelph, Richard leads Escarpment’s R&D and product development, specializing in yeast innovation, kveik genetics, and fermentation research for craft breweries.
In Optimizing and Maintaining Yeast Health: Practical Tips for Brewers, Richard examines best practices for yeast management with a focus on nutrient optimization. Sharing new data on multiple tank fills, yeast nutrition, and off-flavor prevention, this technical session covers tactics for maintaining cell health across generations, proper storage protocols, and nutrient dosing. Attendees will leave with practical metrics to track yeast quality, avoid common cellar mistakes, and ensure consistent fermentation performance.
Joshua Vanderheide is the Founder and CEO of GoodLife Brand Collective, a multi-brand craft beverage company with locations and distribution across Canada. Beginning his career in advertising, brand strategy, and package design, Josh launched his first brewery in 2016 and has since evolved the business into a diverse portfolio of craft beverage brands.
In Beyond Beer: Building Brands and Finding Growth in a Changing Beverage Market, Josh draws on over a decade of hands-on experience to explore how producers can unlock new revenue streams in a shifting market. From introducing alternative beverages to an existing portfolio to using strategic branding to empower sales teams, attendees will gain actionable strategies to expand their consumer reach and achieve sustainable growth beyond traditional beer categories.
Dr. Matthew Bauman, Associate Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Purdue University Northwest and founder of The Beverage Doc, researches craft beer consumer behaviour, authenticity, and Gen Z drinking habits. Based on his recent national U.S. study of nearly 800 Gen Z consumers, Matt's work shows that product knowledge is what gets this generation through the door and what keeps them coming back.
In Grain to Glass: What Gen Z Told Us, and the Experience Only Alberta Can Offer, Matt turns his U.S. study of nearly 800 Gen Z drinkers into practical direction for Alberta breweries. The keynote covers what this generation said in their own words, why craft beer is almost never the thing they name, and what they say the industry keeps getting wrong when it tries to reach them. It then turns to what Alberta already holds, the grain, the water, the farmers, and a province that wrote terroir into law, and makes the case for treating all of it as teaching material rather than a talking point. The session closes with specific, low-cost changes breweries can make to their menus, their taprooms, and their staff training on Monday.
Dr. Glen Fox is the Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Science at UC Davis, where he leads the university’s brewing programs and oversees the Sierra Nevada research laboratory. A Fellow of the Institute of Brewing & Distilling with over 30 years of cereal chemistry research, Dr. Fox specializes in barley, malt, and beer quality.
In How Does Grain Composition Impact Efficiency?, Dr. Fox uncovers hidden grain quality attributes that significantly affect mashing and fermentation beyond standard Certificate of Analysis (CoA) parameters. Brewers will gain actionable technical insights into raw material chemistry to eliminate cellar friction and improve day-to-day brewhouse efficiency.
Jake Lohse is a former Stryker finance lead, author of Shifting Gears, and founder of Presidential Brewing Company in Portage, Michigan. After opening in 2019, Jake rebuilt his business around financial discipline and operational processes, nearly doubling revenue and driving profitability.
In Financial Freedom: Learning to Control Your Cash Flow, Jake shares practical strategies to help operators master cash management and protect margins. Moving past complex accounting jargon, this actionable session helps brewers evaluate key metrics, identify current performance baselines, and leverage simple, automated financial tools to build a more profitable craft beverage business.
Lisa Watts is the Co-Founder, CEO, and Brewmaster of Hub Town Brewing in Okotoks, Alberta. A former pipeline integrity specialist with a background in chemical engineering, Lisa completed the American Brewers Guild’s Intensive Brewing Science & Engineering program in 2016. Since then, she has built Hub Town into an award-winning brewery while wearing nearly every operational hat in the business.
Joining Don Gordon on the panel for You Sure F***ed That Up! How big mistakes can lead to big opportunities, Lisa shares candid stories from the frontlines of independent brewery ownership, offering practical insights on navigating operational hurdles, recovering from missteps, and building a resilient, community-focused brand.
Phil Brian is the Canadian Commercial Manager at RahrBSG and a 20+ year beverage industry veteran across Canada and Australia. A chemical bioprocess engineer with an MBA from Ivey Business School, Phil has built and operated breweries, distilleries, and hospitality venues while leading commercial strategy, operations, and culture.
Joining Don Gordon and Lisa Watts on the panel for You Sure F***ed That Up! How big mistakes can lead to big opportunities, Phil brings a unique dual perspective as both a former brewery owner and supply-chain partner, sharing actionable insights on risk management, workplace culture, and strategic recovery when costly missteps occur.
Jordan Ramey, PhD, is the co-founder and CEO of The Burwood Group (Burwood Distillery, Veranda), an Alberta Craft Distillers Association board member, and a former microbiology professor who helped launch Western Canada's first teaching brewery at Olds College.
Solo Session (Oct 8): Distilling, from a Brewer’s Perspective. Through the lens of a former brewing scientist, Dr. Ramey demystifies spirit production for craft brewers. Exploring wash production, enzyme mechanics, hot/fast fermentations, pot and column distillation, cuts, and congener development, this session explains how familiar brewing principles diverge when the goal shifts from pint glass to rocks glass.
Session Panel (Oct 9): Wild Wood Swings, Active Barrel Management for Brewers & Distillers. Joining an expert panel of Alberta producers, Dr. Ramey explores wood maturation and spirit aging under extreme seasonal temperature swings, offering technical insights on extraction rates, oxidation control, and cross-industry sensory evaluation.
George Teichroeb is the President of Pure Whisky Consulting and a 30-year North American spirits veteran. Formerly the General Manager of Alberta Distillers Limited, where he led Alberta Premium Cask Strength to 2021 World Whisky of the Year honors, George previously spent nearly a decade in Kentucky executing major projects across the Beam Global portfolio and Maker's Mark.
Joining the panel for Wild Wood Swings: Active Barrel Management for Brewers & Distillers, George brings a global distilling perspective to wood maturation and cellar operations. Drawing on extensive experience across Kentucky and Canada, he shares actionable advice on establishing systematic sampling programs, managing barrel inventory, and ensuring maturation is an active, deliberate process rather than a gamble.
Damon Mosier is the Mixed Culture and Barrel Program Lead at The Establishment Brewing Company in Calgary, Alberta. Leveraging a strong scientific background in microbial ecology, Damon oversees the production, wild fermentation, aging, and cellar management for Establishment’s award-winning mixed-culture and barrel-aged beer portfolio.
Joining the panel for Wild Wood Swings: Active Barrel Management for Brewers & Distillers, Damon brings a microbiological perspective to barrel program management. Drawing on hands-on cellar experience, he shares technical insights into controlling wild yeast and bacteria populations, managing barrel micro-flora, managing oxidation, and maintaining flavor consistency across complex mixed-culture and wood-aged releases.
Mitch Warner is an owner and Head of Brewing Operations at Dageraad Brewing in Burnaby, BC, where he has been a prominent voice in the provincial craft beer community since 2009. Combining technical brewing expertise with a passion for world cuisine, Mitch leads Dageraad’s award-winning barrel-aged and mixed-fermentation projects alongside clean beer production.
Joining the panel for Wild Wood Swings: Active Barrel Management for Brewers & Distillers, Mitch shares over 11 years of hands-on experience blending and wood-aging Belgian-style beers. Drawing on creative recipe design and cellar management, he offers practical insights into combining non-traditional ingredients, managing mixed cultures, and taking a deliberate, culinary approach to barrel aging.
Brett Ireland is the co-founder and CEO of Bearhill Brewing, overseeing six Alberta locations, a provincial distribution arm, and Maligne Range craft whisky. A mechanical engineering graduate, Brett chairs the Tourism Industry Association of Alberta, sits on the Canadian Craft Brewers Association Board, and co-founded the Alberta Craft Distillers Association.
Panelist for From Wildfires to Wrong Turns: How Businesses Recover, Brett draws on firsthand experience navigating extreme crisis and operational recovery. This session explores the immediate steps leaders must take when disasters strike, from natural events to cash flow squeezes and insurance challenges, equipping operators with actionable strategies and resilient mindsets to steer breweries through severe setbacks.
Jill Dewes is the Founder of brand consultancy Nice One and former partner at Daughter Creative, bringing over 25 years of advertising and packaging design experience across Canada and New Zealand. Renowned for shaping award-winning visual identities for brands like Cabin, The Establishment, Annex, and Big Rock, Jill has served as a Canada Beer Cup packaging judge for two consecutive years.
Joining Tim Weaver and Amber Olson for Victory Lap: Lessons from Last Night's Champions, Jill breaks down the Canada Beer Cup design winners. She provides behind-the-scenes insights into the judging criteria, emerging packaging trends, critical design "do's and don'ts," and actionable strategies for leveraging awards into retail growth.
Chantz Fleck is Vice President and Client Executive at BFL CANADA, bringing over 16 years of specialized risk management and commercial insurance experience. Holding a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary, Chantz works closely with complex commercial clients across North America to design tailored risk solutions that safeguard businesses against catastrophic loss without overinsuring operational assets.
Panelist for From Wildfires to Wrong Turns: How Businesses Recover, Chantz shares critical insights into the commercial realities of disaster recovery. Drawing on extensive experience navigating major claims, he offers practical guidance on risk assessment, navigating policy claims, and establishing proactive mitigation strategies before crisis strikes.
Amber Olson is the Founder of Oh hi Amber!, a Winnipeg-based marketing and creative agency. Following nearly two decades leading design and brand strategy for national retail brands, Amber now advises craft beverage clients across Canada. For the past three years, she has served as Head Packaging Judge for the Canada Beer Cup.
Joining Tim Weaver and Jill Dewes for Victory Lap: Lessons from Last Night's Champions, Amber provides a judge's perspective on the nation's top packaging designs. She explores winning visual elements, emerging brand trends, crucial shelf-presence "do's and don'ts," and actionable ways craft producers can leverage competition hardware to drive retail listings and sales.
Kim Bateman is the General Manager of Troubled Monk in Red Deer, Alberta, leading a multi-faceted beverage portfolio spanning craft beer, RTDs, spirits, craft soda, and taproom tourism. A graduate with distinction from Olds College’s Brewmaster program, Kim built her career from hands-on operations to executive leadership, focusing on sustainable growth, brand evolution, and team development.
Joining Joshua Vanderheide for Beyond Beer: Building Brands and Finding Growth in a Changing Beverage Market Kim shares practical strategies for expanding beyond traditional beer offerings. Drawing on Troubled Monk’s successful diversification, she offers insights into managing operational complexity, introducing alternative beverage categories, and driving sustainable revenue growth.
Jamie L. Smith, CPA, is the Co-Founder of Double U and former co-founder of Amplify Advisors, bringing over 15 years of Big Four accounting experience alongside executive certifications in Unreasonable Hospitality, Working Genius, and AI literacy. Trained as an executive coach with a Master of Professional Accounting, Jamie specializes in helping bottlenecked leaders build resilient systems, execute turnaround strategies, and navigate complex business transformations.
Joining Brett Ireland and Chantz Fleck for From Wildfires to Wrong Turns: How Businesses Recover, Jamie brings a fractional leadership and operational turnaround perspective. She shares actionable guidance on navigating financial crises, maintaining clear decision-making during internal shocks, and leading teams back from operational setbacks.
Jake Clark is the founder of Arrow Consulting, a strategic advisory firm helping beverage founders navigate market entry, distribution expansion, and brand repositioning. Starting behind the bar before running multi-province beverage programs, Jake was on the founding team of The Strait & Narrow Pacific Coast Cocktails—scaling one of Canada’s early craft RTD brands from Vancouver Island to national distribution.
Joining Joshua Vanderheide and Kim Bateman for Beyond Beer: Building Brands and Finding Growth in a Changing Beverage Market, Jake shares strategic insights on market expansion, commercial scaling, and product positioning. She provides actionable advice for beverage producers seeking new growth channels in evolving market conditions.
Darcy Strang is Director of Compliance for Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), overseeing regulatory operations across Alberta's liquor, cannabis, and gaming sectors. A 29-year veteran of the Edmonton Police Service who retired as an Inspector with ALERT, Darcy previously served as Vice President of Security Operations for Oilers Entertainment Group, leading venue security for Rogers Place and ICE District.
Presenting alongside Rajeev Bastiampillai for AGLC Regulatory Update, Darcy highlights key regulatory developments, including expanded service hours, streamlined event approvals, manufacturer policy updates, AGLC’s redesigned licensing portal, and risk-based oversight through the C.A.R.E. program.
Rajeev Bastiampillai is the Manager of Liquor Planning and Reporting at AGLC within the Stakeholder Management & Operations branch. Leading onboarding, compliance tracking, and administrative operations for Alberta’s Class E liquor manufacturers, Rajeev is known for translating complex regulatory data into actionable business intelligence for industry stakeholders.
Presenting alongside Darcy Strang for AGLC Regulatory Update, Rajeev shares essential Alberta liquor statistics, sales trends, and market metrics. He offers producers clear data-driven insights into consumer purchasing shifts, category performance, and economic forces shaping the province’s evolving craft beverage market.
Adam Buck is the Community Manager at Eighty-Eight Brewing Company in Calgary, Alberta. Bringing more than a decade of experience across Alberta’s craft beer industry, Adam specializes in cultivating high-impact brand experiences, developing strategic community partnerships, and expanding brand reach to engage consumers and drive sustainable sales growth.
Joining the panel for Beyond Beer: Building Brands and Finding Growth in a Changing Beverage Market, Adam brings a community-centric marketing and brand-activation perspective. He shares practical insights on connecting with new consumer segments, leveraging strategic local partnerships, and activating alternative beverage brands to drive taproom traffic and commercial growth.
Kevin Emms leads technical sales across breweries, distilleries, and cideries, bringing 15 years of production experience across startups, legacy brands, and contract producers. Holding a degree in Brewing and Distilling from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, Kevin draws on extensive hands-on cellar leadership to help beverage producers optimize operations and flavor technology.
In Advancements in Terpene-Based Flavor Technology: What's Now Possible in the Brewhouse, presented by Abstrax x Brightcraft, Kevin breaks down cutting-edge flavor science for brewers. He explores GC×GC aroma mapping, bioidentical flavor creation, solubilization mechanics, and practical strategies for integrating terpene-based compounds to improve consistency, shelf stability, and cost of goods.
