Community: Are You Just Talking About It or Living It?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the word community. It’s one of those terms that gets tossed around in the brewing world like it’s a packet of pork scratchings. And honestly? It’s starting to lose its meaning.

Authentic. Quality. Community.

We’ve heard it all before. And yeah, every brewery seems to be saying the same thing. But if you’re going to claim to have a community, you’ve got to do more than just say it. You’ve got to prove it. 👇

Is your brewery actually living it?

Here’s what I’m talking about:
It’s not about having a few followers on Instagram or some members in your beer club. That’s nice, but real community is built on engagement, on people championing your brewery, bringing their friends in, sharing your message far and wide.

It’s like the classic forum groups—if you’ve got that kind of interaction, then yes, that’s community. If not? You might just have some nosy followers scrolling through your feed.

How about your taproom?

Are people spending entire days there, hanging out, grabbing lunch, staying into the evening with friends stopping by? Is it the place they take their family or out-of-town visitors because they can’t think of anywhere better to go?

That’s the kind of taproom vibe that turns into real community. It’s like an extension of their own front room.

And then there’s your local rep.

Are you a staple in your local pubs and taprooms? Do you pop up in TripAdvisor reviews when people are looking for things to do? Are you that brewery people are recommending, with bartenders and pub owners confidently talking up your brand?

That’s community.

Here’s the thing: If you’re doing all of this, you don’t even need to use the word community. You’re living it, and everyone can see it.

So, can you honestly say your brewery has built a real community?

And if so, I’d love to hear how you did it!