The Brewers Hat-Trick: One Beer, Three Audiences
Too many breweries treat a new beer release like a one-night stand.
You put in all the effort making it, you get dressed up for launch day… and then it’s over. Done. Onto the next.
But … most beers have way more to give.
Not just in sales. In story. In exposure. In getting you in front of the right people.
The trick?
Stop thinking of a release as one launch and start thinking of it as three separate plays, one for each of your most important audiences.
Audience One: Trade
Bars, bottle shops, restaurants. The people who can take a keg or case and instantly put your beer in front of hundreds of drinkers.
Ask yourself:
Why should they put this beer on tap or shelf over anything else?
What’s the hook that’s going to make their customers order it?
Don’t just email a list of tasting notes. Give them ammo:
A killer one-liner that makes staff want to recommend it
POS materials or social graphics they can drop into their own feeds
A short, punchy backstory that’s easy to repeat at the bar
Make it easy for them to sell it, because if they can’t, it won’t stay on tap.
Audience Two: Direct to Consumer
This is your home crowd. The taproom regulars. The online orderers. The people who already love your brand.
The mistake here is thinking they’re “already sold” on you.
Nope. They still need a reason to pick this beer over their usual pint or mixed pack.
Think about:
Can you give them first dibs or a pre-order to make it feel special?
Can you tie it to an event, food pairing, or limited merch to increase spend?
Can you create content that shows why this beer matters right now?
Your loyal crowd is your lowest-hanging fruit, but you’ve still got to pick it.
Audience Three: Media and Influencers
And no, I don’t mean begging for free coverage.
I mean creating a reason for someone with reach to want to talk about it.
That could be:
A quirky collaboration that makes a good headline
A strong link to a local story, tradition, or cause
A style twist or flavour combo that’s a genuine first in your area
This is where the story sells the beer before anyone’s even tasted it.
The Big Win
You could put out one beer, write one Instagram post, and hope.
Or… you could put out one beer, hit trade, consumers, and media with tailored messaging, and triple your chance of it getting noticed, stocked, and talked about.
Same beer. Same effort brewing it.
But way more value squeezed out of it.
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One Beer, Three Audiences — Your Plug-and-Play Checklist
Trade
Create one killer one-liner for staff to repeat
Supply simple POS materials or social assets
Include a short, memorable backstory in all comms
Email a segmented trade list with pre-order link and urgency
Direct to Consumer
Offer early access or a limited pre-order
Bundle with an event, merch, or glassware to upsell
Share behind-the-scenes brew day or tasting notes
Give a reason why now is the time to buy this beer
Media & Influencers
Identify 3–5 relevant local and industry contacts to target
Craft a short, engaging press blurb with story angle
Highlight any “firsts”, collabs, or unusual twists
Send high-quality images they can use immediately
This turns every release into a multi-pronged campaign instead of a one-and-done announcement.
And the beauty is… you can copy and paste this checklist for every beer you ever make.
