What happens for breweries if pubs dissapear?

I know it has been a funny old year so far.

At one point it felt like nothing but doom and gloom for pubs, and I can completely understand why that caused a fair bit of anxiety across the brewing world.

But as things begin to stabilise, there is a really important lesson to take from this.

Do not put all your eggs in one basket.

The idea that some breweries might be sat there right now, wringing their hands and thinking “They’re taking away our pubs, where will we sell our beer?” is… concerning.

Yes, pubs are vital.

Yes, they are a brilliant route to market.

But they are one route. Not the only one.

Moments like this are the perfect time to zoom out and look properly at your market strategy and ask yourself one very honest question:

How else does our beer get into people’s hands?

A few things worth thinking about:

Direct to consumer:

Is your website actually set up to sell beer easily?
Is it clear that people can buy from you online?
Could a small tweak or refresh make a big difference here?

Independent bottle shops and retailers:

If pubs are tricky, are there more local bottle shops you could be speaking to?
Farm shops, tourist hotspots that champion local produce?

Your taproom:

Is this the moment to double down on it?
Can you make it more inviting, more of a destination, more of a reason for people to come to you?

Local delivery:

Something as simple as free delivery within a certain radius can be hugely powerful.
This can be promoted through your email list, socials, and website with very little setup.

The point is this:

There are so many ways for breweries to get great beer out into the world.

So take a moment.

Step back.

And ask yourself:

If the worst really did happen and pubs disappeared tomorrow, how would our beer still reach people and keep them just as happy as it does now?

If you can answer that confidently, you are in a strong position.

And if you cannot… well, you know where I am.