How to Scale Events That Pour Profits: Key Insights from Other Half Brewing & Tripleseat

The brewery industry has always been rooted in community, connection, and celebration—which makes events one of the most natural (and profitable) extensions of a taproom business. But running an events program that actually scales is a very different challenge.

During our recent webinar with Joy Reichenbach from Other Half Brewing and Tripleseat, we dug into exactly how successful multi-location breweries are building, pricing, and operationalizing their events programs and the technology that makes it all possible.

Whether you’re hosting a few reservations a month or running dozens of events across multiple taprooms, these insights will help you design an event strategy that’s both profitable and operationally smooth. And the lessons apply whether you’re a brewery, a restaurant, or an eatertainment venue. 

Why Events Are the Fastest Path to Higher Profits

Events are one of the most direct and dependable revenue engines in a modern brewery. They create meaningful, high-margin opportunities during both peak and off-peak hours, bringing in new guests who may not yet know your brand. They turn milestone moments like birthdays, engagements, and corporate celebrations into long-term loyalty, all while maximizing underused taproom space. Most importantly, events deepen community connection in a way that feels authentic to what breweries do best: creating spaces where people gather, celebrate, and come back again and again.

But as breweries expand to multiple locations, or add full-service kitchens, the operational complexity increases dramatically. Without the right systems, it’s easy for event inquiries, contracts, deposits, and on-site execution to become fragmented. That’s where modernized workflows and connected technology are transforming how breweries operate.

How Other Half Built a Scalable, Multi-Location Events Program

Other Half began like many breweries: events were organic. Guests emailed asking about birthday parties, engagements, or tour groups. Space was limited, and early contracts lived in Word documents with manual math and one-off pricing. Fast forward to today, and they’re operating eight locations across New York, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia, each with different footprints, guest expectations, and event opportunities.

Following is how they evolved their events program into a high-performing part of their business.

They Started with What Guests Are Already Asking For

The earliest signs that you’re ready to grow events usually show up as inbox overload. “Can we reserve tables for 20–30 people?”; “Do you host corporate happy hours?”; “Do you have packages for wedding after-parties or engagement celebrations?”. Instead of reinventing offerings location by location, Other Half began standardizing:

• Minimum spend reservations for small groups
• Open bar packages for larger, high-demand periods
• Venue-specific formats (e.g., weddings at their scenic Finger Lakes locations, corporate events at midtown taprooms, tour bus groups at suburban breweries)

By starting with demand instead of assumptions, they created offerings that matched real guest behavior.

They Standardized the Workflow to Reduce Staff Lift

Before adopting Tripleseat, managing events meant juggling disconnected tools and processes. Details lived in long email threads, contracts were built manually in Word documents, pricing was calculated in spreadsheets, and follow-ups relied on individual reminders. Every inquiry required custom pricing and ad-hoc coordination, making the entire workflow time-consuming and inconsistent across locations.

Tripleseat's event management platform enabled the team to:

• Standardize contract templates
• Track leads, conversions, and follow-ups
• Store all communication and event details in one place
• Give managers visibility when covering PTO or multi-location oversight
• Build consistent offerings while allowing location-level customization

Standardization didn’t reduce flexibility—it simply removed the chaos.

They Used the GoTab + Tripleseat Integration to Bridge Planning and On-Site Execution

The game changer for Other Half was connecting Tripleeat (for planning) with GoTab (for on-site operations). When an event is contracted:

• All line items—from open bar packages to catering—flow directly into GoTab
• Deposits sync automatically
• Inventory depletes correctly as orders are placed
• Event spend updates in real time
• Staff no longer re-enter pricing or guess how to split charges
• Guests see a final bill that mirrors the contract exactly

For breweries offering both bar packages and à la carte ordering, this integration keeps everything clean, both operationally and financially.

They Price Events Based on True Opportunity Cost

One of the biggest challenges in brewery events is setting profitable pricing without alienating guests. Other Half uses a smart, simple formula:

1. Minimum Spend for Partial Use of Space: Perfect for 20–30 person groups. Ensures event guests aren’t occupying high-value tables without contributing to revenue.
2. Open Bar Packages for Peak Hours For Saturday 12–3pm events: prime time for breweries—open bar packages ensure revenue stays strong.
3. Space Fees for Full Buyouts: Calculated by reviewing what that taproom typically earns on that day of week and month (e.g., the average of the past four Saturdays in August). If food and beverage packages don’t add up to that amount, the remaining value becomes a “space fee.”

Following these steps will ensure your events never cannibalize regular taproom business.

They Add Experiences That Increase Event Value

Other Half has expanded far beyond basic reservations by offering a range of memorable add-ons that elevate the guest experience. Depending on the location, visitors can book brewery tours, guided tastings, or curated flight experiences. For groups looking for something more interactive, the team partners with local creators to host candle-making workshops, tie-dye sessions, and even yoga in the taproom. At select locations, fire pit s’mores kits add a cozy, seasonal touch that guests love. Together, these add-ons transform standard gatherings into unique, high-value experiences that deepen brand connection and boost event revenue. If it’s something they already offer the public, it can usually work beautifully as a private event upsell.

They Run Events and Regular Service Simultaneously (Without Chaos)

Large taprooms often need to run events directly within their main guest spaces, and Other Half has found two effective ways to manage this without disrupting regular service. For a simple, low-tech solution, they use wristbands to quickly identify event attendees. This is a straightforward method that works well for smaller or more casual gatherings. While not currently using this method, for a more seamless, scalable experience, they can turn to GoTab’s RFID wristbands and cards. Guests can tap to order at the bar or designated stations, eliminating the need for a dedicated server while ensuring every purchase is automatically tied to the event tab.

This approach shines during large events, multi-zone layouts, or high-volume weekends when staff bandwidth is stretched. The result is smoother service, faster ordering, and consistently higher per-guest spend without adding operational strain.

They Keep Accounting Clean and Centralized

One of the biggest wins for the finance team comes from finally recognizing event revenue on the date the event actually happens, not when deposits trickle in weeks or months beforehand. With GoTab, all of the financial pieces fall into place automatically. Deposits sync directly into the system, final bills reflect what guests truly consumed, and event revenue is cleanly separated from standard taproom sales. Finance teams gain a single source of truth, eliminating the manual reconciliation that typically happens between two or more systems. For breweries running a steady stream of events, this removes one of the most persistent and costly pain points in event accounting.

They Know When to Say No (or Not Right Now)

Not every event is the right fit, and the most successful breweries know when to draw the line. They evaluate each request through the lens of their space, staffing capacity, guest expectations, peak business hours, and the unique realities of each taproom. In many cases, an event might work beautifully during an off-peak window, in a different location, or with a modified format—such as keeping to-go sales open during a partial buyout. Protecting both the guest experience and the staff experience is essential to running an event program that stays healthy, sustainable, and profitable over time.

They Look Ahead for Emerging Trends and Tech Advancements

The webinar also highlighted several emerging trends reshaping how breweries approach events. Soon, GoTab will introduce enforced minimums directly within the system, making it easier for teams to manage event profitability without manual oversight. Dedicated order kiosks placed inside private events are driving higher spend, while RFID-enabled experiences are becoming a natural fit for large groups and multi-zone taprooms. As breweries grow into multi-unit operations, streamlined, standardized workflows are becoming essential, and more taprooms are evolving into hybrid event venues with flexible staffing models to match.

Breweries that embrace these technologies and operational shifts now will be better positioned to book more events without adding strain to their teams or compromising the guest experience.

Events are one of the most sustainable growth engines in craft beer. They’re not just add-ons. They’re strategic revenue channels. Breweries that standardize offerings, streamline operations, and connect planning to real-time execution see:

• Higher margins
• Smoother staff workflows
• Better guest experiences
• Cleaner accounting
• More repeat event business
  

With the combined strengths of Tripleseat for planning and GoTab for execution, breweries can turn events into one of the most impactful (and enjoyable) parts of their business. Interested in the full webinar? View the on demand webinar today.