Key Takeaways on Brewery Events from Stone Brewing, Tripleseat and GoTab

Introducing Events at Stone Brewing

GoTab, Stone Brewing and Tripleseat join the Craft Beer Professionals for a deep dive on the best strategies for planning, executing, and monetizing event space at breweries large and small.

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We have about eight locations for Stone Brewing. We make around $30 million a year in sales. Our eight locations include four taprooms and two company stores that sell merchandise and beer. We also have two large format stores, one in Liberty Station and one in Escondido. Stone Brewing has been around for about 28 years. Out of the $30 million, we earn about $5 million from event sales each year, which is about 16%. In 2023, we hosted around 1,400 private events at our two large stores. We have been using Gotab for about five years and Tripleseat for about seven years.

Key Takeaways on Brewery Events from Stone Brewing

The important thing is that technology is here to stay. We should use technology to make life easier. This way, we can focus on what really matters, like impressing customers and putting on a great show. There is a lot of technology available to help with this. I really appreciate the flexibility that GoTab offers. It lets you change how you operate and manage different areas.

I believe we have a great opportunity here at Stone. We have large facilities, which many people do not have. It is important to look at what you can handle in your space. Consider hosting events as a way to attract new visitors. Adam mentioned this idea of bringing new eyes to your space. We often focus on programming like bands or food trucks. However, events can also bring new attention to your space. Using available technology can help you generate revenue. This is key to growing your business.

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Event Space Ideas for Small Taprooms

We are lucky to have large restaurants. Our Liberty Station location is about 55,000 square feet. We have around seven private event spaces. Because our restaurant is so big, we can welcome large walk-in groups. We call these non-events. These are for people who do not want to book a private event.

We can host groups of 50 people who come in without calling us. We have different spaces for events. These are not private events, but we can hold corn hole leagues, movie nights, and more at our Escondido location. We use our parking lot and restaurant for our anniversary celebrations each year. Our tap rooms are great for programming. We host private events and have musicians and trivia gaming leagues regularly.

We aim to attract visitors and encourage them to return weekly. We enjoy hosting ticketed events and welcoming those who aren't part of scheduled activities. However, our primary focus, as Sydney can elaborate on, is our private events, which are essential to our success.

Strategies for Generating More Event Revenue

I would say that about 10% of our non-event groups become actual events. They see the property and love the space. However, they want more full service, which means it will be a private event. We can guide them toward booking a private event.

Additionally, around 15 to 20% of our business comes from people who attended an event. They enjoyed it and wanted to book with us again. We also have about 15% of repeat clients who come back every year.

We have monthly groups that we work with. Many associations come for their monthly lunches or happy hours. There are lots of military events here. We are at Liberty Station, the old navy base. So, we host many military gatherings.

It's important to know the area well. We also focus on marketing. We work with destination management companies in San Diego. We partner with the San Diego tourism authority. Being part of these groups helps us attract business. These groups look for unique spaces. As a brewery, we offer a fun activity for corporate groups. They enjoy tasting experiences. They love having something engaging and educational to do.

Learning about beer and the brewing process is important for us. We know how beer is made and what is needed. People are always interested in this knowledge. A big part of our success is putting on a great show every time. If you impress everyone with your events, they will come back. Whether it's for a couple of beers at happy hour or dinner, people will say, "Let's go here after work." They might also book their own private event or attend one of our ticketed events.

As long as we put on a great show, we encourage our team to do their best. We remind them that they are performing for everyone. It doesn't matter what event people are attending. Even if they are just here to dine, we want to impress them. If we put on a great show, they will want to return and spend more money with us.

One thing to remember is how to use your space. If you have space that isn’t being used, consider hosting events. These could be beer dinners, tastings, or other gatherings. These events can help bring people in regularly. This way, you can create buzz and get the word out.

Benefits of Taking Deposits for Events

There is another part to consider: accounting. You need to track your deposits, not just sales. Make sure you handle any transfers correctly when applying those deposits. If your system can do this automatically, use that feature as much as you can. How much of this communication happens today? With direct access to TripleSeat, you might have insights. But how much is done digitally compared to face-to-face?

Whether it's face-to-face interactions, digital communications, or the ability to manage deposits from afar, what are your thoughts on these methods?

I always tell my customers something important. I work with new customers who are just starting with Triple Seat. This is a new experience for them. This is especially true for smaller breweries. For many, this is their first software. I stress the need to make things easier for customers. We live in a world where convenience matters. They should be able to enter their credit card information and sign their contract easily.

You will save a lot of time and effort. Instead of calling someone to ask for their credit card information, you can make it easier. Customers prefer a simple and quick way to fill out their information. They don’t want to search for it or make copies of checks. This is what clients expect now. The easier you make it for them, the easier it will be to collect payments. You won’t have to spend extra time chasing after payments.

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Benefits of GoTab and Tripleseat at Stone Brewing

Sydney, we talked about this a few days ago. You have used different platforms and services, like Triple Seat. You have been doing this for a while. I want to know what changes you have made. When did you decide to make these changes? Were they due to your own actions, needs, or trends from your clients? 

Our change has been very minimal, we did change from utilizing, i think when we first opened we were using excel documents to make - event orders and contracts and whatnot to gather. We turned over to Tripleseat about seven years ago.

TripleSeat has been a lifesaver for us. We handle many events here. Even smaller restaurants can benefit from it. If a restaurant manager is in charge, TripleSeat helps organize communication. You can manage all email discussions through it. It collects contracts and deposits easily. You can also add notes about each event. Plus, it blocks off different spaces. This way, you know what areas are still available for use.

Over the years, our pricing has changed due to the economy. Two years ago and even last year, we were firm on our minimum prices. We didn’t offer many discounts. However, as times have gotten tougher, we have allowed a bit more flexibility to attract groups. But when it comes to setup and execution, we have stayed true to our staffing methods.

By using GoTab for our non-events, we have reduced our staffing needs. The QR codes they provide allow customers to order and pay on their phones. This means we only need a bartender and a food runner. We no longer need a server for every table or group. This change has helped us save on labor costs.

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‍Why You Should Take Deposits vs Holding Space With a Credit Card

I think it's harder to say, "Hey, you are cancelling your event. I will charge your card." It's easier to say, "I already charged it. You are not getting a refund."

I believe taking a deposit upfront will help you secure the agreement. It encourages the customer to follow through.

I can say that we see this a lot. It is becoming more common to take deposits up front. Tripleseat just launched our own payment processor. This makes it easier for our customers to collect payments upfront. I used to work with Tripleseat before I joined the team. It changed our business in many ways.

Taking deposits upfront helps us work with people who are serious about booking their spaces. It adds security and ensures they won't back out on us. So, yes, it is important.

I highly recommend taking action. It puts you in a better position. Using a credit card upfront is better than doing nothing. You should not just hope they show up. I suggest taking a percentage, even if you are not charging for the space.

But you have a beverage minimum set up. Maybe they will pay 50% of that minimum you expect. So, that’s great!

Brewery Event Economics at Stone

You want to ensure that you are doing more than last year when you calculate costs. Sydney does a great job with that. The good thing about events is that you have fixed revenue. You know what you will earn, and you can plan based on that. In regular F&B, you always forecast what you might earn, but it is just a guess in the end.

Events have a fixed nature, which can lead to some extra sales from an open bar. This makes it easier to reach targets. As you mentioned, Adam, this usually results in a higher margin. The math is simpler to solve compared to a typical restaurant.

We enjoy days filled with many events. Last weekend, we had seven events on Friday. These days really boost our sales and lower our costs. We love private events because they have better profit margins. Sydney helps us with pricing and packaging. Our chefs ensure everything looks great. We work hard to keep costs down with different packages. Now, let’s talk about non-event days.

In our approach to non-events, we always focus on selling the event space first. We do not start with offering free space. Our main goal is to sell a private event. If that does not fit their needs, we then suggest a non-event.

Non-events usually bring in between $3,000 and $4,000. This amount is on the smaller side. Our private events have a food and beverage minimum that ranges from $1,300 to $6,500. This range depends on the designated spaces and does not include buyouts.

We look at the big picture. We consider the month, the quarter, and the year. We do not focus on day-to-day changes. Our revenue centers combine events and bistro sales. One day we might have a great event. The next day, there may be no events. However, everything balances out by the end of the month, quarter, and year.

We always look ahead when pricing our event spaces. Our motto is to keep prices reasonable. We have analyzed costs for different event spaces nearby. This includes not just other breweries, but also nearby restaurants and hotels. We know we are different, but we offer a unique space. We are as large as a hotel and bigger than some restaurants. This is important to consider.

Our tap rooms focus on a minimum drink cost per person. This helps cover expenses. Now, back to our location. For our private event spaces, we consider how many people the space can hold. We also look at our food costs. Can a group that size meet the minimum? If not, I might be pricing it too high. You never want to set a price that is too high to reach.

This location has been open for 11 years. I have been with the property for eight of those years. I have seen our space prices go up and down, but they mostly stay the same. At the end of each year, we check which spaces sold the most and which sold the least. We then decide if we need to lower or raise the prices. Also, don’t hesitate to offer a discount if many people are hesitant about the price.

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Analyzing Pricing for Private Events

These private events and these banquets can really be not only revenue generating in spaces that are maybe not being used for regular service, but also in addition to just being better margins in general compared to regular service.

I would suggest including various operations, as I’m certain that diverse individuals have different scale operations tuned into this discussion.

I think you are pointing out something important. For most operators, the food cost and labor cost are easier to see. However, if you do not keep separate inventory for events, it can be hard to track. For many operations, it may not be worth it to have completely different invoices.

You need to track inventory for events to get a clear picture. When you run multiple operations, like events and a bistro, they can mix together. This means your staff may work on regular service while also handling events. It’s important to know the theoretical food cost for these events as you sell them.

Every day, there is an opportunity cost to consider when setting prices. Dynamic pricing is a popular term in the industry. Event spaces have always faced this issue. You must think about the opportunity cost. This means considering what sales could have been on that day.

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A Few Words of Advice From Tripleseat on Booking Events 

Across the industry you guys work with obviously with Tripleseat and obviously from your experience as well have you seen different ways in which deposits, minimums etc are calculated or executed as well as I want to rewind a little bit and touch a little bit and talk about marketing your spaces. Being involved in different areas and what have you.

Any other insights you have in these areas would be very helpful. I think it is important to keep costs low. You want people to come in and enjoy drinks. It is key to make sure they are serious about your space. You should also make things predictable. This means covering some labor costs but keeping them minimal.

If you run a brewery without food, consider a drink minimum. This helps customers know how much they should order. It sets clear expectations for their visit. This is important for brewery events. Many places follow this standard setup.

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Tips for Small Breweries with Limited Event Space

If you don't have a special event space, how can you make a few tables work for private events?

Sometimes, a company just wants to hold a happy hour. You might have a couple of tables set aside. You can dress them up with linens or other decorations.

It's all about being creative with the space you have. You could also use dividers. This may sound simple, but it can create a little privacy for these groups. That’s often all they need.

Another important thing is to say yes. Let people come into your brewery and see the space. If someone wants to plan a private event, meet with them. Show them around and discuss their ideas. Be open to anyone who walks through your door. If they have an idea, work with them to make it happen.

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Creative Strategies to Drive More Brewery Event Reservations

It's great to see the growler idea is working. We did something similar when they built apartments near the beer garden where I worked. We donated growlers to every new apartment. If you rented an apartment, you received a growler. This helped create a connection to the space. You could even look out your window and see the beer garden. It was all about getting everyone involved.

You have a team, and they support your work. Use their help too. At one job, we offered referral bonuses to staff. If they booked a party, our banquet coordinator would handle the details and pricing. Then, we would give them a referral bonus.

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Event Space Ideas for Small Taprooms

We are lucky to have space here and at our Bistro. However, our four tap rooms are much smaller. They do not have the same space. They do have a very small garden.

Our tap room managers are very good at keeping the place open. They can handle big groups well. For example, I have a group of 30 people. They will take a part of the garden and section it off with stanchions.

We do what we need to do. We know that person can take that spot in a private or semi-private setting for a few hours. We are still open to the regular public too. They are great at using every space. Our goal is to maximize what we have. Saying no has been a big focus for us. This change started when Greg and I began six years ago. Our team used to say no often, but now they do not. We will take any opportunity we can get.

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Event Ideas for Marketing Breweries

We split our events into anniversary-style festivals. We used to have a DRK event for dark beer. It was a ticketed event. We also had Sourfest and other events. We featured Boot Stout and Comic Con. Our anniversary event is another important occasion.

Honestly, we did not make money on our anniversary event. It is just a celebration of Stone. We have been doing it every year for so long. If we stopped, people would not be happy. So, it is mainly a marketing event for us. It’s a fun way to bring everyone together. We have volunteers from our company help with the event. It’s a really fun day for the team. They are not working, but they are pouring beer in the parking lot. They enjoy great music and all the cool event spaces we have. So, this event is definitely more about marketing.

You know, hey, come, come enjoy and celebrate with us.

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Handling Overflow Crowds at Brewery Spaces

There are many times when we are fully booked at Liberty Station. Even with all our space, we need to fit in more groups. To do this, I have started to section off areas. As Casey mentioned, we use stanchions and hedge walls. This helps create different parts of the garden for people to use.

I can arrange buyouts of the whole restaurant. I have groups that will book different sections for various dinners. Each group represents a different department of their company. In the end, everyone comes together in the entire bistro.

We are lucky to have the north promenade behind our location. When we have large groups that don't fit on our property, we use that area. We fence off the grass there. This is where we hold our big festivals and events. We can fit up to 4,000 people in that lawn. It’s a nice little park.

We have gotten creative because we are a brewery. We do not have a hard liquor license. We use a space that is not ours as a speakeasy. If you look down there, you will see a giant tree. That tree marks our actual space.

We built stairs that go over the hedges into the lawn. We also bring in an outside cocktail vendor. People can enjoy their cocktails and then come back to our side for beer. This way, everything stays above board. We get creative with our events. Some groups come in and say they want to make sushi at our property.

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How Stone Brewing Drives More Event Reservations

We also encourage all our location managers to join the chamber of commerce. They should attend local events and connect with hotel concierges. Invite them for a free meal to show them your spaces. This way, when they recommend places, they can mention you. For example, they might say, "Stone Brewing is a great spot for dinner." You don’t have to pitch for events right away, but we hope it leads to that. We encourage all our teams to participate.

One location reached out to the apartment buildings nearby. They told the Airbnb hosts about a special offer. Guests can get their growlers filled for free. This way, the next Airbnb guests will have beer from Stone Brewing waiting for them. We focus on ideas like this to connect with the community outside our walls.

Get out there and market yourselves. Let people know where we are. We are all in this together. Let's try everything we can to promote ourselves. Be creative about it! Our team has come up with some great ideas.

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Maximizing Revenue for Impromptu Large Parties (Non-Events)

Non-events mean you don’t want to book an event space. That’s okay! We have our bocce courtyard available. Yes, we can take your group of 50 tomorrow.

We will not have staff for this. We explain that we have GoTab. You can order everything using the QR code. As long as we are clear about this for larger events, most people are fine with it.

They understand that we receive the venue at no cost. Essentially, you'll be using GoTab to place your orders. We also host a regular group that visits monthly, consisting of around 200 individuals. While this isn't classified as a formal event, we provide them with a designated area to socialize, and they can order by scanning the QR code.

We bring out the food and drinks they ordered, and it works well for us. I believe it’s important to use our space wisely. We always ask ourselves, what can we do with it? Our goal is to say yes and maximize our revenue as much as possible.

Why You Should Take Deposits vs Holding Space with a Credit Card

We recommend customers require a deposit of about 50% upfront to ensure the guest is serious. We find that customers who take deposits are more successful. They are less likely to have guests back out than those who just keep a credit card on file.

It's important to have boundaries. This helps you know if a customer is serious about taking the space. As you get busier, especially during peak months, you want to avoid last-minute cancellations. If someone cancels, you lose out on revenue. You could have sold that space to someone else.

Taking that deposit is very important. We see this trend with our most successful customers, especially in the brewery space.

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Tips for Handling Brewery Buyouts

Buyouts begin with the price. If we buy out our whole restaurant, it must be practical for us. We need to make up for the sales we will lose. I also consider the customers we might upset. They may not want to come back.

I add a little extra to balance that, but we always focus on guest recovery. When we have buyouts, we have someone at the front door. This person helps any guests who didn’t know we are closed.

We always try to post on our social media about our closures. We update our website too. Changing our Google listing is harder, so we often skip that. Some people still come in or don’t check online before arriving. To help upset guests, we have someone at the front door with gift cards. We give these to guests and let them know we will be back open tomorrow.

We always try to do our best based on the buyout and setup needed. Every client is different. We work hard to keep our doors open until we must close for the event. Most of our events last three to four hours. So, we don’t need to close all day. We can stay open for lunch and then close for dinner.

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