Yankee Brew News Archive

Craft Brewers Conference Draws 3,000 to Boston

Originally Published: 08/96

By: Kerry J. Byrneand Brett Peruzzi

In 1985 Boston played host to the American Microbrewers Conference, sponsored by the embryonic Institute of Brewing Studies. A crowd of about 250 attended to learn more about the 14 exhibitors with wares on display.

The event, newly renamed the National Craft-brewers Conference and Trade Show, returned to Boston this year, and, my, how things have changed. Over 3,000 people were at the Hynes Convention Center from April 27-30 this year to learn more about what the 180 to 190 industry exhibitors on hand had to offer, and attend a variety of talks by craft brewing luminaries.

For four days, Boston was the place to be for U.S. craft brewers. Brewers, aspiring brewers, suppliers, and of course beer journalists, including many New Englanders, made the Hub the site of their annual harmonic convergence.

Sharing the spotlight with internationally known beer personalities Charlie Papazian and Michael Jackson was Maine's David Geary. Each gave a keynote address on different days of the conference, with the theme "Charting the Course". Recognizing Geary's decade-long involvement in the industry as one of New England's first modern-day craft brewers, his address was aptly titled "The Pioneer."

New England brewers were well-represented overall on the speakers' roster. Jim Koch of Boston Beer, Tim Morse of John Harvard's, Phil Bannatyne of Cambridge Brewing, Greg Noonan of the Vermont Pub and Brewery, Ed Stebbins from Gritty McDuff's, Rich Doyle from Harpoon, Peter Egleston of the Smuttynose/Portsmouth/Northampton breweries, and Boston area BOP owner Dave Ruggiero all had turns at the podium to share their perspectives and insight on a variety of industry topics.

Perhaps the most talked-about topic that emerged from the conference was the oft-repeated question of what a craft brewer is, since many of the original brewers have outgrown the microbrewery label in terms of barrels produced annually. The contract brewer vs. brewery owner issue continuesto invoke the ire of some purists, as does the recent megabrewer phenomenon of opening subsidiary "craft" breweries under different names.

One solution proposed by speakers from the Mid-Atlantic and California Small Brewers Associations would be to establish a certification program for craft brewers, with those that pass muster being allowed to display a seal of approval of sorts on their labels. Some craft brewers being anarchistic sorts at heart, this proposal was met with less than unanimous enthusiasm.

Between conference events brewers from around that nation got a chance to see many of the outstanding brewpubs and breweries in Boston and throughout New England. Every brewpub and good beer bar in the city greeted the mass of attendees, who flocked there after each day's conference events to meet, talk, and of course drink good beer.

The reason for picking Boston to host the conference was simple, Institure of Brewing Studies administrator Jim Neighbors said.

"Obviously Boston has turned itself into one of the most exciting spots in the nation for the craft brewing industry," he said. "It holds some of the longest standing brewpubs and breweries in country and is also at the forefront of the latest round of industry growth."

In the early days, the Microbrewers Conference was held in conjunction with the Great American Beer Festival and the Association of Homebrewers national conference. The three are now separate entities.

Just two years ago, the Microbrewers Conference in Portland, Oregon drew but 54 exhibitors. Last year 1,900 attendees and 110 exhibitors were in Austin, Texas for the conference.

"It's yet another manifestation of the tremendous growth of industry that over 140 exhibitors have already signed up for next year's conference in Seattle," said Neighbors. "We estimate all exhibition space will be sold out as it was in Boston."

The industry's growth even prompted the name change from Microbrewers Conference to Craft-brewers Conference.

"Because of both the growth and developing character of the industry we wanted to have a name that would provide more of an umbrella for the many different facets of the industry," said Neighbors.