Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant isn’t just rewarding customers for their loyalty this summer the brewpub chain is looking to reinforce a business model that blends that loyalty with repeat engagement and brand storytelling. Through a strategic giveaway campaign tied directly to its loyalty program, Iron Hill is showing others that they can use customer data and tiered rewards to drive not only sales, but deeper customer relationships.
Instead of launching a traditional promotional contest, Iron Hill has built its Beer Festival Sweepstakes exclusively around its loyalty members — with prizes ranging from a trip to Germany’s Oktoberfest to Great American Beer Festival (GABF) packages and gift cards. The campaign isn’t just about the prizes; it’s a business strategy anchored in incentivized repeat visits and tiered engagement that makes every pint pour more valuable. Here’s the gist from a release:
The once-in-a-lifetime grand prize is a trip for two to Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, including a five-night hotel stay, round-trip airfare, and $1,000 in spending cash. The grand prize is worth an approximate total value of $8,000. Additionally, five winners will be awarded trips for two to the prestigious GABF in Denver, Colorado. Second prize packages include three-day festival passes, a four-night hotel stay, round-trip airfare, and $500 in spending money, each valued at approximately $4,500. To round out the festivities, ten winners will also be randomly selected to receive $500 Iron Hill gift cards.
At the heart of the sweepstakes is Iron Hill’s dual-tier loyalty program: Iron Circle (free) and King of the Hill (a $20 one-time upgrade). Both tiers offer members ways to earn rewards, but King of the Hill members receive double the entries into the sweepstakes with each visit — a subtle but powerful way to upsell fans into a premium status while also rewarding the brand’s most engaged customers.
Each in-person visit to one of Iron Hill’s 19 locations serves as a sweepstakes entry, creating a system where more visits directly increase the chances of winning and it drives foot traffic and frequency throughout the summer. Customers aren’t just buying beer; they’re investing in a relationship with the brand.
Key Takeaways:
- Use Loyalty to Fuel Retention, Not Just Discounts: Many breweries treat loyalty programs as punch cards — transactional and forgettable. Iron Hill flips that by integrating aspirational rewards, including bucket-list trips and exclusive experiences. This transforms loyalty into something experiential, not just financial.
- Tiered Membership Adds Strategic Value: The addition of a premium loyalty level not only generates direct revenue from membership fees, but also strengthens the perceived value of the program. Breweries exploring this model should consider how to offer both accessible and elevated tiers to capture a wider base while creating aspirational benefits.
- Incentivize Visits, Not Just Purchases: Iron Hill awards sweepstakes entries for visits … regardless of how much a customer spends. This encourages low-barrier engagement while building habit and frequency. Breweries can take a page from this playbook by focusing on behavior (visits, check-ins, events) as much as dollars spent.
- Celebrate and Reward Your Community: By concluding the campaign with a live celebration and public prize announcement, Iron Hill turns the sweepstakes into a communal moment, reinforcing that customers aren’t just part of a program and they’re part of the brand’s story.
Mark Edelson, Founder and VP of Beer at Iron Hill (read our chat with him and other founders here), put it plainly: “Our fans are the heart of everything we do.” That mindset shows in how the brewery structures loyalty — not as a marketing gimmick, but as an integrated business strategy.
For other brewpubs looking to grow without chasing constant one-off releases, loyalty programs like Iron Hill’s offer a powerful, scalable option: turn your regulars into ambassadors, and your everyday pours into long-term value.
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