This is a part of a continuing series of Q&As with members of the brewing community from across the US. Brewer Magazine will share business and personal insights from Brewmasters, Head Brewers, Brewing Managers, Sales Directors, QCQA Managers and others each weekend to help you get to know each other better in the industry and learn more to better develop your own brand.
John Warren, Brand Manager, Pedal Haus Brewery — Phoenix, Arizona
BREWER: How have recent challenges in your position helped make you better? What were those “pain points” and how did you solve or adjust to the issue?
WARREN: A recent challenge has been establishing new brand guidelines and implementing them throughout all aspects of the company, as we work to complete a slight rebranding. Brand consistency and cohesiveness is extremely important to consumers and any deviation as you rollout new standards through a rebrand can be confusing to consumers and ultimately turn them away. To ensure we had a rollout plan in place we worked together with teams to develop comprehensive brand identity guidelines that outline key elements of the Pedal Haus brand such as logo usage, character and messaging, colors and textures, and labels and packaging. My job has been to ensure we have a cohesive rollout of these guidelines and that they are practiced properly, company-wide.
BREWER: What has been your brewery’s most recent accomplishment and how is it going to improve your business going forward?
WARREN: Our most recent accomplishment has been securing a distribution partnership, which has significantly helped with expanding our reach and brand visibility across the state. Up to this point, we have been self-distributed with a small internal team. This has proved to be challenging when trying to reach other markets outside the greater Phoenix area. Up to this point, Pedal Haus beers have been difficult to find in other regions of the state with our small team, and this new distribution partnership allows us to reach markets we’ve never sold in before and introduce ourselves to consumers who may not have been familiar with our brand.
BREWER: How did you start in the industry and why do you still want to be a part of it?
WARREN: I entered the industry by combining my love for craft beer with my marketing background. My love for craft beer really started during my college years in Northern Arizona. I was very drawn to craft beer’s complexity and the industry’s “labor of love” approach to things. My professional career began in music promotion and marketing for various artists, promoters, and venues in Northern Arizona. Soon after I moved to Phoenix with the hopes of transitioning from the music industry to the craft beer industry and I was driven to do so by the creation of unforgettable experiences and a welcoming community. What gets me excited about the industry still today is the possibility for endless innovation as well as making meaningful connections with consumers and the craft beer community. All challenges aside, the opportunity to engage with consumers, create experiences for beer lovers, and educate consumers on craft beer community’s “labor of love” keeps me motivated and excited for the future.
BREWER: What are you sippin’ on right now from your brewery that you really enjoy?
WARREN: Currently, I’m really stoked about our Tour De Fleur Saison, which is a part of our rotating experimental series. The beer offers some incredible fruity, citrus, bubblegum, spicy, and earthy notes from the yeast. It has a low bitterness and hop character, a dry mouthfeel, lower alcohol at 5%, and higher carbonation. It all makes for a super crisp, refreshing and easy to drink beer, which I seek out as we approach the summer months, and the temperature starts to kick up in the Arizona desert. Our brew team crushed it! I’m also a bit partial to the beer because it’s a part of our new rotating experimental series. In the past we’ve typically ran with around 11 core beers and maybe had 7-8 new releases (typically seasonals) throughout the year. This year-round series has allowed our brewers to jump outside the box a bit and play with new recipes and has left us with an average of one beer release every two weeks. It has been an exciting project for myself as it allows my colleagues and myself to test new marketing strategies and find engaging ways to promote each beer and keep things fresh.
BREWER: Be it in styles, ingredients, business strategies or sales & marketing techniques, what are some recent industry trends that you’ve tried or are excited about trying this year?
WARREN: Sustainability is increasingly becoming a major driver of innovation in beer packaging, and branding. We see breweries across the country and especially throughout the state of Arizona, using organic ingredients and eco-friendly practices to brew their beer and grow their brand. It’s obviously something consumers are paying more attention to, and it gets me really excited! I’d love to use this year to continue to push our brewery forward in sustainable practices where it makes sense for our brand.
BREWER: What are some adaptations to business practices in the industry that you’ve observed over these past few years, and how has your brewery adjusted to stay competitive?
WARREN: In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in consumer behavior towards seeking more personalized and consistent experiences with a brand, especially in the craft beer industry. One adaptation that I have noticed many breweries embracing is subscription-based beer club programs to help cater to this. Our team has started working on a similar program to ensure we stay ahead of the curve and bring Pedal Haus customers a new way to interact with the brand. These programs will offer a ton of potential benefits to both our brewery and the customer, all while strengthening brand loyalty. For customers, it will provide a convenient way to access information about upcoming releases and events, company updates, and learn more about all of those items in a more interactive way. What excites me the most is the ability to offer exclusive releases, discounts, and special events to subscription holders. It creates a community of fellow beer and Pedal Haus enthusiasts all while strengthening their loyalty to the brand. On the business side, it establishes a predictable revenue stream, enhances customer retention, and provides valuable insights into consumer preferences through feedback and purchasing patterns. All of this is while we are working to introduce our own subscription-based beer club program and loyalty program, which will be tailored to Pedal Hauss’ most loyal customers. We hope it will not only strengthen our connection with existing customers but also attract new ones who are looking for more out of their Pedal Haus experience.
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