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Virginia Craft Brewers Guild Launches “VA Craft Brewer for a Day” Program

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Acacia serves as Brewers Guilds Manager on the Brewers Association Government Affairs team. Acacia's focus is on supporting organizational development of small non-profit U.S. state and regional brewers trade associations (also known as brewers guilds). Currently based out of Missoula, Montana, Acacia’s roles include crisscrossing the country participating in guild member and board meetings, climbing Capitol Hill, contributing to various national and international beer conferences, attending association management and regulatory conferences, and of course, reveling at beer festivals nation-wide.

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The Virginia Craft Brewers Guild (VCBG) recently rolled out their new VA Craft Brewer for a Day Grass Roots Advocacy Program.

The VCBG “VA Craft Brewer for a Day” Program is focused on getting Virginia congressional and state elected officials to VCBG member breweries for an educational experience. The goals of the program are to: 

  • Facilitate an understanding of the challenges and priorities of small, independent craft brewers 
  • Clarify our industry’s goals, interests, and economic impact to the community and Virginia
  • Build long-term relationships between craft brewers and a coalition of elected officials

A concept VCBG gleaned from the Brewers Association of Maryland’s similar program, VCBG created a comprehensive program guide, along with an invitation, that directs brewers through each step for hosting a very successful “VA Craft Brewer for a Day” event. This program guide helps breweries create a professional and rewarding experience for elected officials to better understand what it takes to be a craft brewer in Virginia. 

The VCBG is committed to advocating, educating, and promoting Virginia’s craft beer industry to all the state’s legislators and officials, and brewer participation in this program is very important to the VCBG mission.

“The Brewer for a Day program gave us the opportunity to meet with our delegate, Lashrecse Aird, and share with her some of our challenges and successes at Trapezium, as well as discuss legislative reforms that are important for craft beer.”

Emily Sanfratella, Trapezium Brewing Company

Recently, Trapezium Brewing Company hosted their county delegate, Lashrecse Aird (D-63) to brew for a day at their Petersburg, Virginia brewery. “The Brewer for a Day program gave us the opportunity to meet with our delegate, Lashrecse Aird, and share with her some of our challenges and successes at Trapezium, as well as discuss legislative reforms that are important for craft beer,” says Emily Sanfratella, vice president of operations at Trapezium. “We also introduced Del. Aird, a professed non-beer drinker, to sours – she’s a convert! We’re continuing our conversation with Del. Aird and her team about ways we can partner together and work towards policies that strengthen our industry.”

Please contact Betty Arnold, Virginia Craft Brewers Guild member services director, for more information!