{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"A CBC Primer with Brewers Association CEO Bart Watson","description":" Brewers Association president and CEO Bart Watson believes the Craft Brewers Conference works best when it\u2019s \u201cthe big-tent event that everybody is coming to and connecting with.\u201d   On the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, Watson explained that he views the largest annual gathering of craft brewers (April 20-22 in Philadelphia) in four buckets: Commerce via the BrewExpo trade show, where brewers connect with suppliers and learn about trends; Education, with a host of new voices on the speaker roster this year; Networking, with a more intentional approach and dedicated sessions; And fun.  \u201cCBC should be that week where you do all four of those things,\u201d he said. \u201cBut you come back recharged, energized with new ideas, new energy.\u201d   The BA\u2019s membership base is primarily made up of brewpubs and taprooms, making hospitality and customer traffic \u201cthe thing that makes or breaks their businesses,\u201d he explained.    \u201cCraft is gonna win or lose with people wanting to come into breweries and then having a great experience or not having a great experience,\u201d Watson continued.    As such, hospitality will be a key theme of this year\u2019s event, and the BA has tapped restaurateur Will Guidara, author of Unreasonable Hospitality, to give the event\u2019s opening keynote speech.   \u201cHe\u2019s like a hospitality business \u2018Ted Lasso,\u2019\u201d Watson said. \u201cHe really brings a spirit and a positivity that is going to be welcomed in craft right now as people try to lean in, do better, grow in what\u2019s a challenging time but one where many people are still finding opportunities to thrive.\u201d   Watson offered more insights in the interview, including the state of the industry.    Before the interview, Jess and Justin recap a wild week of M&A, including Molson Coors finally nabbing its spirts-based RTD in Monaco\/Atomic Brands and a flurry of big distributor consolidations with Southern Glazer\u2019s Wine & Spirits, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Reyes Beverage Group and Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC). ","author_name":"Brewbound Podcast","author_url":"http:\/\/brewbound.libsyn.com\/website","html":"