Start your engines — it’s almost time for the biggest event in craft brewing! From April 28 to May 1, 2025, the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America® roars into action, bringing together thousands of beverage alcohol professionals from across the country. As America’s largest gathering for the craft beverage industry, this is where ideas flow, collaborations spark, and the future of craft is brewed. Check out four reasons to visit Briess, and we’ll see you in Indy!

1. SCORE BRIESS MERCH AT THE WELCOME RECEPTION

Let’s shoot things off in style — and we mean literally — at the Welcome Reception inside Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday, April 28th! Snap those selfies with the iconic football field behind you, then head over to shoot some hoops at the Briess tent.🏀

But don’t just play for bragging rights — play for swag. The prizes are almost as sweet as our malt. We’re talkin’ your favorite socks, new hats and Briess stickers, t-shirts and yes… Malted. Milk. Balls. (Don’t worry, we brought plenty.)

And hold onto your pint glasses because it gets even better — everyone who stops over can enter to win an entire PALLET of Briess Malt. That’s right. A whole. Dang. Pallet. If that’s not worth a visit, we don’t know what is. But…we have more…a few tastings of delicious craft brew from our Indy friends and industry partners:

  • Terre Haute: “Ten Gallon Hat” – a Mexican Lager featuring Brewers Malt at 4.5% ABV
  • Upland Brewery: “Champagne Velvet” – a Pilsener featuring Pilsen, Flaked Corn, and Carapils®, at 5.5% ABV

2. ROAD TRIP COLLABS

Our Division Managers Mike Killelea and Mike Illig recently hit the road — and trust us, it wasn’t just for the free beer (well, maybe a little). They teamed up with some awesome customers for a series of tasty collabs that put a few of our new malts in the spotlight: Lighthouse™ Munich and Crystal Red®, along with a customer-favorite, MaltGems®.

🍺 Boston Beer Company – Boston, MA

Say hello to “Mike’s ALT’r Ego” — a crushable 4.5% ABV Altbier that’s as smooth as it is bold. This brew features our brand-new Lighthouse™ Munich paired perfectly with Pilsen, Ashburne® Mild, and Caramel Malt 60L. Add in some Magnum and Nugget hops, and you’ve got a beer with balance, character, and a gorgeous SRM of 60.

🔴 Foam Brewers – Burlington, Vermont

Brace yourself for a blast of color and flavor with “Color Out of Space” — a returning Red IPA that makes our Crystal Red® Malt the star of the show. Originally brewed last year, it’s coming to CBC to show off the reddest, roaster-produced malt in the market.

Briess Division Manager Mike Killelea going back to his brewing roots.

🎵 MadTree Brewing – Cincinnati, Ohio

“99 Problems, But a Husk Ain’t One” — Can you take a stab at which malt this features? This beautifully clean and balanced Helles is brewed with our Synergy Select Pilsen MaltGems®, custom-milled to remove most of the husk (and all of the bitterness and astringency that come with it). What you’re left with? A malt that lauters like a dream and delivers a sweet, well-rounded sip every time.

Want to taste them yourself? Just one more reason to find us at CBC’s BrewExpo! Stay tuned for the sips, stories, and maybe a few behind-the-scenes shenanigans from these road trip brews.

3. 14 DIFFERENT BEERS YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS

And now, for the main event: we’re bringing along 14 different beers for you to taste over the span of the three-day event. Altbiers, Ambers, Barleywines, Bourbon-Barrel-Aged Stouts, Gluten-free, IPAs, Lagers, Non-alcoholic, Pale Ales, Pilsens…something for everyone!

4. HAVE A TASTE OF BRIESS’ PILOT BREWERY

The one-barrel pilot brewing system at Briess’ HQ in Chilton, WI, plays an integral role in our R&D and Quality Control programs, but don’t let our small-scale brew system fool you. It’s completely automated, allowing us to perform mashing from single or step infusion to the complicated decoction method, and we can easily replicate larger commercial-scale breweries.

We’re bringing two pilot brews to the floor at BrewExpo, crafted with love (and science) by two of our Technical Services Team Members and featuring our newly rolled out Lighthouse™ Munich Malt.

Whether you come for the malt knowledge, the flavor exploration, or just a good excuse to sample something new, these brews are a must-try.

  1.  “Breakwater Briezz” – a Lager at 5.7% ABV made with Magnun and Mittelfruh hops and German Lager yeast.
  2. “Lighthouse Keeper” – a Pale Ale at 6% ABV made with Cascade and Centennial hops and WYEAST 1056.
Pale Ale featuring Lighthouse™ Munich Malt.

Whether you’re a seasoned brewer, a curious craft fan, or just here for the socks and Malted Milk Balls (hey, we don’t blame you), the Craft Brewers Conference is the place to be — and we can’t wait to see you there.