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The Virginia Craft Newsmaster
October 2021
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Dear VCBG Members,
Our 10th year is winding down, but we have committee meetings and the finalization of our 2022 legislative agenda to complete in the coming month. Of course, unless you have been trapped in a keg for the last six months, you know we also have the Statewide Office and House of Delegates elections on November 2. All of these activities need your active involvement.
Please read the rest of this issue for the meeting dates for the VCBG Government Affairs Committee, Tourism & Marketing Committee, Quality & Operations Committee, and Farm Brewery Committee. If you are interested in joining one of these committees, please contact Kaitlyn Crow, VCBG Communications and Marketing Manager.
This year's election is critical and many House of Delegates and Statewide Office races may be determined by literally hundreds of votes. An election two years ago literally resulted in a tie-vote where the two candidates drew names from a bowl! You and your network of professionals and employees can make a difference. We encourage all members to hold candidates and incumbents accountable for supporting issues critical to the craft beer industry and small business in general.
Early voting ends at 5PM tomorrow, and election day is November 2. Go here for more information on voting and candidates, and here for information on money in politics.
Let's get engaged, get motivated, and get out the vote!
Cheers!
Brett
Brett A. Vassey
VCBG President & CEO
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Government Affairs News
Legislative & ABC Brewery Issues
Virginia COVID-19 FPS §16VAC25-220 and Federal OSHA COVID-19 ETS Update:
Please review our Bulletin & Alert for a full explanation of the changes to the Virginia COVID-19 Final Permanent Standard, as well as the new US OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard, mandating vaccinations for businesses with over 100 employees.
OSHA submitted its draft Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) Vaccine Mandate to the federal Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) on October 12, 2021. OIRA is currently holding stakeholder meetings, which can be tracked here. Once the OIRA’s review is complete, the ETS would be published in the Federal Register and the Board would have to consider adoption within 30 days.
Virginia ABC Licensing "VAL" Software Application
Representatives from the Virginia ABC joined members for a virtual workshop on how to operate their new licensing software, known as "VAL," which will launch in January 2022. To view a recording of the workshop, follow this link: https://youtu.be/s-VRVuRS-Hc
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Upcoming Committee Meeting: November 4 | 11:30AM - 1PM | Virtual
During the Government & Affairs Committee Meeting, we will discuss 2022 legislation, including a tied house statutory change, farm brewery usage of Virginia Winery Distribution Company (VWDC), and CBD oil additives in beer. We will also discuss state regulatory priorities, such as distributor performance and ABC licensing reform, and federal priorities including the Brewer Association's comments on competition in the marketplace.
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Tourism & Marketing News
Events and Activities
The VCBG is planning next year's tourism & marketing schedule, to be discussed at November's Tourism & Marketing Committee meeting. We're excited to come into 2022 with a full line-up of craft beer events and opportunities for members to reach a new audience of beer drinkers.
Virginia Craft Beer Cup Gala & 10th Anniversary Celebration Video
The Virginia Craft Beer Cup Awards Gala, Trade Show & 10th Anniversary Celebration took place on August 16th from 5PM-9PM at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery - West Creek. We were excited to award this year's medals and celebrate Fair Winds Brewing Company, 2021 Best in Show Winner for their Quayside Kölsch. Check out the video below to see the excitement of the Gala. Do you see your brewery's logo highlighted in the video?
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Upcoming Tourism & Marketing Committee Meeting:
November 15 | 1PM - 2PM | Virtual
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Quality & Operations News
Improving Craft Beer Quality, Training, and Best Practice Sharing
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Celebrating Bill Spence, new Quality & Operations Committee Co-chair!
Bill Spence, President of St. George Brewing Company, joins Hardywood's Kate Lee as a Co-chair of the Quality & Operations Committee. "Slaying Ordinary Beer Since 1998," St. George Brewing Company is a VCBG Founder and one of the oldest microbreweries in Virginia. We're excited to have Bill's leadership and expertise on this committee. Welcome, Bill!
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Virginia Craft Brewers Guild Quality & Safety Certification
The Virginia Craft Brewers Guild Quality and Safety Certification (VCBGQSC) addresses the need for quality and safety training in the craft brewing industry. This online multi-media training and assessment focuses on requirements needed to ensure a safe working environment, and an understanding of the required quality and tasks needed in a brewery to meet Good Manufacturing Practices for Craft Brewers (GMPCBs).
NEW: Combustible Dust Course
Many employees do not realize the dangers of combustible dust, which can, under certain conditions, lead to a deadly fire or explosion. We've added Safety Matters: Combustible Dust as an add-on to the VCBGQSC to alert your employees to these hazards and help prevent dust explosions. Citing examples and applications of combustible dust, the program helps:
- Identify where combustible dust can be found
- Understand and prevent dust explosions
- Recognize the value of hazard assessments
- Adopt preventive and control measures
- Complete training requirements
Contact MSI Workforce Solutions Coordinator Jody Steele if you’re interested in incorporating the VCBGQSC, or Safety Matters: Combustible Dust, into your employee training.
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2021 Virginia Craft Beer Conference Recap
The 2021 Virginia Craft Beer Conference was held virtually on July 26-27. We were excited to have speakers join us from all over the country to share information and best-practices on quality, technology, good manufacturing practices, safety, workforce training, marketing, yeast management, and other topics. Video recordings are now available here.
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Upcoming Quality & Operations Committee Meeting:
November 5 | 2:30PM - 3:30PM | Virtual
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Farm Brewery News
Plow to Pint Issues
The Committee is continuing its focus on increasing agricultural product sourcing for members, contract growing arrangements, the identification and branding of beers made with all-Virginia ingredients, and the evaluation of distributing farm beer through the VA Winery Distribution Company.
The Virginia Farmhouse Ale: 10th Anniversary Collaboration Saison, the Guild's first-ever large-scale collaboration beer, was a great success! 15 breweries from across the state brewed the collaboration and sourced Virginia-grown products for their version of the brew. To view the participants, check out our collaboration page here.
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Upcoming Farm Brewery Committee Meeting:
November 29 | 11AM - 12PM | Virtual
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Member Benefits Feature
VCBG Employee Benefits Plan
On January 1, Virginia's minimum wage will increase to $11/hour, and it will continue to rise each year until it reaches $15/hour on January 1, 2026. One way to keep your workplace's wages competitive is by offering your employees a robust benefits package. The VCBG has partnered with McGriff Insurance Services to provide exceptional market expertise and industry knowledge to deliver comprehensive insurance programs designed specifically for VCBG members, including vision, dental, life insurance, short and long-term disability, and value-added benefits. Contact Kate Kapottos to be connected with our VCBG Employee Benefits Plan.
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VCBG Associate Member Spotlights
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Arryved
Arryved is the mobile, flexible solution to all your point of sale needs. A system designed specifically for the ever-evolving craft beer space, they’re always releasing new features to help better support their friends in craft. Just in time for the holidays, guests can now donate to a good cause when they close their tab using Arryved POS in your establishment. You simply choose the organization you’d like to benefit, and guests can start giving back!
“Creating a space to raise money in taprooms will help us fill gaps in our fundraising so that emergency funds can be available the second someone experiences illness, injury or disaster. My goal is to say that I can help anyone, anywhere, at any time within the craft beverage industry. This round up option will bring us one step closer.” - Christopher Glenn, Founder and Executive Director of Bottleshare.
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New Associate Member: Jasper Yeast
Jasper Yeast is dedicated to providing high quality yeast for craft beverage producers. As former head brewers, microbiologists, lab managers, keg cleaners and homebrew shop employees, the team at Jasper Yeast has a good perspective on what brewers expect and need from a yeast lab, and the ways to innovate and improve that experience. Jasper Yeast was the Yeast Partner for the 2021 collaboration beer!
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