Like you, we’re passionate about craft beer. The small brewery movement has injected energy into the social scene in California and beyond. People love the authenticity and creativity of craft breweries.

Taprooms offer breweries multiple benefits: they serve as profit centers, boost brand visibility, and cement community loyalty.

They do come with challenges, however. Once you have your business plan and financing in place, you need to find a location that matches your target clientele (and your budget), navigate the hurdles of licensing and permitting, and find reliable architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to put all the pieces in place.

The T.A.P. Team

Matthew Holmes, Christen Soares, and Kristin Anderson bonded over a love of craft beer. Once they started talking about the challenges facing breweries who were looking to expand, they realized that they could serve as a resource. And so the Taproom Activation Plan was born.

Matt’s expertise is in helping breweries nail down that all-important element of taprooms: the right location. As a principal at Retail West, Inc., he’s been matching brands like Fieldwork Brewing Company with the right spot for years.

"Matt has been instrumental in accelerating our company's growth. He took the time to understand our business and our objectives, and quickly identifies projects that are a good fit for us. He's a true professional and I think of him as a member of our management team."

--Barry Braden, Owner, Fieldwork Brewing Company

Christen, a licensed architect and a principal at Field Paoli Architects, has been working with food & beverage brands to create successful spaces for 20 years. She’s designed everything from breweries and in-store taprooms for Whole Foods Markets to airport wine bars for Vino Volo and production spaces for Blue Bottle Coffee.

Kristin brings the hammer. As the CEO of EFA. Inc. – General Contractor, she has delivered taprooms for Camino Brewing, Temescal Brewing, Standard Deviant and Harmonic Brewery. She keeps things on track and on budget, with expertise in everything from ground-up construction to tenant improvements and open business remodels. 

Your T.A.P. Team can help you ask and answer the right questions to activate your growth strategy, including:

• What is your appetite for growth? Are you positioning yourself to be more appealing to investors? Do you just like making beer and want to sell more of it at a higher margin?
• Do you have a geographic preference? SF, East Bay, South Bay, North Bay, Sacramento, beyond?
• Do you want to host events? If so, how many people would you like to be able to host?
• Do you need to be brewing on-site?
• Do you want to serve food? Or will a spot for a food truck suffice?
• Do you have the know-how and relationships to secure the right liquor license?
• What’s your story? How will the design of your taproom personify your brand?

Take the next step! Get a free consultation and shape your own Taproom Activation Plan. Email: taprooms@fieldpaoli.com