Back in the olden days—say, three or four years ago—we used to call this kind of thing microfinance. While that word is rather impressive and austere, it isn’t really descriptive. Crowdfunding, on the other hand, makes perfect sense. A crowd of people funds something. Like in college when everyone pitched in a couple bucks so we could go buy a keg. Many hands, light work, and we all get to have a big party.
Today I want to introduce you to a new crowdfunding platform designed specifically with craft beer in mind: CrowdBrewed. At this point, CrowdBrewed is still young and is hoping to attract entrepreneurs interested in using the platform to fund their beery projects.
Over the past couple years we have reported on a number of different local startup breweries using Kickstarter (perhaps the most popular microfinance or crowdfunding program) to help secure capital. CrowdBrewed is kind of like Kickstarter, but designed specifically to help bring beer lovers and beer businesses together. And not just breweries, but all sorts of other beer-themed projects: movies, music, games, pubs and more.
Nobody is saying that you should get involved, they’re just providing options for you if you want to get involved. The only goal is to create opportunities for people on both sides.
From the website: “CrowdBrewed is a donation / reward crowdfunding platform for craft brewers and industry affiliates who want to raise money for their breweries, to add new beers to their catalog, pitch a product and to spread the word to the “crowd”. Brewers and industry affiliates can create fundraising campaigns that tell their story and pitch their campaign to a “crowd” of donors in exchange for a reward or product. CrowdBrewed is also a place to discover new beers, learn about brewing and show your passion for the industry by getting involved.”
Who uses CrowdBrewed? “Brewers and beer lovers looking to connect and to expand their favorite beer line or products are using CrowdBrewed. In addition to just breweries, CrowdBrewed supports the entire ecosystem of beer. CrowdBrewed welcomes any subset to the industry such as hops farms, craft beer gardens, craft beer festivals, bottling plants and even pubs that support craft beer.”
“CrowdBrewed embraces US manufacturers of the brewing process and home brew kit companies looking to build their presence in the market. If you are a tech person and love beer, market you product here; i.e. smart phone beer apps, beer games, etc. CrowdBrewed was designed for craft beer enthusiasts to support one another.”
There is a lot more to learn and I encourage you to go visit the CrowdBrewed website at https://crowdbrewed.com/