What Colorado Brewers Guild does

The Colorado Brewers Guild (CBG) is a Colorado-based 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1995 to promote, protect, and propel independent craft breweries in the state. It represents the majority of Colorado's 400+ craft breweries, with membership tiers spanning operating breweries, breweries in planning, allied trade members (suppliers and service providers), and nomad breweries. The Guild is governed by a board of directors drawn from member breweries — including leaders from New Belgium, Odell, Bristol, Upslope, Funkwerks, Left Hand, Ska, Pikes Peak, and Renegade — and operates with a small staff of 1–10 employees under Executive Director Shawnee Adelson.

The CBG's offerings fall into four functional pillars: legislative advocacy, events, marketing, and member services. On the advocacy side, the Guild has secured material legislative wins over 30 years — most notably the 1996 brewpub production cap increase from 6,000 to 60,000 barrels (HB 96-1168), 2009 alternating proprietorships (SB 09-254), 2016 full-strength beer in convenience stores (SB16-197), and 2020 COVID-19 delivery relief (SB 20-194) — and operates the Colorado 6 PAC political action committee. Events include Collaboration Fest (180+ breweries in 2025), the Lake Dillon Beer Festival, the Colorado Brewers Rendezvous in Salida, and Colorado Pint Day (215 locations, 29,000 glasses in 2023). Marketing centers on the State of Craft Beer destination campaign, including a 2024 partnership with the Colorado Tourism Office for video distribution. Member services comprise the Colorado Craft Brewers Summit, Best Practices education resources, a member job board, marketplace, group insurance, and the inaugural Colorado Brewers Cup competition.

The CBG generates revenue primarily through recurring membership dues, supplemented by event ticket sales (Collaboration Fest general admission at $77.75, early entry at $99.67, designated driver at $44.87 for the 2025 event) and per-unit fundraising from Pint Day ($1 per pint glass). It does not sell technology products and has no proprietary software, AI, or data products — its member portal and website (coloradobeer.org) are standard content and directory infrastructure. Operating geographies are limited to Colorado, and the organization is privately held with no parent company, subsidiaries, or external funding rounds.

Name

Colorado Brewers Guild

Legal name

Colorado Brewers Guild

Website

https://coloradobeer.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Colorado Brewers Guild is a non-profit trade association founded in 1995 that represents the majority of Colorado's 400+ craft breweries. It delivers legislative advocacy, organizes signature events including Collaboration Fest and Colorado Pint Day, and runs the State of Craft Beer destination marketing campaign for its brewery and allied trade members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Breweries (312120), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Craft Brewing (AFAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microbreweries & Craft Breweries (THAFALAC), Beer, Brewery & Craft Beverage Tastings (THAJAGAE)

Keywords

• Craft brewery advocacy
• Trade association services
• Brewing industry events
• Legislative representation
• Craft beer promotion

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The CBG is a non-profit trade association funded primarily through membership dues from breweries, breweries in planning, and allied businesses. The majority of Colorado's 400+ craft breweries are members.
2. Colorado Pint Day Fundraiser: Annual fundraiser where $1 of each pint glass sold is donated to the Guild, also supporting local craft breweries. 2023 was a record-breaking year with 215 participating locations selling 29,000 glasses.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from major events including Collaboration Fest tickets (general admission $77.75, early entry $99.67, designated driver $44.87), and other beer festivals.
4. Colorado 6 PAC Donations: The CBG created the Colorado 6 PAC, a political action committee that accepts donations to donate to state legislators supporting craft beer interests.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Colorado Brewers Guild is a non-profit trade association that represents and supports Colorado's independent craft breweries through membership programs, legislative advocacy at the state capitol, industry events (Collaboration Fest, Colorado Pint Day, Colorado Brewers Rendezvous, Lake Dillon Beer Festival, Colorado Brewers Cup, Colorado Craft Brewers Summit), education programs, group insurance benefits, a job board, and the State of Craft Beer marketing campaign.

Product overview

The Colorado Brewers Guild is a non-profit trade association, not a product company. It does not offer commercial products or services in the traditional sense. Its offerings consist of membership programs for breweries (including Breweries, Allied Members, and Breweries in Planning), organized events (Collaboration Fest, Colorado Brewers Rendezvous, Lake Dillon Beer Festival, Colorado Pint Day, Colorado Brewers Cup), advocacy and legislative representation, educational resources (Summit, Best Practices, News), insurance services for members, a job board, and a marketplace. The Guild serves as an umbrella organization supporting and promoting Colorado's craft beer industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Collaboration Fest: Annual craft beer festival featuring beer collaborations between Colorado breweries and independent brewers from near and far.
• Colorado Brewers Rendezvous
• Colorado Pint Day
• Colorado Brewers Cup
• Colorado Craft Brewers Summit
• Lake Dillon Beer Festival

Products and services

• Brewery Membership Program Annual membership for operating Colorado craft breweries that provides advocacy representation, access to guild events, education programs, best practices resources, group insurance programs, job board access, marketing exposure via the State of Craft Beer campaign, and networking opportunities. The majority of Colorado's 400+ craft breweries are members.
• Allied Trade Membership Membership category for breweries in planning, allied suppliers, distributors, and service providers to the craft brewing industry. Provides access to brewery network, marketing opportunities, and participation in guild events.
• Collaboration Fest Annual craft beer festival held at The Westin Westminster featuring unique collaboration beers poured by 180+ breweries (2025), including out-of-state and international brewers. Ticketed event with general admission, early entry VIP, and designated driver tiers.
• Colorado Pint Day Annual fundraiser where $1 from each commemorative pint glass sold at participating brewery locations is donated to the Guild. The 2023 event was record-breaking with 215 participating locations selling 29,000 glasses.
• Colorado Brewers Rendezvous Annual mountain town craft beer festival held in Salida, Colorado featuring Colorado craft breweries. 30th Annual event scheduled for July 11, 2026.
• Lake Dillon Beer Festival Annual beer festival held in Dillon, Colorado, partnering with the Town of Dillon to showcase Colorado craft breweries at altitude.
• Colorado Brewers Cup Craft beer competition showcasing exceptional quality of craft beer in Colorado. Inaugural competition organized by the Guild.
• Colorado Craft Brewers Summit Annual industry trade show and conference kicking off in 2016 to bring together Colorado craft brewery professionals for education and networking.
• State of Craft Beer Campaign Marketing initiative positioning Colorado as a premier craft beer destination and driving consumers to member breweries across the state, including a video campaign developed in partnership with the Colorado Tourism Office.
• Group Insurance Program Member benefit offering group insurance programs to Colorado craft breweries and allied members.
• Job Board and Marketplace Member-access online job board and marketplace for breweries to post job listings and trade resources.
• Legislative Advocacy and Colorado 6 PAC State-level legislative advocacy representing craft brewery interests at the Colorado capitol, including operation of the Colorado 6 PAC political action committee that donates to legislators supporting craft beer.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400+ member breweries representing the majority of Colorado's craft breweries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Colorado Tourism OfficecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024The CBG received a marketing grant from the Colorado Tourism Office to develop the State of Craft Beer video marketing campaign. This partnership supports the Guild's mission to position Colorado as a top craft beer destination and drives tourism to member breweries.
• Brewers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CBG participates in the Pour Love into Local campaign developed by the Brewers Association, a collaborative messaging initiative encouraging support for local breweries during typically slow winter months.
• On Tap Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOn Tap Credit Union is the presenting sponsor of Collaboration Fest, Colorado's largest craft beer festival. This partnership provides funding and support for the Guild's signature annual event.
• Billy Goat Hop FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBilly Goat Hop Farm in Montrose supplies fresh hops to Colorado breweries for the annual fresh hop beer season and hosts the Southwest Fresh Fest & Hop Picking Party. Many CBG member breweries source hops from this farm.
• Lake Dillon Beer Festival PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Town of Dillon partners with CBG for the annual Lake Dillon Beer Festival, a key summer event showcasing Colorado craft breweries at altitude.
• The Westin WestminsterminorOthersHost venue for the annual Collaboration Fest, providing the location for the largest gathering of Colorado craft breweries.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Oregon Brewers Guild: Oregon's state brewers guild performing the same trade-association function for Oregon craft breweries: advocacy, member services, and signature events such as the Oregon Brewers Festival. Directly comparable in mission and structure to the CBG but operating in a different state.
• Massachusetts Brewers Guild: Massachusetts brewers guild offering legislative advocacy, education, and signature events (e.g., Beer Summit) for Massachusetts craft breweries. Performs the same trade-association function as the CBG within a different state.
• Texas Craft Brewers Guild: Texas's craft brewing trade association, focused on advocacy (including notable self-distribution legislation), events, and member benefits for Texas craft breweries. A peer state-level association with a similarly large and politically complex operating environment.
• California Craft Brewers Association: California's state-level craft brewing trade association. Performs legislative advocacy, member programming, and event coordination for the largest craft brewing state in the U.S., serving the same trade-association role as the CBG at a much larger scale.
• New York State Brewers Association: New York's state brewers association providing advocacy, education, and member services to the New York craft brewing industry. Functionally identical role to the CBG but serving a much larger and more geographically dispersed brewery base.
• Washington Brewers Guild: Washington state's brewers guild advocating for independent craft breweries through education, events, and legislative representation. A direct regional parallel to the CBG with a similar Pacific-Northern-tier operating context.

Broad incumbents

• Brewers Association: The national trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers. It is the broader-incumbent counterpart to the CBG, providing similar advocacy, education, and event programming (including the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup where Colorado members compete) at a national scale.

Others

• Visit Denver / Colorado Tourism Office: The state tourism authority that funds and co-markets the CBG's 'State of Craft Beer' campaign. Not a competitor but a strategic partner and channel; included as an ecosystem peer given its central role in distributing the CBG's destination-marketing message.
• Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA): A technical and professional association for brewing professionals focused on brewing science, quality, and education. Adjacent rather than directly competitive: where the CBG is a state-level trade association for brewery businesses, MBAA is a profession-and-technical body for brewers, often overlapping in member audiences.
• American Homebrewers Association (AHA): AHA is the membership division of the Brewers Association focused on homebrewers. It is not a state-level trade association, but it is thematically adjacent and shares parent infrastructure with the Brewers Association, making it an ecosystem peer for funnel/education overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/coloradobrewers
• Facebookfacebook.com/coloradobrewersguild
• Instagraminstagram.com/coloradobrewersguild

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Colorado Brewers Guild