We're excited to announce that the new Finished Goods Traceability Module is here!  This innovative update to Beer30 software transforms inventory management, quality assurance, and customer satisfaction for breweries. Enhancing the existing "Sales Traceability Module," this upgrade introduces comprehensive tracking capabilities.  Now, you're empowered to closely monitor cases and kegs of finished beer on a per-batch basis. With each batch brewed, you'll gain deeper insights into traceability, Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), and detailed batch histories, enabling even greater control over your production process.

How Brewery Software Enhances Traceability:

The new Finished Goods Traceability Module in Beer30 brewery software helps breweries to:

• Ensure beer is distributed at peak freshness
• Track actual COGS on a per-item and per-batch level
• Set target COGS for each brand and packaging type
• Quickly trace products in case of a recall
• Meet local compliance and HACCP accreditation

Here’s what’s new in the latest update to Beer30's brewery software.

Keeping It Fresh 

As a brewer, you know that the fresher the beer, the better. Breweries almost always try to follow First In, First Out (FIFO) for packaged goods. In theory, this works great, but in practice, tracking it accurately can be difficult. As new products get stacked in front of older products, and “First In” products end up hidden away in the back of the coldbox, keeping track can become difficult. 

With Beer30’s new Finished Goods Traceability module, First In, First Out is easy! Breweries can implement FIFO logic for batch codes in their brewery software system and ensure beers are aged appropriately and delivered to customers at their freshest.

With the new update, First In First Out methodology will automatically be applied as you enter in products. No more manual data entry and tedious logging!

Find Your True Cost of Goods Sold for Every Batch

Beer30's new proprietary batch trace functionality goes beyond traditional brewery software tracking systems. It incorporates the overall output of beer blending, transfers, filters, and packaging losses into an accurate Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) value for each brand AND batch number. This new update gives breweries precise insights into the true cost of their beer products on a per-item and per-batch basis.

The Finished Goods Traceability Module provides the exact COGS value for all of your finished goods. This update displays the exact COGS value for all of your packaged products in real-time, enabling you to use Beer30's brewery software to make data-driven decisions to optimize profitability.

Set Realistic Goals and Then CRUSH Them

Without the right data, setting goals can feel like guesswork. Unrealistic targets can demotivate your brewing team, while setting goals too low can lead to missed profit opportunities. Beer30's Finished Goods Traceability Module allows you to set achievable COGS targets for each brand. By comparing actual COGS against these targets, your brew team can identify areas for improvement and streamline processes to meet profitability goals.

Track Products in Case of a Recall

Picture this: you’ve established relationships with distributors all throughout the region, sales are up, and everything is looking good. Just then, you get a call from your keg manufacturer – the latest batch of kegs has a defect. You know the one you just distributed 50 BBLs of your IPA in? Yep, that one. 

While product recalls will always be a bummer, the new Traceability Module makes dealing with recalls simple. With detailed batch tracing capabilities, breweries can quickly identify the exact locations and recipients of products in the event of a recall, enabling swift and effective response measures.

This new update gives you even greater peace of mind than before, with the power to track batch numbers. This makes it simple to find products in the case of a recall and set things right with your distributors. 

Meet Local Compliance

Tax compliance and financial reporting are critical for brewery operations, but managing these tasks can be time-consuming. With Beer30's brewery software, integration with accounting software like QuickBooks Online and Xero makes compliance easy. The new module automatically syncs COGS values with your General Ledger, ensuring accurate financial reporting and hassle-free tax compliance, giving you more time to focus on brewing.

Questions?

If you have any questions about Beer30’s new Finished Goods Traceability Module, please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask! Talk to the Beer30 sales team or book a demo today! 

Want to see how Beer30 has worked for brewers just like you? Check out our case studies and see how other brewers are saving thousands of dollars.

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Inventory management is a delicate balancing act for breweries. Stock too much of one ingredient, and it could spoil, leading to wasted resources. On the other hand, too little of a critical ingredient can halt production, result in missed distribution orders, and leave customers without their favorite beer. Every day, brewers face the challenge of maintaining the right balance for their raw materials and packaging supplies.

Implementing Brewery Inventory Software like Beer30 can transform how breweries track and manage their inventory. With automated systems that adjust inventory levels in real-time—based on purchases and production usage—this software streamlines the entire inventory process. Beer30 offers various features designed to help breweries regulate inventory, ensure nothing is wasted, and prevent stockouts. From stocktake to production forecasting, Beer30's brewery inventory software makes it easy to manage raw materials and packaging efficiently.

Automated Inventory Management with Brewery Inventory Software

Manual inventory tracking is not only time-consuming but also prone to errors. Spreadsheets or handwritten logs can lead to discrepancies, inaccuracies, and financial losses. Brewery Inventory Software like Beer30 offers an automated solution, eliminating the headaches of manual inventory management.

One of the key benefits of Beer30’s brewery inventory software is real-time tracking. Breweries can monitor ingredients, packaging supplies, and finished products as they are received, used, and sold, ensuring that inventory levels are always accurate. Whether tracking raw materials or tanks of fermenting beer, Beer30 provides a clear view of inventory across single or multiple facilities.

Automated tracking reduces costly errors and allows brewers to focus on their core operations. Beer30 keeps you up to date on packaging materials like cans, bottles, kegs, and labels while also offering visibility into the beers fermenting in your cellar. With real-time reporting, breweries can easily maintain consistent inventory levels and avoid production delays.

Benefits of Brewery Inventory Software for Accurate Tracking

With automated features, Brewery Inventory Software like Beer30 provides breweries with a tailored approach to inventory management. This software helps breweries maintain consistent product quality, control costs, and stay compliant with industry regulations. The ability to track raw materials, packaging, and work-in-process products in tanks gives brewers the data they need to make informed decisions about purchasing and production.

Ultimately, Beer30's brewery inventory software streamlines operations reduces waste and ensures breweries can meet production demands without sacrificing product quality.

Streamlining Stocktake with Brewery Inventory Software: Beer30

Stocktake is an essential yet often time-consuming task for breweries. However, with Beer30’s Brewery Inventory Software, the process becomes more efficient, allowing brewers to focus on other crucial tasks like brewing, packaging, and distributing beer.

Beer30 makes stocktake simple and accessible. Whether you're using a phone, tablet, or any internet-connected device, stocktaking can be done directly within the software. After completing your physical count, there’s no need to manually compare your numbers with inventory records. Beer30’s brewery software automatically calculates any discrepancies and highlights potential issues, ensuring you’re always on top of your stock levels.

This platform allows you to review variances and update your inventory levels easily, all under one comprehensive system. Once your current inventory is accurately accounted for, the next step toward streamlined production is to utilize Beer30’s Material Resource Planning (MRP) and Demand Planning modules.

Material Resource Planning (MRP) in Brewery Inventory Software

One of the standout features of Beer30’s Brewery Software is the Material Resource Planning (MRP) module, which offers breweries a streamlined way to optimize their material management. The MRP module takes your current inventory, planned purchase orders, and upcoming production schedules into account, then, based on your recipes, it forecasts future inventory needs for raw materials and packaging items.

The system automatically generates suggested purchase orders, factoring in lead times for each item, ensuring that breweries order materials in the correct quantities and at the right times. This intelligent forecasting eliminates the need for manual calculations or juggling between spreadsheets, which often results in inefficiencies like overstocking or understocking.

Without an MRP system, breweries often face the challenge of accurately predicting material needs, relying on manual processes that are prone to error. Mistakes in material orders can lead to costly overstocking or critical shortages, tying up capital and storage space or even halting production altogether.

By utilizing the MRP module in Beer30's Brewery Inventory Software, breweries can reduce waste, save costs, and improve overall operational efficiency. This software helps breweries avoid the nightmare of running out of materials, which can disrupt production schedules, reduce revenue, and harm their reputation if they fail to meet customer demand.

Avoiding Material Shortages with Brewery Inventory Software

Running out of key ingredients or packaging materials can be a brewer's worst nightmare, potentially damaging relationships with accounts and distributors. Every day that a high-demand product is out of stock is a day of lost sales. Worse, extended absences from the market can result in lost tap handle placements or shelf space, which are often quickly filled by competitors.

With Beer30’s MRP module, breweries can avoid these pitfalls by optimizing material orders, ensuring that stock is available when needed, and reducing the risk of production delays. It allows brewers to plan for demand effectively, maximizing sales and maintaining strong relationships with distributors and retailers.

However, MRP is just one part of the equation. To get a full understanding of your brewery’s demand and plan accordingly, integrating the Demand Planning module is crucial for success.

Demand Planning with Brewery Inventory Software: A Comprehensive Solution

The Demand Planning module in the Brewery Inventory Software side of Beer30 plays a pivotal role in coordinating efforts between Sales, Purchasing, and Production teams. This powerful tool aligns your sales forecast with your production forecast, providing a comprehensive year-long outlook for how much beer of each brand you'll need to produce. With this insight, brewing and production teams can fine-tune their schedules, ensuring the right amount of beer is brewed to meet projected sales demand.

By integrating brewery data, the Demand Planning module offers enhanced visibility into materials, supplies, production timelines, and product demand. This ensures optimized production planning and provides two key benefits:

1. Preventing Stockouts: Running out of beer is a nightmare for any brewery. This module aligns production with sales forecasts, ensuring your brewery has the right amount of beer to meet customer demand and keeping sales teams, distributors, and accounts happy.
2. Avoiding Overproduction: Overproducing beer can lead to cluttered warehouses, the need for extra storage space, and additional costs. Plus, excess beer runs the risk of going stale, tying up cash in unsold inventory. The Demand Planning module allows breweries to manage production levels effectively, keeping beer fresh, freeing up warehouse space, and maintaining cash flow.

Fine-Tuning Production with Brewery Inventory Software

Like the Material Resource Planning (MRP) module, accurate forecasting through the Demand Planning module ensures that production is always where it needs to be. The Demand Planner integrates seamlessly with the MRP module for raw materials forecasting, allowing brewers to predict raw material purchasing needs up to a year in advance, closing the loop on the brewing cycle.

This integration covers raw materials and extends to packaging inventory. As production forecasts are adjusted, the module automatically drives the forecasted purchasing needs for packaging materials like cans, labels, and kegs. This ensures that breweries are well-prepared for upcoming packaging runs without over-ordering or understocking essential supplies.

Beer30 Software for Inventory and Planning

Overall, Beer30 is a comprehensive brewery software that makes keeping track of inventory simple and lets you focus on making great beer. With awesome inventory management, stocktake, MRP,  and Demand Planning, Beer30 takes the guesswork out of your planning. 

Book a demo today to learn how these new features can help streamline production and sales at your brewery.

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5 Ways Brewery Software Can Help Your Bottom Line in 2024

Track Data, Improve COGS, and Drive ROI At Your Brewery 

With 2023 soon coming to an end, and 2024 just around the corner, it’s time for brewers to begin thinking of the new year. This means looking at new ways to increase production, expand your sales channels, improve efficiency, and drive up your profitability. While there are many different ways to improve in these areas, it can be challenging and time-consuming to stay organized, identify problem areas, and prioritize projects. That’s where brewing software comes in! Whether this is your first time hearing about brewery management software, or if you’ve considered it before but found it to be too expensive to make the financial investment, here are 5 ways that brewery software can help your bottom line in 2024, and how quickly it can show you an ROI on the investment!  

From process optimization to inventory management, cost control, time savings, and sales expansion, having software that can help you monitor and manage day-to-day operations can be a game-changer. 

1. Process Optimization: Brewing Excellence

Coming up with the perfect recipe is only half the battle when it comes to brewing good beer. Maintaining consistent processes and quality standards from brew to ferment, filter, BBT conditioning, and packaging day is key to ensuring your beers finish on time and always taste true-to-brand.

Having the right brewery software can help you maintain consistency, lower your overall costs, and bring higher yields. That said, not all brewery software is actually meant for brewing. Some software systems may be useful for the back office and admin work, but ultimately leave the brewer shuffling through paper logs to manage the brew day. 

For in-depth brew optimization, Beer30 is your best choice. Beer30 was designed with the brewing process at the forefront of its innovation and is the leading software when it comes to taking a deep dive into the brewing side of the process. With Beer30, you can see comprehensive reports of what’s really going on during each brew, which allows you to see areas where changes can be made to maximize your quality and efficiency. You’ll be able to look into problem areas in brewhouse efficiency, filtration/transfer yield, and packaging yield. This can help improve and control brew-to-package yield, which results in increased output per batch and reduced COGS per BBL / L / HL.

Greater process visibility means that brewers have the ability to analyze and understand key fermentation metrics and establish optimal cellar schedules. Brewers are able to compare trends across batches and recipe variations including daily gravity, daily pH, temperature, VDK, and more. This leads to a minimization of tank turn time, which results in increased overall fermentation cellar capacity and also eliminates the need for further capital investment in tanks.

We’ve all heard that “With great power comes great responsibility” but you may not know that “With great visibility, comes great profitability”. Having visual reports of the entire brew process can not only save time and money, but can also improve the consistency so that each batch tastes exactly like the brewer intended.  

As Dave Ward, from Aether Brewing in Brisbane, Australia states, “Beer30’s brewery features are brilliant, intuitive, and comprehensive. The brewing page is clean, easy and pushes us for all the brew specifications we defined which means more testing, more critical specifications met and more consistency in our product.”

Using Beer30 real-time on brew day at Philter Brewing in Sydney, Australia. 

2. Brewery Inventory Software: The Goldilocks Effect

Inventory management is a delicate balancing act in the brewing world. Too much of one ingredient can lead to spoilage and wasted resources.  Too little of one ingredient can halt production and lead to missed distribution orders and customers without their favorite beer.  Each day, a brewer is tasked with the difficult task of making sure their inventory for raw materials and package supplies is “just right” – i.e. “The Goldilocks Effect.”

Implementing a brewery inventory software is a big step for a brewery to automate its inventory tracking and stay organized. With inventory levels automatically incrementing up and down with purchases and production depletion, inventory management with brewery software is a huge time saver. 

Beyond that, different software will have different levels of sophistication for planning and forecasting. Beer30’s Material Resource Planning (MRP), Demand Planning, and Package Forecasting tools empower breweries to seamlessly navigate inventory management challenges. 

Using Beer30 as your brewery's inventory software, brewers can accurately predict the production levels they’ll need to be at to utilize just-in-time production planning. This method reduces the amount of stored goods, lowering holding costs and inventory spoilage.

By hitting accurate production levels to meet their sales forecast, brewers achieve two huge wins. First, it prevents the nightmare of running out of beer. This keeps sales teams happy, customers satisfied, and relationships with accounts and distributors strong. Secondly, it helps avoid overproduction. Excess beer can clutter up the warehouse, become old or out of date, and add more costs to your bottom line. 

With Beer30 and the brewery software’s demand planning and MRP capabilities, breweries can purchase raw materials and packaging precisely, ensuring they acquire just what they need to meet their production demands - not more, not less. This approach is a game-changer in cost reduction. Breweries can significantly lower their expenses, minimize storage costs, and, more importantly, ensure that they’re never serving old or stale beer.

As Jack Lippy, the owner of Eleven Lakes Brewing in North Carolina, USA said, “The Demand Planning module in Beer30 provides us with real-time access to sales and inventory data and provides us the ability to react more quickly to changes in our production plan. Having everything in a single product has significantly reduced my data management time and allowed me to spend that time on analysis and forward-thinking topics to help manage our business.”

The team over at Aether Brewing in Brisbane, Australia using Beer30 to track CIP data.

3. COGS: Priced for Success

Managing the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) is a critical aspect of ensuring profitability in the brewing industry. Accurate insight into your brewery’s COGS is essential for determining competitive pricing while still achieving a desirable profit margin.

Many brewers use spreadsheets to keep track of their Cost of Goods Sold, but this can be complicated with formulas containing circular references, and usually hard to keep data updated for real-time visibility. The right brewery accounting software can calculate your Cost of Goods Sold simply by automating your data entry and calculating your COGS with 100% accuracy. 

When it comes to brewery accounting software, Beer30 comes out on top in the COGS category. Beer30 software offers one of the most powerful COGS reporting in the industry, allowing you to track costs at a granular level. The powerful software differs from other brewery software in that it accounts for raw material and packaging material price fluctuations from batch to batch while incorporating the price changes that occur due to split batches, merges, and ingredient substitutions and additions.  Beer30 also incorporates beer losses during fermentation, filtration, conditioning, and packaging into your final COGS breakdown for each batch, so you have an accurate understanding of how your efficiency impacts your costs.  It’s critical to incorporate beer losses into your final COGS, in order to have a true understanding for your Balance Sheet and Income Statement. 

By delving into the intricacies of the brewing process and assessing the associated expenses for each brew batch, breweries can make informed decisions about recipe adjustments, pricing strategies, and cost reduction measures.

Using Beer30's brewery accounting software gives you a full breakdown of your COGS and gives you the insight you need to see what’s working in your brewery and what’s a waste of money.

As Rudy Watkins over at Thin Man Brewing states, “Being able to drill down on costs is HUGE - especially with how much prices have increased in the last few years. We've managed to shave unnecessary costs from all of our beers using data from Beer30.”

The team over at Motorworks Brewing in Bradenton, Florida replaced their whiteboard with a TV for better access on using Beer30 for scheduling visibility and tasks tracking. 

4. Time Savings and Organization: Streamlining Operations with Professional Brewing Software

A brewery has a lot of moving parts to track and manage. With so many pieces working together, having a single source of truth for your data, recipes, task management, and more can help keep things running smoothly. While a lot of brewery software can handle the basics like scheduling and inventory management, Beer30 stands out as an all-in-one software that makes it simple to keep track of everything you need in one place. Beer30 lets you track the data that matters to you, manage your team workflow, drive quality, streamline efficiency, and improve productivity at your brewery. 

Having a single hub to keep track of everything allows brewers to focus on the part of brewing that they love and eliminates the time wasted searching for data or correcting manual data entry errors. By using professional brewing software, everything you need is at your fingertips in one unified platform. The time saved on administrative tasks can be reinvested into other aspects like brewing, building business relationships, or customer engagement.

As Gerard Martin over at Range Brewing says, “Since moving over to Beer30, we now have complete visibility across our brew data. Being able to review our past batch history and compare. Our systems and daily processes have been fast-tracked and overall productivity within our brewery has increased two-fold. Admin time within our sales team including excise reporting has been streamlined immensely. We would highly recommend Beer30 to any craft brewery.”

Beer30 centralizes all critical information, making it easily accessible to all team members. This fosters better collaboration, enhances communication, and streamlines decision-making, all of which are essential for efficient operations and, ultimately, greater profitability.

The Exhibit A Brewing team in Framingham, Massachusetts uses Beer30 for their daily production planning and real-time checklist. 

5. Sales and Distribution: Expanding Horizons with Brewery Inventory Software

Expanding both the top line (gross revenue) and bottom line (net profitability) is a fundamental objective for breweries looking to thrive in a competitive market. In order to do this, it’s important for breweries to expand their business by increasing sales and distribution. Brewery inventory software can be instrumental in achieving this goal by offering a comprehensive suite of tools for sales and distribution management. Not only can the proper brewery software streamline your operations, but it can also help create better communication between sales teams and brewing teams.

One of the primary advantages of having brewery inventory software like Beer30 in your arsenal is the ability to track inventory as it’s being updated. With real-time brewery inventory that is easily accessible and mobile-friendly, your Sales Team members will know exactly what and when beers are available. This means that your team: will never miss a sales opportunity due to unclear inventory availability or production timeline, can minimize overcommitments and confidently work through backorders when they occur, and have smooth transitions between seasonal or limited-release brands.

With Beer30’s unique integration with third parties like the CRM system DSD Assist and OrderEZ, and with the ordering portal from GP Analytics and VIP data, there is an improved combination of using the Beer30 brewery software to make sure that orders are being met as expected.  

As Nathalie Carisey over at Kona Brewing Hawaii stated, "I use VIP, GP, and Beer30 to try to balance supply and demand each and every day. In simple terms, it’s knowing what we need to brew and ship by when. VIP has all of the data for sales to retailers and inventory information, GP gets me my forecasts and sales orders, and Beer30 gets me the supply side of things including the production plan. The integration between Beer30 and GP, with the VIP data pushed into GP, has made that a lot easier for us to be able to do this balancing of demand and supply each and every day."

With a bird's eye view of your inventory and full visibility for sales teams, Beer30 also makes it easier to schedule appropriately. This can help your bottom line by cutting unnecessary labor costs and letting sales teams make the most of their time.

The team over at Rocky Ridge Brewing in Busselton, Australia getting ready to fill their Konvoy kegs with beer marked as ‘ready-to-package’ in Beer30. 

Conclusion

Overall, staying competitive and profitable is paramount to brewing great beer. Beer30's professional brewing software equips breweries with the tools and insights necessary to optimize processes, manage inventory efficiently, control COGS, save time, and boost sales and distribution.

When choosing the right brewery management system, make sure to understand the intricacies of implementation!  With Beer30, you’ll be up and running as quickly as a 90-minute onboarding session.  

As Will Glass at The Brewing Projekt, Wisconsin, USA said, “Implementation was simple… We did an hour or two training session with our management team then sat down our brewers for a lunch & learn and by the end of it our people felt proficient enough to hit the ground running. Initially we purchased iPads to help our crew keep information easily accessible but within a week most of them preferred to use their phone due to the simple user interface.” 

By implementing Beer30’s brewery software, breweries can position themselves for success in 2024 and beyond, ultimately improving their bottom line and ensuring long-term viability in the industry. Right now through December 31, 2023, Beer30 is offering two months free when you sign up for a one-year subscription or 25% off your first three months. If you’re ready to see why more than 450 breweries globally choose Beer30 for their brewery software system, now is the time to book a demo to see what brewery software can bring to your business in the years to come.  

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At The 5th Ingredient, we’re proud to announce the release of Version 10 of Beer30 and Bucha30 Brewery Software. This update represents a major milestone in the software's ongoing development, offering breweries a range of fully customizable features. With Version 10, breweries can now take advantage of Beer30's brewery inventory software with Demand Planning Module and team management capabilities with KPI Scorecards, empowering them to streamline operations, optimize production, and maximize profitability.

The Demand Planning Module: Precision in Brewery Software

One of the standout features of Version 10 is the new Demand Planning Module, which sets a new standard in brewery software. This tool enables better coordination between Sales, Purchasing, and Production, ensuring that the freshest product is always available when needed. This precision planning helps breweries reduce their cost of goods sold (COGS) and improve overall efficiency.

Key Benefits of the Demand Planning Module:

• Enhanced Visibility: The Demand Planning module gives breweries clear insight into materials, supplies, production timelines, sales forecasts, and product demand. By harnessing real-time brewery inventory software data, breweries can create accurate forecasts and improve production planning.
• Sales Forecasting: With built-in forecasting tools, breweries can determine sales projections, required beer volumes in BBLs / HL / L, and packaging formats, allowing them to meet market demand with ease.
• Inventory Management: The module uses historical sales data and production schedules to assess whether breweries have the right raw materials and packaging supplies. This proactive approach minimizes waste and prevents overstock or expired inventory.

Zach Volkman, Head of Revenue Operations at The 5th Ingredient and former COO of O’Connor Brewing Company, shared his experience: "Our management team spent hours every week trying to keep production plans and sales forecasts aligned across multiple flagship beers, rotating seasonals, and tons of packaging formats, all while trying to factor in seasonality and trends in the market. Despite our efforts and multiple spreadsheets, we often missed the mark. Whether it was missed sales or expired beer down the drain, underproduction and overproduction were both huge problems. Beer30 and the new Demand Planning module was the missing link."

KPI Scorecards: Metrics to Drive Brewery Success

Version 10 also introduces KPI Scorecards, giving brewery managers the ability to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) in real-time. This customizable feature enables breweries to track sales performance, production efficiency, and other vital metrics, allowing for data-driven decision-making.

Key Benefits of KPI Scorecards:

• Performance Measurement: Brewery software users can now measure crucial metrics like sales, production efficiency, and more with ease. By tracking KPIs, managers can identify areas for improvement and increase productivity.
• Customization: KPI Scorecards can be tailored to match each brewery’s unique operational goals. Whether it's focusing on specific sales targets or optimizing brewing cycles, breweries can create customized scorecards that suit their needs.

Pulkit K. Agrawal (PKA), Founder & CEO of The 5th Ingredient, explains the significance of KPI Scorecards: "The KPI Scorecard is letting brewery owners finally take their hundreds of data points in Beer30 and get a customizable dashboard to help them improve their performance and efficiency. One of the main reasons I began this company and launched the Beer30 software was to provide these data points to brewers at their fingertips."

Brewery Software Designed for Operational Excellence

With Version 10 of Beer30 and Bucha30 Brewery Software, breweries can enjoy a host of cutting-edge features like the Demand Planning Module and KPI Scorecards. These tools are designed to help breweries optimize their operations, improve production planning, and reduce costs. The flexibility of Beer30's brewery inventory software allows breweries to fully customize the system to suit their specific needs, from raw material management to finished product tracking.

These features paired with improved COGS tracking, reporting, and quality control make Beer30 the best brewery management software to drive ROI, and to help you brew more and brew better. 

Book a demo to find out more today!

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How Beer30's Brewery Accounting Software Can Drive Your Brewery's ROI

In the world of brewery management, few terms hold as much significance as ROI (Return on Investment). For brewery owners, maximizing ROI is key to maintaining profitability and long-term success. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through implementing efficient systems that streamline operations. Enter brewery accounting software—a solution designed to boost your brewery's ROI by improving efficiency, quality control, inventory management, and cost tracking.

At The 5th Ingredient, we developed Beer30 brewery software to help breweries enhance profitability and manage operations seamlessly. Whether it’s tracking costs, optimizing processes, or improving inventory management, Beer30 can significantly drive your brewery's ROI. Here's how.

Process Optimization with Brewery Accounting Software

Beer30's brewery accounting software offers powerful tools for process optimization. Brewers can easily monitor and analyze key metrics such as brewhouse efficiency, filtration yield, and packaging yield. By identifying variances and pinpointing problem areas, breweries can boost their brew-to-package yield, resulting in increased output per batch and reduced Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) per barrel.

Moreover, Beer30's fermentation tracking system allows brewers to optimize cellar schedules and monitor trends across batches. By reducing tank turn time, breweries can increase fermentation capacity without further capital investment in equipment.

Quality Control and Brewery Accounting Software

Beer30 incorporates real-time quality control features, capturing critical brewing data at every step of the process. Brewers are alerted to potential issues early, allowing them to take immediate corrective action. For example, Beer30 offers a proactive notification system (red/yellow/green indicators) that alerts the Head Brewer when a batch is out of spec, minimizing costly mistakes.

The software also tracks yeast management, helping brewers develop cost-effective yeast propagation programs. With comprehensive yeast genealogy tracking, brewers can easily manage yeast repitching and identify strains that may be causing fermentation issues.

Brewery Inventory Management and Material Resource Planning

Efficient inventory management is a cornerstone of driving profitability, and Beer30 excels as a brewery inventory software. With just-in-time purchasing and real-time inventory visibility, brewers can minimize the cash tied up in excess inventory. The software also helps reduce losses due to the expiration of raw materials or outdated packaging for seasonal brands.

Beer30’s future inventory forecasting enables breweries to make informed purchasing decisions, ensuring smooth operations while keeping cash flow under control.

Tracking Cost of Goods Sold with Brewery Accounting Software

One of the most significant features of Beer30’s brewery accounting software is its ability to track and optimize COGS. Brewers can see exact COGS for each SKU, gaining visibility into the profitability of each product. This enables breweries to identify high-cost items, optimize recipes, and adjust pricing strategies to maintain healthy margins.

By monitoring COGS from batch to batch, Beer30 helps breweries detect shifts in costs over time, allowing them to adapt purchasing strategies and optimize operations to stay profitable.

Time Savings with Integrated Brewery Accounting Software

Time is money, and Beer30's brewery software helps save both by eliminating redundant tasks and automating key processes. The software integrates seamlessly with accounting platforms like QuickBooks Online and Xero, reducing the need for manual data entry. This integration allows breweries to streamline excise tax reporting and manage purchasing and sales data efficiently.

With real-time notifications, task management, and instant visibility into inventory and tank statuses, Beer30 helps keep brewery teams aligned and productive.

Streamlining Sales and Distribution

Beer30’s mobile-friendly, real-time brewery inventory system supports brewery sales and distribution efforts by ensuring sales teams always have accurate, up-to-date inventory data. This reduces the risk of overcommitting on orders, helps manage backorders effectively, and enables smoother transitions between seasonal and limited-release beers.

Brew More, Brew Better with Brewery Accounting Software

At the end of the day, Beer30 brewery accounting software is built to help breweries thrive. Whether it's saving time, reducing costs, or increasing output, our software provides an all-in-one solution for managing operations and improving profitability. If you’ve been searching for an all-in-one brewery software management system that will help you save time, increase profits and brew better beer, then schedule a Beer30 demo today!

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Introduction to Brewery Inventory Software

Running a brewery efficiently requires more than just brewing great beer. Effective inventory management is essential to prevent production disruptions, maintain quality, and ensure profitability. Beer30's brewery inventory software takes inventory management to the next level by incorporating Material Resource Planning (MRP) to automate forecasting and optimize brewery operations.

What is MRP in Brewery Inventory Software?

MRP, or Material Resource Planning, is a powerful tool for automating inventory forecasting. Beer30's MRP module calculates future inventory based on current stock levels, purchase orders, and planned production schedules. It automatically suggests purchase orders for raw materials and packaging items, factoring in lead times and ensuring breweries are always well-stocked.

Benefits of Using MRP for Automated Inventory Forecasting

Utilizing MRP in brewery inventory software offers several significant advantages:

1. Avoid Stock Shortages: Prevent running out of critical raw materials or packaging supplies, ensuring consistent production and availability of your products.
2. Streamlined Operations: By automating inventory management, breweries can focus on production without worrying about manually tracking inventory levels.
3. Improved Cash Flow: Suggested purchase orders optimize the timing of purchases, helping avoid overstocking and keeping cash flow in check.

The Financial Impact of Poor Inventory Management

Poor inventory management can have a range of negative effects on your brewery’s bottom line. Let’s explore some common problems that arise from not using a brewery inventory software solution like Beer30.

1. Loss of Revenue

Each day you're out of a high-demand product, you lose sales. Even worse, losing shelf space or tap handle placements can mean distributors or retailers replace your product with a competitor's, further reducing your revenue. In today's competitive market, it's essential to avoid stockouts by maintaining a well-managed inventory.

2. Increased Shipping Costs

Without proper inventory forecasting, you may need to expedite shipping for ingredients or packaging materials. Faster shipping often comes with higher costs, adding unnecessary expenses to your operation. Additionally, ordering partial pallets or containers of raw materials further inflates costs.

3. Inconsistent Quality

Substituting ingredients due to shortages can lead to inconsistencies in your beer. Quality loss harms your brand’s reputation and may cause long-term damage to relationships with distributors and customers. With Beer30's brewery inventory software, you can maintain consistency by ensuring you always have the right materials on hand.

The Importance of MRP from a Former Brewery Production Manager

Dave Short is a Customer Experience Specialist with The 5th Ingredient. Formerly Dave was  Brewmaster and Production Manager with 49th State Brewing Company in Anchorage, AK. Here is Dave’s experience with material resource planning:

“As the production manager it was really all about keeping us on schedule and just maximizing the amount of beer we could put out. I had two brew pubs and we were building out a third production facility. We actually had, not only the busiest brewpub in the state, but the busiest restaurant in the state of Alaska. So we went through a massive amount of draft beer just at one of our locations and quite a bit at our second location as well.”

“We couldn't really afford to make any mistakes.”

“And by mistakes I mean like running out of ingredients or raw materials. Not only did this include items like grains, hops, or adjuncts, but also bottles, bottle caps, brand specific labels for our brands. If we had one minor slip up in the summer it would cause us to be out of a beer on the shelves. And that was a major, major problem because it was an income loss for us.”

“MRP was the whole driving force for our brewery to go with brewery software.”

“Having an MRP tool like what Beer30 offers is such a massive time-saver. For starters, fewer mistakes are made. But it also makes all the information available in one place versus having to collect hand counts and trying to map them up with my purchase orders, then looking separately in the brew schedule, and trying to create Gantt charts. I did all of that manually and was learning to be successful at it, but it was a challenge.”

“Don’t Let Inventory Keep You Up at Night”

Zach Volkman is the Head of Revenue Operations for The 5th Ingredient. Formerly Zach was Chief Operating Officer of O'Connor Brewing Company in Norfolk, VA, and prior to that, was a Process Engineer at Ballast Point Brewing, in San Diego, CA.

“At my previous job, I ran our purchasing of packaging materials for about six months, using nothing other than spreadsheets and a Google calendar. At the time, we were bottling, canning and kegging five days a week. I would say, at times, I was spending at least 10 hours a week manually calculating and trying to forecast out exactly what my consumption rate was going to be on every single item. Then I was trying to stay ahead of four to eight week lead times, especially for printed boxes and items like that. Not to mention, we're trying to buy it in bulk to hit price points.”

“I think I legitimately had nightmares about shutting down the entire production operation because we were missing an item.”

“And then all of a sudden you're tying up a bright tank. You can't even necessarily filter the next beer or switch to something else. From there, it’s just a cascading effect that could be a total headache. I couldn't agree more that MRP was a huge motivation to go for craft brewery software. One thing I like most about Beer30 is that it has a lead time feature with suggested purchase orders.”

Key Features of Beer30's Brewery Inventory Software

Beer30's brewery inventory software is packed with features designed specifically for breweries. The MRP module integrates seamlessly into daily operations, offering several unique advantages:

• Real-Time Inventory Tracking: Keep an accurate count of raw materials and packaging supplies.
• Automatic Purchase Orders: Generate suggested orders based on inventory levels and lead times.
• Recipe Integration: Track ingredients and substitutions with ease, ensuring production consistency.
• Cellar Management: Factor in dry hopping, adjuncts, and other cellar activities directly within your recipe.

Tips for Successful MRP Implementation in Breweries

To fully benefit from Beer30's MRP tool, here are some key practices:

1. Maintain Accurate Inventory: Regularly update inventory counts to ensure MRP has accurate data.
2. Plan Ahead: Forecast your production needs as far in advance as possible.
3. Establish Vendor Relationships: Work with suppliers to commit to specific lead times for ingredients and materials.

Brew Better with Beer30's Inventory Software

If your brewery has been struggling with material resource planning, Beer30 could be your knight in shining armor! Schedule a demo today to learn how our craft brewery software could help you brew more and brew better.

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The beer industry has undergone significant shifts in recent years, with 2021 bringing about many changes that followed an equally tumultuous 2020. While the craft beer industry faced numerous challenges, fewer breweries closed than originally anticipated. In fact, many adapted by introducing new innovations and reshaping how beer is consumed.

The great news is that these transformations have given rise to trends that are likely to stick around for the long haul. From low and non-alcoholic beers to beer smoothies, the craft beer industry continues to evolve and cater to a wide range of tastes. With nearly 9,000 breweries across the U.S. alone, the industry is constantly adapting to meet demand and bring exciting new flavors to beer lovers everywhere.

Here are five beer trends that are here to stay:

1. Low and Non-Alcoholic (NA) Beers

One of the most prominent beer trends is the rise of low and non-alcoholic (NA) beers. Driven by health-conscious consumers and those looking to maintain an active lifestyle, these beers offer the flavor of traditional brews without the alcohol. What once was seen as stripping away beer’s best quality—its alcohol—has now evolved into a market of delicious NA options.

Breweries have perfected their recipes to create non-alcoholic beers that taste just as flavorful as their alcoholic counterparts. From fruity sours to hazy IPAs, the range of flavors in the NA beer category is growing rapidly. With a growing emphasis on wellness, this trend is expected to soar in popularity in the coming years.

2. Hard Seltzers

Hard seltzers have taken the alcoholic beverage market by storm, and their popularity shows no signs of slowing down. While not technically beer, many breweries are jumping on the seltzer bandwagon to stay competitive. These sweet, fruity, and refreshing beverages appeal to a wide audience and offer a lighter alternative to beer.

Seltzers have become a staple for drinkers looking for a bubbly, low-calorie option. The trend of sweet, alternative alcoholic beverages has always been popular, and hard seltzers are likely to dominate this space for the foreseeable future.

3. Fruity Beer Smoothies & Beer Ice Cream

Beer innovation has taken a sweet turn with the rise of fruity beer smoothies and beer ice cream. This trend has gained traction, with many breweries offering creative variations such as beer push pops, sundaes, and more. These fun, dessert-like brews often include indulgent ingredients like:

• Fruit
• Chocolate
• Marshmallow
• Vanilla
• Lactose

These beers are not only delicious but also visually appealing, with bright colors and vibrant flavors that attract a wide range of beer enthusiasts. The fusion of dessert flavors and beer has become so popular that some breweries have even built their brands around this trend.

4. The Rise of Craft Lagers

Once considered "boring" by craft beer aficionados, lagers are now experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Traditionally one of the most brewed and consumed beer styles worldwide, lagers are making a comeback, especially in the craft beer scene.

Breweries are putting their own unique spin on lagers, elevating the style and proving that it can be just as exciting as IPAs and stouts. Craft lagers offer a refreshing and approachable option for both seasoned beer drinkers and newcomers, making them a trend that’s likely to endure.

5. Barrel-Aged Stouts

Barrel-aged stouts have long been associated with the colder months, but that’s changing as breweries begin to release these bold beers year-round. These stouts are aged in barrels, often bourbon or rum barrels, which impart rich, complex flavors to the beer. With a thick, syrupy base, barrel-aged stouts develop a unique depth of flavor over time, enhanced with additions like:

• Vanilla beans
• Coconut
• Coffee

The result is a decadent, full-flavored beer that beer lovers can enjoy any time of year. Barrel-aged stouts are expected to remain a staple in the craft beer world for years to come.

Conclusion

The craft beer industry is constantly evolving, with new trends emerging and old ones making a comeback. From low and non-alcoholic beers to barrel-aged stouts, breweries are finding ways to cater to a diverse and growing audience. These five beer trends are not only popular now but are likely to continue shaping the beer landscape in the years ahead.

Brew Better with Beer30 Brewery Software

At The 5th Ingredient, we are passionate about craft beer and helping breweries. In our mission to help brewers brew more and brew better beer, we developed Beer30. Beer30 is all-in-one brewery management software designed for brewers, by brewers. Learn more about Beer30 brewery software or schedule a demo today!

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Ready to level up with Beer30?

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Ready to level up with Beer30?

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Ready to save money with Beer30?

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Ready to save money with Beer30?