Most breweries have plenty of data. The hard part is knowing where to focus.
Most of us got into beer to brew something people enjoy, build relationships, run a taproom where the community comes together, and run a smart, profitable business. A lot of the brewery leaders I talk to are spending their days somewhere else: chasing down information, dealing with surprises, and working really hard without getting ahead.
I started Central Coast Analytics to help with that. I work alongside brewery teams to connect what they already know, show them what matters each week, and help them decide what to do about it.
What I believe
- The job is narrowing it down.Most breweries have plenty of data and reports. What helps is getting to the few things that matter right now.
- A tough industry still leaves a lot you can control.At the level of one brewery, many of the problems are very solvable.
- Your team's knowledge counts as much as the data.The numbers say what changed. Your people usually know why. I bring that knowledge in alongside the data, so it's captured in one place and the analysis can keep getting smarter because of it.
- Gut feel works better with the numbers behind it.Experience and instinct matter a lot in this business. Backing them with data is what makes a big decision a confident one.
- With the right approach, tracking the business can be simple.Everything gets watched behind the scenes, and only what's critical to running the brewery comes to the surface, so the team can focus.
- Spreadsheets can only carry so much.A lot of this industry still runs on them, and they work up to a point. Let technology handle the tedious stuff, so your team always has the information it needs and can get back to the work that matters most, and that you all enjoy.
- You start where you are.I work with the systems you already run, and the first step is one question you care about.
From a step behind to a step ahead, one piece at a time.
A lot of teams start a step behind: information spread across a dozen places, surprises popping up, and a team that's working hard without being sure what to work on first. Where they want to be is a step ahead, with a few clear areas to focus on each week and a team that can see its work paying off. I think of my job as building the bridge between the two, one piece at a time, starting from wherever you are today.
About Jeremy
I'm Jeremy Carney. I've spent about 20 years working with data and technology, and the last few focused on craft beer, working with more than a dozen breweries and industry partners. I've spoken at industry conferences and on webinars and podcasts about how brewery teams use data to make decisions.
I'm based in Paso Robles, on California's Central Coast, where I've lived for 15 years with my wife and our two dogs (a pit bull and a wiener dog). I've always been passionate about craft brewing, and I wanted to combine my experience in data and technology with an industry I care about. It's been a great fit ever since: I get to help solve a real gap that every brewery I've come across has.
The products I build for breweries live under the name Brewery Brain. You can see them at brewerybrain.com.