Understanding Charity Beer: A Historical Perspective

Are you a beer enthusiast looking for a way to give back? Look no further than joining the popular and growing trend of charity beer! From centuries ago, beer has been used for fundraising activities, and now you can be a part of it. Learn more about this rewarding experience and how it can help make the world a better place.

Raising Funds for a Good Cause With Charity Beer

It could be anybody’s guess exactly when the first beer-related benefit came to fruition, but it’s safe to say that the concept of selling beer to raise money for a good cause has been around for decades, if not centuries. But with the ever-growing popularity of craft beer and microbreweries, along with the rapidly expanding beverage-infused charity industry, beer-focused fundraising efforts have surged to new heights.

Charity beer is a fantastic and efficient way to earn more money for a cause while bringing the community together over a cold brew. Compared to other fundraising activities, such as walkathons or community auctions, it’s often simpler, less time-consuming, and less expensive to plan and organize.

What is Charity Beer?

Charity beer can refer to a few different beer-focused activities and events that share a common goal: donating a portion of the company's profits or another type of contribution (like the sale of merchandise) to a local non-profit of the company's choosing.

The approach used by different microbreweries and craft beer enthusiast companies may vary, but will typically include any one (or a combination) of the following activities or events:

  • Selling limited-release craft beer with a portion of the profits donated to charity
  • Offering special discounts on various merchandise items with a portion of the profits donated to charity
  • Hosting brewers’ nights, tap takeovers, and beer-based events with proceeds donated to charity
  • Donating a portion of the company’s profits to charity
  • Giving away free beer samples with a portion of the sales donated to charity

Examples of Charity Beer in Action

These days, it isn’t too hard to find a craft beer or a homebrewer engaging in charity beer. Some notable examples include:

  • Victory Brewing Company, who has long been involved in charity events and has even created their own special "Victory for the Causes" IPA and partnered with the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.
  • Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., which fundraisers for its charitable foundation and partners with the National Forest Foundation to host beer-tasting events to raise funds.
  • Anchor Brewing, who, for seven years now, has supported local causes through the sale of their limited-edition NorCal IPA.

Types of Causes That Benefit From Charity Beer

Businesses, companies, and organizations that create or market charity beer usually involve themselves in a variety of causes, though they will usually focus on one or two in particular. For instance, one charitable organization may choose to focus on children’s hunger programs, while another may focus on animal welfare-related initiatives.

Here are just a few of the many types of causes that benefit from the sale of charity beer:

  1. Hunger and poverty
  2. Education
  3. Environment and conservation
  4. Social justice
  5. Health and medical care
  6. Animal welfare
  7. Arts and culture

Advantages of Utilizing Charity Beer Fundraising

Organizing and hosting a charity-focused event is one of the smartest and most efficient ways to raise money for a cause. Here are some of the advantages of using charity beer fundraising to accomplish your goal:

  • Get the word out about your cause. As an exclusive event, charity beer is a great way to attract media attention and create awareness about the cause you’re supporting.
  • Secure funds with minimal overhead. Aside from the cost of the beer or merchandise, there is typically little overhead involved in hosting a charity beer event.
  • Raise funds with limited effort. Charity beer activities typically require very limited effort on the part of the charity, which means that your organization’s resources can be better utilized elsewhere.
  • Bring the community together. There’s nothing that brings people together better than beer, and with a charity event, you can enjoy the added bonus of being able to get your message out there and engage with your target audience on a deeper level.

Using Technology to Increase Success of Your Charity

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