The 12th annual Ontario Craft Brewers Conference (OCBC) wrapped up successfully on Nov. 7, 2024, at the Hamilton Convention Centre in Hamilton, Ont. As one of Canada’s largest craft brewing conferences, the event brought together brewers, suppliers and craft beer enthusiasts from across North America for two days of education, networking and celebration.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Championing Craft’s Future,” to provide some much-needed hope to Canadian brewers.

“It’s no surprise and no secret that beer is down across the board,” said Troy Burtch, senior manager of sales and marketing at Great Lakes Brewery and spokesperson for OCBC. “Not significantly, but consumption per capita is down. This year’s event was about bringing everyone together – the breweries, the vendors, the supporters – and saying there is a future. We wanted to champion that with these speakers and these presenters, and get breweries, sales teams and packaging teams to the conference to reinvigorate the industry.”

OCBC 2024 attracted over 1,000 attendees, including brewery owners, operators, brewers, investors and industry champions from Canada and the United States. A highlight of the event was the Suppliers Marketplace, which featured more than 120 leading-edge industry suppliers. This made it one of the largest craft brewing trade shows in Canada, offering attendees the chance to explore innovative products and services tailored to the needs of the craft brewing community.

A packed agenda

The conference agenda offered a rich blend of educational sessions, networking opportunities and social events spread across several days:

• Tuesday, Nov. 5: Supplier load-in and attendee pre-registration, followed by a kickoff party at Clifford Brewing and a Czetch pub takeover at Merit Brewery.
• Wednesday, Nov. 6: The opening day featured keynote presentations, breakout sessions and the bustling trade show. Next came a tour of Hamilton craft breweries. The day concluded at Mills Hardwear with Blood Brothers Brewing and Town Brewery.
• Thursday, Nov. 7: The final day included additional sessions and continued exploration of the trade show. OCBC 2024 concluded with a vibrant after-party at Collective Arts Brewing to cap off the event.

Educational highlights

OCBC 2024 included robust educational programming, featuring insights into the latest trends, technologies and strategies shaping the craft beer industry. Expert-led sessions covered a diverse array of topics, including brewing techniques, business development, marketing innovations and regulatory updates. Both emerging and established brewers left with valuable knowledge to navigate the ever-evolving craft beer landscape.

For Burtch, one of the standout moments from the conference was the fireside chat with Peter Bulut, owner of Great Lakes Brewery, who reflected on his 37 years in the industry. “We heard a lot of good feedback from people who have a two-year-old to a 10-year-old brewery, who saw the progression of one of Ontario’s legacy brewers,” he said.

Another standout moment was the keynote with Ben Edmunds, brewmaster at Breakside Brewery in Portland, Ore. “He just had a fantastic presentation. It was motivational, inspiring, yet it made you look inwards at yourself and your business to see how you can do better,” said Burtch.

We’ve already started talking about what we’re going to do next year in terms of keynote speakers, education sessions and, as we do every year, we ask ourselves how we can make things better for the attendees.

Troy Burtch, Great Lakes Brewery

The trade show also received positive feedback from attendees. “There was so much energy,” said Burtch. “A lot of the vendors said that this is the best trade show they’ve been to in 2024, and that they had a lot of face-to-face time with the key decision-makers. It didn’t hurt that there were hundreds of different varieties of Ontario craft beer available for us to sample, too.”

Strengthening the craft brewing community

Beyond its formal programming, OCBC provided numerous opportunities for attendees to connect and collaborate. Networking events and informal meetups allowed participants to share ideas and forge meaningful relationships. Many attendees remarked on the value of the community-building aspect of the conference, with new partnerships and friendships formed over shared experiences.

Hosting the event in Hamilton also gave participants the chance to explore the city’s burgeoning craft beer scene. Known for its mix of industrial heritage and artistic vibrancy, Hamilton is home to a diverse array of craft breweries that reflect the creativity of Ontario’s brewing culture. Many attendees took time to visit local breweries, further immersing themselves in the region’s plentiful beer offerings.

The future of OCBC

The conference will return to the Hamilton Convention Centre on Nov. 4–6, 2025. “We’ve already started talking about what we’re going to do next year in terms of keynote speakers, education sessions and, as we do every year, we ask ourselves how we can make things better for the attendees,” said Burtch.

OCBC 2024 was more than just an event; it was a celebration of the community that defines the craft brewing industry. From educational sessions and trade show exhibits to social events and brewery tours, attendees left with fresh insights, valuable connections and renewed inspiration to drive the craft beer movement forward.

As one of the largest gatherings of its kind in Canada, OCBC once again demonstrated its significance as a cornerstone event for the industry. Participants departed Hamilton energized and equipped to face new challenges, confident in the strength of the community they are proud to be part of – and ready to attend the conference once again in 2025.