Running a brewery is a full-time job. Actually, let's be honest: it's several full-time jobs rolled into one. You're managing production, inventory, staffing, taproom operations, events, and customer service. The last thing you need is to spend hours every day trying to keep up with every social media platform.
Yet many brewery owners feel pressure to be everywhere. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Threads, YouTube, and whatever new platform everyone's talking about this week. Before you know it, you're spending more time creating content than running your business.
Here's the good news: you don't have to be everywhere to market your brewery effectively. Instead of spreading yourself thin across a dozen platforms, focus on three tools that can help people discover your brewery, decide to visit, and stay informed: Facebook, Untappd, and Google Business Profile.
Let's look at how to make each one work for your brewery without letting social media take over your day.
1. Facebook: Your Taproom's Community Bulletin Board
Facebook remains a useful tool for many breweries, particularly those that host trivia nights, live music, food truck visits, seasonal celebrations, and other community events.
It's a place where your existing customers can keep up with what's happening and where potential customers can discover events worth leaving the house for.
But you don't need to post five times a day or spend hours brainstorming clever captions.
Focus on these four types of posts:
Upcoming events: Promote trivia nights, live music, fundraisers, release parties, and special celebrations.
What's pouring: Share new releases, seasonal favorites, limited batches, and returning customer favorites.
What's happening today: Let customers know which food truck is visiting, whether live music starts tonight, or what's special about the taproom this weekend.
Your people and community: Highlight your staff, loyal customers (with permission), local partnerships, and community involvement.
Make Facebook work harder for you
Create Facebook Events for appropriate activities, especially events where people may want to check the details, share the event, or invite friends.
Include the essentials in your posts: the date, time, location, price if applicable, and a clear reason to attend. Don't make people dig through three posts to find out when trivia starts.
Whenever possible, use real photos of your brewery, beer, staff, and events. Your customers want to see the place they're considering visiting, not another generic stock photo of a pint of beer.
And here's a time-saving trick: plan your posts for the week in one sitting and schedule them in advance using Meta Business Suite. You can still jump in to respond to comments and share spontaneous updates, but you won't need to open Facebook every hour wondering what to post.
2. Untappd: Get Your Beer in Front of Beer Enthusiasts
Facebook helps promote your taproom and events. Untappd serves a different purpose: helping beer enthusiasts discover and track beers.
For breweries that produce craft beer, it's a platform worth paying attention to because users actively explore beer styles, check in beers, and look for new things to try.
If you're not maintaining your brewery's presence on Untappd, you may be missing an opportunity to connect with people who are specifically interested in what you're brewing.
Here's where to focus your efforts:
Keep your beer listings accurate. Make sure beer names, styles, descriptions, and other available details are correct.
Update new releases. Give beer enthusiasts a way to discover your latest IPA, stout, lager, or seasonal offering.
Keep your brewery information current. Check that your location and other relevant details are accurate.
Encourage genuine check-ins. Let customers know they can check in the beers they're enjoying. Don't pressure them for ratings or incentivize positive reviews.
Treat Untappd as a beer discovery tool, not another full-time job
You don't need to create a daily content calendar for Untappd. Prioritize accurate beer information and timely updates when something new hits the taps.
If your brewery changes its beer lineup frequently, build updating your listings into your normal beer-release process. Whoever finalizes the new beer details can also make sure the relevant information is updated online.
One important distinction: Untappd is not a substitute for your broader marketing efforts. It's especially relevant to beer discovery, while Facebook and Google help with other parts of the customer journey.
3. Google Business Profile: Help Customers Find You
If you focus on just one thing this week, make sure your brewery's Google Business Profile is claimed, verified, and up to date.
When someone searches for “brewery near me,” checks Google Maps for directions, or looks up your hours before heading out, your profile may be one of the first places they encounter your business.
And unlike a social media post that quickly disappears in a busy feed, your business profile can help people find essential information whenever they're searching.
Make these items a priority:
Accurate hours: Include regular hours and update special or holiday hours.
Correct contact information: Verify your address, phone number, and website.
Current photos: Show your taproom, outdoor seating, beer, food options, and atmosphere.
Customer reviews: Monitor feedback and respond professionally.
Relevant updates: Use available Google Business Profile features to share appropriate news, offers, and events.
Think like someone looking for a place to go
Imagine a couple visiting your town for the weekend. They search Google Maps for a brewery, find your listing, and want to know three things: Are you open? Does the place look inviting? Is there something worth checking out?
Your profile should answer those questions quickly.
Keep your information accurate and make it easy for people to visit your website for your current beer menu, upcoming events, and other details.
Google doesn't guarantee top placement just because your profile is complete, but accurate information and a well-maintained listing give potential customers a better experience when they discover you.
The Secret to Saving Time: Give Each Platform a Job
The biggest mistake brewery owners make is treating every platform as if it needs the same content and the same amount of attention.
Instead, give each platform a specific purpose.
PlatformPrimary purposeWhat to prioritizeFacebookCommunity and event promotionEvents, taproom updates, beer releasesUntappdBeer discoveryAccurate beer listings and new releasesGoogle Business ProfileLocal discoveryHours, directions, photos, reviews
This approach makes it easier to decide what belongs where. It also prevents you from wasting time trying to create unique content for every platform every day.
You can reuse information without blindly copying every post everywhere. For example, a new beer release might get a Facebook announcement, an updated Untappd listing, and a fresh photo on your Google profile.
Same news, different purpose.
A Simple Weekly Social Media Routine for Busy Brewery Owners
You don't need a dedicated social media employee to maintain a useful online presence. You need a manageable routine and a willingness to focus on what matters.
Here's a sample schedule you can adapt to your brewery.
Monday — 20 minutes
Plan and schedule your Facebook posts for the week. Include your upcoming events, a beer feature, and anything customers need to know about the weekend.
Wednesday — 10 minutes
Check your Untappd listings. Make sure recent releases and current beer details are accurate.
Friday — 10 minutes
Check Google Business Profile for incorrect information, new reviews, and opportunities to share a timely update.
Daily — 5 minutes
Check for important customer questions and comments. Respond when needed, especially if someone is asking about hours, events, accessibility, or a reservation.
Total planned time: roughly one hour per week, plus any extra time needed for special announcements or customer conversations.
Your actual time commitment will depend on how often you release beer, how many events you host, and how much customer interaction you receive. The goal isn't to hit a magic number of minutes. It's to make marketing manageable instead of letting it consume your day.
What About Instagram, TikTok, and Everything Else?
You don't necessarily need to abandon every other platform. The key is to stop feeling obligated to maintain all of them.
If Instagram consistently brings people into your taproom, keep using it. If your customers are active on another platform and it delivers measurable value, consider keeping it in your mix.
But if you're spending hours making videos for a platform that generates little engagement, few inquiries, and no noticeable business results, it's time to reassess.
Ask yourself three questions:
Are our customers actually using this platform?
Does it help people discover our brewery, attend our events, or buy our beer?
Is the time we're spending on it worth the results?
If you can't answer those questions, take a step back before investing more time.
You can always experiment with a new platform later. You don't have to chase every trend the moment it appears.
Don't Let Social Media Replace Your Email List
There's one more thing worth remembering: your social media audience isn't entirely under your control. Platform algorithms change, features disappear, and the number of people who see your posts can fluctuate.
That's why building an email list is a smart complement to your social media strategy.
Invite customers to sign up for brewery news, upcoming events, new releases, and special offers. Make signing up easy at the taproom, on your website, and at appropriate events.
Email gives you another direct way to reach people who have chosen to hear from you. Just make sure your messages provide real value instead of filling inboxes with unnecessary promotions.
Final Thoughts: Market Smarter, Not Longer
Your brewery needs marketing, but it doesn't need to become a full-time social media operation.
Start with Facebook for community and events, Untappd for beer discovery, and Google Business Profile for local visibility. Keep each one accurate, useful, and focused on what customers need to know.
Schedule content in batches. Reuse information intelligently. Respond to customers. Measure results. And don't be afraid to step away from platforms that aren't delivering value.
Most importantly, remember why you're doing this in the first place: to get people through the door, give them a great experience, and encourage them to come back.
The best social media strategy isn't being everywhere. It's being where your customers are—and giving them a reason to visit.
