It's no secret that craft breweries are more popular than ever. Consumers are becoming more knowledgeable every day and more selective about their beers. Gone are the days where most people are simply "Coors" or "Bud" drinkers. Fans of craft breweries are passionate about the beer they drink. They are actively looking to engage with the makers behind the product. Social media, Instagram especially, can be an effective tool for reaching a craft brewer's target audience. Coming up with Instagram ideas for craft breweries can be hard with the number of strategies out there.

Here is a quick list to help you out:

1. How it's made - Give your follower a look into what goes into making their beer. The process, the ingredients and the people.
2. Company Culture  - Show your team's personality. Announce new hires and promotions.
3. Get out of the brewery - Document the community around your brewery. What influences your uniqueness and your part of the neighborhood.
4. Build a Community - Create a unique hashtag that your customers can use to connect with each other.
5. Label Art - Post a series of closeups of your unique label art. Profile the artists behind the labels.
6. Beer & Food - Partner with another craft food maker to show perfect beer/food pairings.
7. Create a Contest - Photo contests can be a great way to encourage user engagement.
8. Teasers - Generate some hype before you release a seasonal brews with a teaser campaign.
9. DON'T JUST ADVERTISE! - Build some rapport with your customers. There is a time/place for selling. Advertising/Promotions should be 5% of what you're posting.
10. Video - Leverage instagram's video and hyperlapse functions to create more than just pictures.
11. Tours & Events - Post pictures of brewery tours or events where your brewery is promoting its craft.
12. Customer Contributions - Repost photos of loyal customers engaging with your brand.

CONCLUSION:

Find out what works for your craft and what your customers are interested in seeing and take it from there. For example, Magic Hat Brewery puts a strong emphasis on customer contriubutions while Harpoon focuses more on contests and promotions. Regardless of how you use Instagram, it is important to stick with your brand.