Field Guide: Breweries

Brewing great beer takes a lot of juggling—batches to brew, events to plan, kegs to clean, invoices to send, customers to serve. With Basecamp, you can keep everything in one place, so your team always knows what’s going on and nothing slips through the cracks. Here’s how to set up Basecamp to keep your brewery running smooth.

Projects

Projects in Basecamp keep your work organized. Set up a project for each department or big workflow to make things easy to find and manage:

Brewing and Production: Track batches, ingredients, and equipment maintenance.
Marketing and Events: Plan promotions, tap takeovers, brewery tours, and social media.
Sales and Distribution: Keep up with orders, distributor contacts, and new accounts.
Quality Control and R&D: Document recipes, run tastings, and log testing results.
Taproom: Manage staffing, events, and customer feedback.
Operations: Take care of payroll, compliance, and anything else that keeps the business humming.

Each project is its own space with all the tools you need for that team or process. They can be stacked or organized based on your needs to keep you organized.

An image showing different projects in a Basecamp account for a brewery

To-Dos

The To-Dos tool helps break down big projects into bite-sized tasks:

Batch Schedule: Set up lists for each new batch with tasks for prepping, brewing, fermenting, and packaging.
Event Planning: Use to-dos to map out everything from booking to setup to the day-of run sheet.
Equipment Maintenance: Create to-dos for routine cleanings and repairs, with checklists for each piece of equipment.
Training: Set up a to-do list for onboarding new hires with everything they need to get up to speed.

A screenshot showing a to-do list in a Brewer's project with dates on when to clean, sanitize, and mash in

Keep the brewery running smooth by automating routine tasks and staying on top of what’s coming up:

Recurring To-Dos: For weekly, monthly, or seasonal tasks like cleaning or inventory checks, set up recurring to-dos to make sure they’re always covered.
Notifications and Reminders: Basecamp sends reminders for upcoming tasks, so no one has to worry about missing deadlines.
Track Progress: Checking off completed tasks makes it easy to see what’s been done and what’s next.

💡Tips: Assign tasks to specific people so everyone knows who’s doing what, and set due dates to keep things on track. Break bigger tasks into subtasks to make them easier to tackle.

Card Tables

For work that moves through steps, like production or product development, Card Tables give you a simple, visual layout:

Batch Pipeline: Set up columns for each step in brewing, like Ingredients Ordered, Brewing, Fermenting, and Packaged.
Sales Funnel: Organize leads in columns like New, Contacted, Follow-Up, and Closed to track progress.
Event Planning: Move cards from Planning to Execution and Finished, so it’s easy to see what’s next.

An image showing steps of distribution moving through the card table, including sending the inventory over to the distributors

Just drag and drop cards as things move along!

Chat

Use chat to talk with your team in real time—perfect for quick questions, updates, or brewing day check-ins:

Brew Day Updates: Use chat to keep the brewing team in sync and let everyone know if anything unexpected comes up.
Event Day Coordination: Make sure everyone’s on the same page for events, with updates as the day unfolds.
Daily Announcements: This is a good spot for sharing wins, like a new account or a killer review, or reminders for the team.

Keep things simple by sticking to one topic per chat.

Docs & Files

Docs & Files in Basecamp is where you can keep important documents. Think of it as your digital filing cabinet:

Recipes and Brew Logs: Store recipes, ingredient notes, and brewing schedules here.
Standard Operating Procedures: Document your SOPs for cleaning, safety, and brewing protocols.
Event Materials: Save promotional assets, permits, and any paperwork you need for events.
Sales Documents: Keep distributor agreements, price lists, and other sales materials in one spot.
Taproom Resources: Store current menus and inventory sheets here for easy access.

A screenshot showing docs & files, with various info for each beer in the operations project, such as an image of a pour, a recipe, and a logo

Templates

Templates in Basecamp are a huge time-saver. They let you set up reusable frameworks for projects and to-dos that you do over and over again. Instead of starting from scratch every time, you can just grab a template, tweak it if needed, and hit the ground running. Here’s how to use templates to make your brewery workflow even smoother.

1. Set Up Project Templates for Repeated Workflows

If you regularly tackle similar projects—like brewing a new batch, planning an event, or launching a seasonal beer—create a Project Template. This ensures all the essential steps, files, and tools are already in place when you start.

Batch Production Template: Include to-dos for ingredient prep, brewing, fermentation, packaging, and quality checks. Add placeholders for brew logs and recipe files.
Event Planning Template: Add a to-do list for permits, promotions, vendor coordination, and setup tasks. Include sample Docs & Files for contracts, layouts, or checklists.
Seasonal Beer Launch Template: Build out a project with tasks for recipe development, label design, social media campaigns, and distribution coordination.

2. Create To-Do Templates for Repetitive Task Lists

Some tasks—like brewing batches, deep-cleaning equipment, or running tastings—follow the same steps every time. To-Do Templates are perfect for these.

Brew Day Checklist: Include everything from sanitizing equipment and prepping ingredients to documenting OG/FG readings and cleanup tasks.
Maintenance Routine: Create a checklist for cleaning tanks, inspecting hoses, replacing filters, and running equipment tests.
Tasting Session Prep: Add tasks for setting up samples, creating evaluation sheets, and logging feedback.

3. Tips for Using Templates Effectively

Keep Templates Flexible: Don’t overcomplicate them with details that might change every time. Add placeholders or general steps instead of specifics.
Name Templates Clearly: Use names like "Brew Day Checklist," "Event Plan Template," or "Seasonal Beer Launch" so the whole team knows what they’re for.
Review and Update: Every now and then, check your templates to make sure they still fit your current workflows. Update them if you’ve refined your processes.
Combine Templates: You can use multiple to-do templates within one project! For example, for a big event, combine templates for marketing, vendor coordination, and taproom prep.

To-Do or Card?

Understanding when to use To-Dos vs. Cards in Basecamp depends on how you want to organize and track your work. Each tool serves a different purpose, so choosing the right one for a task can make a big difference in how clear and manageable your workflow feels. Here's a breakdown:

Tasks Better Suited for To-Dos

To-Dos are ideal for well-defined, actionable tasks that are assigned to specific people with clear deadlines. Use them for:

Single-Action Tasks: Tasks that can be completed in one step, like "Clean the fermenter" or "Submit the event permit."
Recurring Tasks: Regularly scheduled maintenance, cleaning, or inventory checks—Basecamp lets you make recurring to-dos.
Checklists: Tasks that involve a series of small actions, like “Set up tasting event” with subtasks like “Arrange seating,” “Prepare tasting cards,” and “Chill beer samples.”
Individual Assignments: Tasks owned by one person, like “Post the IPA release announcement on social media.”
Short-Term Tasks: Things that are urgent or time-sensitive, like “Send the invoice to the distributor by Friday.”
Linear Workflows: Where tasks are sequential and need to be checked off in order (e.g., brewing steps or taproom opening procedures).

Why To-Dos?

They have assignees and due dates.
They’re focused on task completion and accountability.
They work best when you’re dealing with granular, detailed work.

Tasks Better Suited for Cards

Cards shine when you’re working with tasks that have multiple stages, require collaboration, or don’t follow a simple linear path. Use them for:

Complex Workflows: Processes with multiple steps or phases, like “Batch Brewing Pipeline” with columns for "Ingredients Ordered," "Brewing," "Fermenting," and "Packaging."
Ongoing Projects: Tasks that don’t have a clear end date, like “Taproom Improvements” with cards for ideas like "Install new lighting" or "Redesign menu."
Collaborative Work: Where multiple people contribute to the same task over time, like “Develop a new seasonal beer recipe.”
Idea Management: Use cards to brainstorm and categorize ideas, like for “Upcoming Event Ideas” or “Future Beer Names.”
Progress Tracking: Visualize progress through stages, like “Event Planning” with columns for "Planning," "In Progress," and "Complete."
Non-Task Items: Cards can be used for things like storing notes, links, or reference materials that don’t belong in a to-do list.

Why Cards?

They’re visually intuitive and great for processes that involve moving pieces through stages.
They’re flexible—you can drag them between columns as work progresses.
They’re better for tasks that evolve or require frequent updates.

Pings

For one-on-one or small group chats, use Pings. Pings are great for focused conversations:

Quick Approvals: Send a ping to get quick feedback on a graphic or menu change.
Check-Ins: If you need an update from someone without distracting the whole team, send a ping.
Vendor Coordination: If you’re working out logistics with a supplier, pings keep it direct and tidy.