This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ali AAsum, the communications manager at Ninkasi Brewing. My PR instructor put me in touch with her, and she was gracious enough to sit down with me for 20 or 30 minutes to talk about PR in the craft brewing industry.

Before taking a seat in the outdoor area of the Ninkasi tasting room, I enthusiastically accepted a Dawn of the Red Ale (which, by the way, is delicious). I had prepared a few questions, and my intent was to get an idea of what PR work in the craft brewing industry might look like.

We started our conversation with a little background info. Ali explained to me that her previous experience included working for a PR agency in Portland and a marketing company in Eugene. The significance of those experiences, most notably in the PR agency, was that she got to work with a host of different clients. Many would likely agree that agency work is great for discovering the types of clients you like to work for, and is a typical starting point for many emerging PR professionals.

Knowing that my path has set me towards PR work in craft brewing, I was eager to hear what Ali’s transition was like as she began working for Ninkasi. She told me that working in-house has allowed her to focus and immerse herself in one industry that she is interested in. While that seems pretty obvious, it is worth noting that working in-house is very different from working with several clients in an agency. The work is much different too.

Ali then explained to me that much of what she does for Ninkasi has to do with product releases. When a new beer is released, her job is to send out news and press releases to gain coverage and garner attention towards the new product. This means reaching out to those on her media list, industry professionals, bloggers and craft beer advocate organizations. In order to do this job well and set yourself apart from others, Ali says that you have to be responsive with your communications and pay close attention to details. This means checking your email constantly and providing information as soon as it’s needed, among other things.

As for the brewery itself, I wanted to get an idea of the types of PR challenges that a business like Ninkasi might face. Ali alluded to Ninkasi’s rapid growth and successful branding, and how it might affect their local appeal as a craft brewery in Eugene. As Ninkasi continues to expand, it will undoubtedly be tricky to maintain that appeal and rally the same kind of local support it has received thus far. I have no doubt, however, that Ninkasi will navigate those waters just fine.

Over my last few sips of beer, I asked Ali to leave me with some advice for aspiring PR professionals. Her reply was straightforward. “Never say no, and be open to anything.” In other words, do more than what is expected of you and take any opportunity you can get because you never know where it might lead.

Her advice could certainly apply to any occupation, but nonetheless it was very helpful. All in all, I must say it was a productive little chat and I was able to gain some valuable insights. I hope to be sitting on the other side of the table one day, in which case I will pay her advice forward.

Thanks again, Ali.

Cheers.