How Punk Rock Partnerships Can Inspire Taproom Success
This blog won’t give you the secret to a more successful taproom. At best, it might offer a music recommendation you’ll either love or skip. But at its core, this blog aims to inspire you to think beyond the usual taproom activities and partnerships. This blog hopes to motivate you to put your beer brain down for a few minutes and to explore creative ways you can take to attract - and win over - new audiences.
But first, a song.
Frank Turner – “Do One”
That’s the original version of the song.
Frank Turner, an English punk-folk songwriter, has been a favorite of mine for about 20 years. His storytelling and high-energy songs always leave me wanting more. In a social media post from December 2023, he shared a performance of one of his most popular songs in the 29th language he’s learned it in.
Music, much like beer, transcends language barriers—it’s a universal connector. But hearing a song in your native language, where the meaning resonates deeply, creates a more profound connection. When the experience is meaningful, the relationship strengthens.
I’m not sure why Turner chose to perform in so many languages, but I believe it’s about forging deeper connections.
I think it’s awesome that Turner took the time to play his songs in multiple languages, but the goal here isn’t to motivate your staff to pick up Spanish or Cantonese to connect with guests (although it wouldn’t hurt). As of writing, Turner has collaborated with musical groups in 4 different countries to record new versions of “Do One.”
Had I ever heard of the band Dizzy Sunfist out of Osaka, Japan before Turner released a version with the band? Absolutely not, but I’ve since listened to and enjoyed several songs from the band. How about Donots out of Germany? I remember first discovering Donots nearly 20 years ago but hadn’t thought about them in ages. Time to give their records a spin again.
There is power in partnership. Something as simple as recording a song together can introduce one fan base to another. I have no idea whether Turner already had a thriving fanbase in Germany of Japan, but I don’t think an attempt to collaborate with musicians in the area hurt his ability to generate band awareness.
Similar, but different.
Turner collaborated with bands that share a similar style but come from different corners of the world. How can you apply this approach in your local community to create mutually beneficial partnerships? Perhaps it’s offering your taproom as a welcoming space for local organizations to host events. Or maybe it’s brewing a collaboration beer with a brewery in the next town over.
The goal here is to:
Explore partnerships with local businesses and organizations.
Host community events to draw new audiences.
Collaborate with other breweries for unique offerings.
Use creative strategies to deepen guest connections.
Expand your reach through cross-promotion.
In a market where getting more puts in seats is essential for success, creative solutions are key to growing and captivating your audience. Ask yourself, are you settling for the status quo by repeating the same generic brewery events? How often are you welcoming new audiences to your space? And what steps are you taking to maximize their experience and ensure they come back?
If Turner hadn’t collaborated with artists around the globe to record his song in different languages, his reach might never have expanded. He took a chance, stepped out of his comfort zone, and threw a little musical spaghetti at a new market. Will exploring new partnerships or trying something unconventional immediately boost your bottom line? Maybe not—but it could introduce a whole new audience to your taproom. And with a positive experience, they just might find a reason to return.
“So which path to choose?
The one less travelled or the one more used?
All the sticks and stones, all the broken bones,
It’s not who you are it’s the things you choose to do.”
-Frank Turner