Turning Taprooms Into Destinations with Andrew Coplon

In this episode, Patricia sits down with Andrew Coplon, founder of Secret Hopper and Craft Beer Professionals, for a deep dive into the habits, data, and guest-experience strategies that separate good taprooms from great ones.

Andrew shares how a “crazy idea” in 2017—launching a mystery-shopping service for breweries—sparked his journey into the industry and inspired the creation of an 18,000-member community dedicated to brewery education and connection. Together, they explore what today’s guests expect, how the best operators deliver it consistently, and why hospitality—not beer quality—is now the true differentiator.

• Why small habits drive big revenue
  From offering to-go beer to suggesting flights, Andrew breaks down the data behind simple behaviors that can raise tabs by up to 50%.

• What the industry still gets wrong
  Despite progress, taprooms miss two core opportunities: asking guests if they want to take beer home and guiding them through flights—both powerful engagement levers.

• Why hospitality beats novelty
  Andrew reveals how engagement, first impressions, and clarity of service dramatically impact whether guests return—or recommend you at all.

• The rise of the taproom as a third place
  Breweries are no longer just breweries. They’re community hubs, event spaces, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Winning operators lean into that versatility.

• How to pick one habit your team can master in 30 days
  Andrew outlines a practical framework for coaching staff, building consistency, and tracking results with data that already lives in your POS.

Andrew closes with a special gift for listeners: a free Secret Hop mystery shop for GoTab customers—complete with objective feedback on guest engagement inside your taproom.

Whether you run a brewery, manage a taproom, or simply care about the power of hospitality, this conversation offers actionable insights backed by real-world data and nearly a decade of industry observation.

00 - 03:00 Background

03:01 - 05:20 How Secret Hopper Started

05:21 - 10:00 Biggest Change Over Last Decade of Craft Beer; Biggest Blind Spots for Operators

10:01 - 13:00 Best Taproom Sales Strategies from Data from Over 10k Unique Visits

13:01 - 16:30 Taproom Management Best Practices & Building Good Routines

16:31 - 19:00 What the Best Taprooms are Doing Today

19:01 - 23:10 Creating a Unique Craft Brewery Value Proposition 

23:11 - 27:00 Andrew’s Biggest Hospitality Pet Peeve

27:01 - 27:58 The Business Value of Good First Time Taproom Experiences 

27:59 - 28:50 The Taproom Trend Andrew Hopes Never Goes Away

28:51 - 30:20 The Taproom Trend Andrew Hopes Does Go Away

30:21- 31:40 Craft Breweries as “Third Spaces” 

31:41 - 31:22 The One Thing Andrew Would Challenge Every Craft Brewery Operator to Tackle in the Next 30 Days

31:23 - 34:04 The One Data Point Every Craft Breweries Should Know

34:05 - Closing and Special Offer for GoTab Customers