As our taxi approached the Ithaca Beer Co. building, I saw a neat and tidy building with a very large, welcoming sign that indicated that we had arrived at the brewery. As I walked into the building, I was expecting to walk into an area that resembled a factory or plant floor with machines churning, however, I was surprised to be welcomed by a nice sitting area with visitors eating delicious-looking burgers and drinking beer. I believe that the ability of Ithaca Beer Co. make its brewery not just a place to brew beer, but to make it a cozy, welcoming tourist destination, and a place to hang out contributed to its success as a company. By making itself an attractive place to hang out with friends, eat some good food, and tour the workings of the plant, Ithaca Beer Co. is able to earn lots of revenue from not just selling its beer, but also selling its tour, souvenirs, and restaurant services. It is also able to build its brand name and recognition.

Another very interesting business idea that Ithaca Beer Co. implemented was called its “5 barrel beers”. These were new beer flavors that they were testing out. Visitors are able to try their “5 barrel beers”, give them feedback on what they liked and didn’t like, and from the feedback of their customers, Ithaca Beer Co. would then decide what they would like to mass produce and sell on the market. I thought that this was a very interesting way to perform market research while at the same time engaging their customers and showing their customer-oriented focus.