Apr 12, 2025
In this episode, I sit down with Dan Abel, Co-founder and CEO of Pilot Project Brewing, a first-of-its-kind beverage incubator helping brands navigate one of the most competitive and complex CPG categories: beverages.
From launching home-brew experiments in his garage to opening multi-location tasting rooms and scaling more than 20 innovative brands, Dan shares the real story behind building an incubator that acts more like a record label than a traditional brewery.
We discuss how Pilot Project
removes barriers for founders, democratizes access to manufacturing
and distribution, and gathers real-time consumer data to help
determine which brands will succeed. Dan also shares lessons on
entrepreneurship, brand validation, and why beverage founders
shouldn’t go it alone.
Key Moments in This Episode:
* How Pilot Project Brewing was inspired by the music industry’s
support system for creatives
* Why real product validation means gathering comparative data, not
just compliments
* What founders need to know about packaging, shelf presence, and
customer experience
* The trends Dan sees emerging from over 1,200 brand applications
(including what’s next)
* How this incubator helped a non-alcoholic brand scale and get
acquired in under two years
Join me, Ramon
Vela, in listening to this episode for a deep look into how
smart support systems and shared resources are reshaping the
beverage world. Whether you’re a founder or a fan of what’s next,
this one’s for you.
For more on Pilot Project Brewing, visit:
https://www.pilotprojectbrewing.com/
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Today’s Sponsors:
Compass Rose
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