Blood, Sweat & Beers

As a change of pace, I decided to write a little description for Untappd.com and what is felt to be a proper business usage. This is still one of the most popular choices in 2019 for collaborating with other craft beer enthusiasts on beers in your community.

Untappd.com

Background

Untappd is a gamified social networking site which requires participants to create a profile and build a reputation of writing reviews. As they review beers and check-in at different locations, their strength as an advisor increases and changes standings. As an incentive, participants receive badges and are encouraged to further expand their experiences. This program has begun to grow so significantly within the craft beer industry, that any brewery can expect a post from users anywhere from once an hour to as much as once a minute.

                                           Source: untappd.com

Proper Business Usage

This is a tool which offers consumers an unbiased portal to say what they would like and share their opinions with others. The power behind this tool is that you can thank users directly for their reviews. and see the website analytics of your brand.

If the experience is positive, send that person a personal (human) message to thank them. This practice should be utilized frequently to build a connection with the people who care about your brand, as they will appreciate you reaching out to them. This potentially leads to further positive reviews in the future, with your only cost being time.

If the experience is negative, it is important to remain professional and be empathetic of the customer’s perspective. Recognizing that whether the situation was blown out of proportion or not, the issue is likely a big deal to that user, respecting that and acting accordingly are your only course of action. Mitigate damages with an offer to mend the situation in whatever way you can. Whether the customer accepts your offer or not, the correspondence is a sign of goodwill and will show potential future reviewers that a negative experience is not something that they can come to expect.



MEETING 5 - Blood, Sweat & Beers

Kyle's Pick - Brewery & Beer #1 - This beer is called the Thirty Years Imperial Red Ale from Vancouver Island Brewing in Victoria, B.C. What we had hoped to be the best beer of the night was actually the worst - not horrible, but slightly disappointing for all of the hype we'd heard about it. It is a mix between a slightly sweet beer and a hoppy IPA, which we didn't feel was the best combination. It felt like molasses was added in the hope of changing the flavour, which ultimately it did, but we do not feel for the best. Vancouver Island Brewing describes this beer as, "We pay tribute to our long standing Piper's Pale Ale and ramped up the recipe to create a big, bold, and robust beer. This malty, well-hopped Imperial Red Ale is our way of saying thank-you for your support. Cheers!"

Vancouver Island Brewery is an upbeat, exciting company with unique offerings and a very intuitive website. We would like to believe that as long as we avoid their sweeter beers, we should yield positive results.

The Council gave Thirty Years Imperial Red Ale an average score of 3.2/5.

Kyle's opinion on this beer, "Solid start, syrupy finish"



Matt's Pick - Brewery & Beer #2  -This beer is called the Sap Sucker Maple Porter from Fernie Brewing Co. in Victoria, BC. A little daunting at first, when you look at the beer in a glass and it looks like a Coke, but it was very surprising and for a group that rarely indulges in porters, this was quite the treat. It has a subtle carbonation, an extremely nice caramel and coffee flavouring to it. This was the Council's first brew from Fernie Brewing and we're looking forward to sampling more. Originally launched in 2010, Fernie describes this beer as, "A darkly delicious & truly Canadian taste." Nothing long-winded about the description from Fernie still about sums up this seasonal offering.

It's always nice to see another brewery that is heavily engaged in social media and responds to their customers, Fernie is a prime example of that; Instagram being the most popular. We do not believe it to be what you'd expect just from the look, but it is incredible either way. It was given an average score of 4/5.

Matt's Opinion of this beer, "A hint of maple makes it a truly Canadian beer - perfect in the morning poured on top of pancakes." 

Brewery & Beer #3 - Mike's Picks - This beer is called the Red Racer Imperial Pale Ale made by Central City Brewing out of Surrey, BC. Admittedly, we were surprised at the thought of Surrey producing anything close to Oregon standards, but we were blown away by the perfection in this brown bottle. A beautiful combination of sweet malt and hops greets you at the start of this and follows you right into a full bodied aftertaste the likes of which we've never experienced. Central City describes this beer as, "Dry hopped with whole leaf hops from the Yakima Valley, combined with Maris Otter English barley, floor-malted in age old tradition. A long maturation ensures plenty of flavour, with strong aromatics of grapefruit, tangerine and mango. This exquisite ale will coat your palate with a sensational long lasting bitterness." Most Imperial IPAs will claim such, but few will deliver as well as this one, nor will they sneak it in at 9.0%.

Overall, we quite enjoyed this brew and all agreed it was the best we've rated yet. It received an above highest score to-date at 4.4/5.

If you haven't heard of their cross-promo with Parallel 49 on a beer advent calendar, check it out here.

Mike's opinion on this beer, "Smell, check. Taste, Check. Alcohol Percentage, Check. It has it all."


   

Council's Verdict

Beer Name	Kyle	Mike	Matt		Average Rating
Thirty Years Imperial Red Ale	3.2	3.2	3.0		3.2
Sap Sucker Maple Porter	3.9	3.7	4.2		4.0
Red Racer Imperial Pale Ale	4.5	4.4	4.4		4.4
Bonus Beer: Bootlegger Ale	3.2	3.3	3.4		3.3

Sources:

Vancouver Island Brewing - http://vibrewery.com/

Fernie Brewing Co. - http://www.ferniebrewing.com

Central City Brewing - http://centralcitybrewing.com/

Central City Brewing Blog - http://centralcitybrewing.com/blog/2014/10/29/mystery-gift-holiday-countdown-parallel-49-brewing/

Beerin' Ain't Easy

Web 2.0 in the Beer Industry

The exponential evolution of the social media landscape has been directly linked to the beer industry since the introduction of Web 2.0. All major beer manufacturers, whether located in North America or worldwide, have developed and expanded the practices they utilize to engage their clientele with greater reason. It is the explosion of the craft beer industry in recent years that has not only cemented the necessity of this level of communication, but has completely revolutionized how it is executed.

As consumer trends shift to this rapidly evolving new world of small-batch breweries, the pride consumers have adopted for their local creations become ever more apparent. Increasingly, beer enthusiasts are frequenting the craft breweries themselves, sharing pride filled pictures at local pubs and are becoming very vocal on their opinions and tastes.

As this craft beer trend continues to flourish and social media advances, the need for brewers to develop a synergy between customers and technology becomes far more potent. Without that paramount relationship present, Economic Darwinism will be the deciding factor for who survives.

Meeting #4

Kyle's Pick - Brewery & Beer #1 - This beer is called the Randonneur Saison from Dageraad Brewing out of Burnaby, B.C. This is the second release in their Single Batch Series and it is unfiltered, as well as fermented in the bottle. According to Dageraad, the recommended pairing for this Saison is seafood or salad, which we're in agreement on for the former. Dageraard describes this beer as, "Peppery and hoppy, effervescent and bone-dry, Randonneur Saison refreshes after cycling through the autumnal countryside or harvesting produce in your own garden. It is fermented with a French Saison yeast and bottle conditioned for natural carbonation, and an extra layer of complexity."

A gorgeous saison, with a bitter bite and a smooth full-bodied flavour describes this beer best. Much like the Gose (pronounced: Gose-Uh) style of belgian farmhouse ales with a heavy carbonation that Tim and I love, this was another split-decision for votes amongst the Council.

The Council gave Dageraad's Randonneur Saison an average score of 3.9/5, much to my chagrin.

Kyle's opinion on this beer, "Punchy, smooth, carbonated, and delicious. It may not be the season for saison, but it's incredible."



Matt's Pick - Brewery & Beer #2  -This beer is called Snap, Crackle, Hop from Parallel 49 in Vancouver, BC. This is the Council's second attempt from Parallel 49 and it definitely had some mixed reviews from the Council, but ultimately all positive. Parallel describes this beer as, "An Imperial IPA brewed with flaked rice in order to keep the body light and showcase the New Zealand motueka hops. Big tropical fruit flavours and aromas hide the big 9.3% ABV."

A few of these will leave you crawling home at 9.3%, so as delicious as they are, we recommend drinking them in moderation - we'll try to take our own advice. 


Your first taste will be a combination of peach and mango hints, followed by a caramel and a lingering hoppy bite. The use of rice adds a unique dryness, but only a subtle change from your regular IPA, and admittedly, this just made it extra enjoyable. It was given an average score of 3.8/5, and although it was Matt's highest scored beer to-date, some other council members couldn't get on the same page.


Matt's opinion of this beer, "Super smooth, strong beer - do not limit this release Parallel 49 Brewing Company!"



Brewery & Beer #3 - Mike's Pick - This beer is simply called Wheat Ale made by Steamworks Brewing out of Vancouver, BC. Mike knew exactly what he was getting into when he purchased this, since he had frequented their brewery on a few occasions, but it was new for the rest of us. It seemed bizarre at first that they were calling it a Wheat Ale when it is clearly a hefeweizen, and because of this, the Council had some varied opinions on the ratings. Steamworks website describes this beer in the following way, "This Summertime South German Style Hefeweizen pours hazy, golden in colour with a thick white head. Beautiful flavours of banana, cloves and hints of bubblegum coat your palate as you enjoy this refreshing ale."

Definitely a unique flavour to it, but not overpowering; it has a light blond look to it, a hint of banana, some spice and it is a bit yeasty. Since there's that subtle hint of banana in the palette, it helps combat the sour yeast flavour that is an often found to be an acquired taste.

Overall, we enjoyed this hefe and all agreed it's a decent beer. It received an average score of 3.3/5.

Mike's opinion of this beer, "Steamworks turns my crank."

Tim's Pick - Brewery & Beer #4  -This beer is called Pray for Snow Winter Ale from 10 Barrel Brewing Company in Portland, Oregon. This is the Council's first attempt from 10 Barrel Brewing Co. and we couldn't believe how disappointing this was. We expect some of the best to come out of Oregon, so perhaps that is why we had such high expectations for this beer, but this was either a barrel gone bad, or we are seriously wrong in our opinions. 10 Barrel Brewing describes this beer as... nothing, their website literally has no information on it for this product. For shame, 10 Barrel!

It's a strong beer at 7%, especially out of America, and looks to be a full-bodied beer from its dark amber and brown colouring. It has a caramel-like flavour to it, but it's more of a syrupy sweetness and would leave you in agony the next day after consuming a few. The average rating given by the Council was a generous 2.7/5.

Tim's opinion of this beer, "They say winter is coming, but I am not. If this is what winter has to offer then I won't be praying for snow."

Council's Verdict

Beer Name	Kyle	Tim	Mike	Matt	Average Rating
Saison	4.3	4.2	3.6	3.4	3.9
Snap, Crackle, Hop	3.6	3.8	3.4	4.4	3.8
Wheat Ale	4.0	2.8	3.3	2.9	3.3
Pray for Snow	2.7	2.3	2.1	3.0	2.7
Bonus Beer: Liquid Sunshine Pilsner	4.1	3.6	4.2	3.2	3.8

Sources:

10 Barrel Brewing - http://www.10barrel.com/
Steamworks Brewing - http://steamworks.com/brewery
Parallel 49 Brewing - http://parallel49brewing.com/beers/
Dageraad Brewing - http://dageraadbrewing.com/

Nothing to be Embeerrassed About

Craft Breweries and Modern Technology

Recognizing that beer is something people associate with a social environment, craft beer companies have hand tailored their digital and social media marketing strategies, and employed them in a way that connects with local communities and regions.

In using these modern strategies, the difficulty that continues to arise is garnering the following and support of influential and credible people. These people in turn become figureheads for those interested in your brewery and product, and inadvertently become ambassadors for your brand. The potential that these ambassadors hold as a benefit to your company could have a positive or negative impact. Especially when a craft brewery is new and has yet to establish a strong following, even a single negative review can be detrimental.  It only takes a few bad reviews for that to become a company’s entire online presence, and in turn, could irrecusably be damaging their brand.

The key of every campaign and social platform communication should be to involve yourself in conversation with your local community. As a society, our support is typically swayed towards our own community bases, therefore as Taylor McQuiston said in his highly influential blog, it is understandable that “Craft Brewers with a strong presence in their home market are both more profitable and more easily able to expand into adjoining markets.”

So without further adieu, I give you this week's ratings.

WEEK 3 - NOTHING TO BE EMBEERRASSED ABOUT

Kyle's Pick - Brewery & Beer #1 - This beer is called the Angry Scotch Ale from Russell Brewing in Surrey, B.C. In 2010, Angry Scotch won a bronze at the World Beer Cup awards and later in 2014, it took the gold medal at the Canadian Brewing Awards. Russell describes this beer as a "19th Century Shilling Scotch Ale". And yes, it does taste exactly like a scotch ale! They go on to say, "We use an extended boil time that intensifies the roasted malt flavours of dark fruit and toffee." I'm afraid this is where there's a minor miscommunication, as there's nothing overly intense about the flavour at all. It is smooth and delicious with a hint of toffee in its aftertaste, which makes the brew something that you could handle drinking more than one, unlike other scotch ales.

Russell Brewing Company had a very promising start for the Council and we look forward to expanding our Tasting Map so close to home. Perhaps our first brewing tour?

The Council gave Angry Scotch Ale an average score of 3.5/5.

Kyle's opinion on this beer, "Smooth, drinkable, enjoyable, but only gets the silver medal from me."



Tyrone's Pick - Brewery & Beer #2  -This beer is called the Big Bock from Hoyne Brewing in Victoria, BC. This is the Council's second attempt from Hoyne Brewing and we were blown away. Hoyne describes this beer with some humour by saying, "The Majestic Rooster, unafraid to strut his colours. Proud. His voice clear and strong (maybe a bit annoying if you were hoping to sleep in). When he boldly proclaims his dominion, his entire flock listens, or pretends not to listen. Here is to standing proud, admiring your flock, and proclaiming "cock-a-doodle-do!"

It's a gorgeous red amber ale with aroma of sweet malt and floral hops. These floral hints are incredible from beginning-to-end and as you taste it, you notice this light fruit and smooth earthy combination. We do not believe it to be what you'd expect from a traditional bock, but it is incredible either way. It was given an average score of 4/5, which is our highest score yet.

Tyrone's Opinion of this beer, "It's like a 5 x 4 buck and a good wife, more than effort is needed to find it. You don't find it unless you put in the effort."




Brewery & Beer #3 - Tim's Picks - This beer is called The One That Got Away made by Longwood Brewpub out of Nanaimo, BC. Definitely a unique flavour to it, but not overpowering; it has a slight red hue, a subtle sour and bitter aftertaste. I sensed a hint of banana in the palette, which makes the bitter flavour not so aggressive in the end.

Longwood describes this beer as, "A red wheat ale inspired by the BC Tough's annual West Coast Tuna Shootout, a fishing derby that takes place in the wild waters of Bamfield, BC. This ease drinking, unfiltered ale is made with 50% wheat, barley and a health dose of crystal malt to create a slight sweet, burnt copper coloured beer. Ideal for pairing with any west coast seafood... Don't let this be the one that got away!" 

Overall, we quite enjoyed this brew and all agreed to we could handle a night of drinking it. It received an above average score of 3.7.

Tim's opinion on this beer, "Everyone has "the one that got away" and this is a bit of a heffer. This one is full of colour, doesn't give too much head, is a little yeasty, but just ever so sweet. Tasty, but I'm not too phased it got away in the first place."




Brewery & Beer #4 - Our Bonus Beer this week is a homebrew named Jack-o-Heed and it was made by Greg Clark of Langley, B.C. He was aiming for a chocolate pumpkin porter and hit the nail on the head. We were honoured to try his homebrew after hearing from friends how seriously he takes his personal craft. The body looked as thick as Guinness, but certainly didn't taste like it and we were all pleasantly surprised by how smooth it was. 

We would describe it as, "Thick, dark and robust with a foam that never settles. Brewed with care and the taste to prove it. It has subtle pumpkin flavour throughout and a wonderful roasted chocolate aftertaste. Superb!"

Greg is entering Barley's Homebrewing Supplies contest for the best homebrew; if he doesn't take home the win, we'll be surprised.






   

Council's Verdict

Beer Name	Kyle	Tim	Tyrone		Average Rating
Angry Scotch Ale	3.9	3.5	3.2		3.5
Big Buck	4.0	3.9	4.0		4.0
The One That Got Away	3.6	3.7	3.8		3.7
Bonus Beer: Jack-o-Heed Porter	-	-	-		-

Sources:

Canadian Brewing Awards - http://www.canadianbrewingawards.com/winners/years/2014/
Russell Brewing - http://www.russellbeer.com/
Hoyne Brewing - http://hoynebrewing.ca/#beers
Longwood Brewpup - http://www.longwoodbrewpub.com/
Barley's Homebrewing Supplies - http://www.barleyshomebrewing.com/